LOS ANGELES (AP) — Outside of a chance to bring the whole family together, Los Angeles Rams offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur isn't flustered knowing his brother, Green Bay Packers coach Matt LaFleur, will be on the opposing sideline Sunday. Mike LaFleur's bigger concern this week is trying to get the Rams' floundering red zone offense on track after struggles inside the 20-yard line again proved costly in a 24-18 loss at Chicago. “We’re all in this thing together,” LaFleur said Thursday.
“There’s no panic from it. It’s been a small sample size.” Scoring touchdowns in the red zone has been one of the glaring weaknesses amid the Rams' 1-3 start.
They are operating at a 41.2% clip, having produced seven touchdowns on 17 chances. The optimist in LaFleur points to the number of trips inside the 20, which is tied with Washington and Philadelphia for second in the NFL and only trails Detroit (18).
But the realist recognizes the points left on the table were the difference in defeats to the Lions and Bears. “Of course, in this league when you kick field goals like we have, you get the results that we got on Sunday,” LaFleur said. “We have to be better down there, and we will be.
” There is no one obvious cause for the Rams' issues, which makes it all the more frustrating on the heels of a 1 for 4 showing against Chicago. One trip was undone by a play call that put tight end Colby Parkinson too close to the sideline and allowed the defender to force him out of.