Cardinals-Rams live updates: Cardinals best in NFC West, end 8-game losing skid to Rams – The Arizona Republic
The Arizona Cardinals routed the Los Angeles Rams, 37-20, at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California on Sunday for the top spot in the revered NFC West division.
The Cardinals remain undefeated at 4-0 and the Rams, who were favored to win by 5, fall to 3-1.
Cardinals are the last undefeated team in the NFC.
The Rams won the previous eight matchups, and the last time the Cardinals beat Los Angeles was on New Year’s Day in 2017.
This marks Sean McVay’s first loss to the Cardinals since he was hired as the Rams head coach eleven days after the Cardinals last win over the Rams. It’s also Cardinals head coach Kliff Kingsbury’s first win over the Rams since he was hired in February 2019.
The early part of Sunday’s Cardinals-Rams game looked like the shootout that many anticipated between the NFL’s second- and third-best overall offenses, and third- and sixth-best passing offenses, respectively.
Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray went 24-of-32 on his passes, threw for 268 yards and had 2 touchdowns. Rams QB Matthew Stafford went 26-of-41, had 280 yards, 2 TDs, and 1 interception. Cardinals RB Chase Edmonds exploded for a game-high 120 yards and 12 attempts on the ground.
Stafford threw his second TD pass of the day to WR Robert Woods (4 catches, 48 yards) with 1:14 left to play.
Woods caught the pass in the right front corner of the end zone to complete the Rams’ 75-yard drive.
But at that point, the game is out of reach for the Rams.
Cardinals RB Edmonds running all over Rams
Chase Edmonds is having a career day.
The four-year Cardinals RB Edmonds has been a huge problem for the failing Rams defense (they also allowed 467 total yards compared to the Cardinals allowing the Rams 373). He’s racked up 120 of the Cardinals 218 rushing yards. He has 12 carries total today, and his yardage is the second-best to his performance for 126 against the New York Giants on October, 20, 2018 during his rookie year.
The biggest highlight on the ground this game was when Edmonds breezed up the middle for a career-best 54-yard run on third-and-7 to the Rams 42. That’s his longest since his 37-yard TD run against the Cincinnati Bengals on October, 6, 2019.
The Cardinals ended that possession with a 23-yard FG, this third of the day, to put the lead up to 37-20 at 3:38 left to play.
Cardinals dominating Rams after RB Conner’s third quarter TD
The Rams defense looked slammed by the Cardinals through the third period.
It’s been all Cardinals since early in the second quarter when Kyler Murray threw his second touchdown pass to Max Williams. The tight end Williams (5 receptions, 66 yards, TD) was a major factor in their nine-play, 64-yard scoring drive late in the third quarter. He caught a short pass from Murray on first-and-10 from the L.A. 33, and ran for 25 more yards before he was tackled by Rams safety Taylor Rapp at the 3:17 mark.
In the red zone, Murray passed to WR A.J. Green (5 catches, 67 yards, 1 TD) from the shotgun on first-and-goal for two yards and got to the L.A. 3. Cardinals RB James Conner got the ball on the two subsequent plays, and scored his second rushing TD of the game from the 1 at the 1:14 mark.
The extra point was good, ending the third quarter with a 34-13 lead.
The Rams QB Matthew Stafford (19-of-34, 211 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT) has been struggling to connect with his receivers. They are 1-for-3 in the red zone, including their turnover on downs at 12:03 minutes left to play. Stafford threw an incomplete pass targeted for WR Taylor Higbee.
Prater’s 55-yard FG extends Cardinals lead over Rams in third quarter
Matt Prater kicked his second field goal through the uprights at the 10:15 minute mark in the third quarter.
That extended the Cardinals’ lead over the Rams by two touchdowns, 27-13.
In addition, Prater extended his NFL record of 61 FGs (out of 82 attempts) of 50-plus yards.
Snoop Dogg, Dr. Dre among celebrities at Cardinals-Rams game
It’s all good in Inglewood because West Coast rap legends Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre are at the Cardinals-Rams game in SoFi Stadium.
The Doggfather and Mr. Young were spotted in the crowd sitting next to each other, and were shown together on the stadium’s jumbotron during the first half.
The longtime recording collaborators were revealed to be among the Super Bowl LVI Halftime Show performers with fellow SoCal native Kendrick Lamar, one-time Dr. Dre protege and rap juggernaut Eminem, and R&B singer Mary J. Blige on Feb. 13, 2022.
But for this game’s first half, it’s nothing been nuthin’ but “Red Sea” thang.
The Cardinals are up 24-13, leading the Rams in all offensive categories.
Other celebrities at the game include Los Angeles Lakers Hall of Famer Magic Johnson and 2021 NBA Most Valuable Player Nikola Jokic.
Cardinals extend lead heading into halftime
Cardinals kicker Matt Prater successfully kicked his first field goal attempt for 23 yards with four seconds remaining in the first half. That extended the Cardinals’ lead to 24-13.
Hopkins vs. Ramsey matchup is as good as it gets
One of the biggest draws for this Cardinals-Rams game is the matchup between All-Pro WR Deandre Hopkins and CB Jalen Ramsey.
The Cardinals’ Hopkins has been running routes and had a decent outing so far (3 catches, 49 yards). But Ramsey has been ready for the challenge. They’re used to from facing each other during their days playing for the Jacksonville Jaguars and Houston Texas, respectively, from 2016 to 2019.
Ramsey has had three tackles (2 solo, 1 assisted, 1 tackle for loss) and defensed four passes targeted to Hopkins. That including this 47-yard pass attempt on third-and-7 at the seven minute mark in the second quarter.
Hopkins was looking for a pass interference call on that play, but didn’t get it. Cardinals had a three-and-out thereafter.
On the following Rams possession, Matt Gay kicked in a 22-yard FG to end its nine-play, 48-yard drive at the 3:22 minute mark to cut Arizona’s lead to 21-13.
Big plays by Cardinals offense, defense early in second quarter
Kyler Murray is staging a nearly perfect performance thus far (12-of-14 passing, 141 yards, 2 TDs, 18 yards rushing). He threw his second TD pass of the game to tight end Max Williams on a 14-yard play at the 10:44 minute mark in second quarter quarter.
Then on the Rams’ following possession on first-and-10 from their own 25, RB Sony Michael ran the ball until Cardinals OLB Markus Golden punched it out his hands for a forced fumble, which was recovered by Cardinals star safety Budda Baker at the L.A. 26.
On the next Cardinals series, Murray scrambled to his left and rushed for 18 yards into the red zone on third-and-16. That set up James Conner get the ball twice: the first time on first-and-goal, which he ran for eight yards; the second time to score a 1-yard TD, his third rushing TD of the season, at the 8:44 mark.
The extra points by kicker Matt Prater were good on both TDs. Cardinals lead the Rams to a stunned sold-out SoFi Stadium, 21-10.
Rams retrieve lead to close first quarter
Matthew Stafford threw his first TD to WR Van Jefferson with 52 seconds remaining to play in the first quarter.
Stafford had ample time in the pocket as he patiently stutter-stepped toward his left until found Jefferson for the 14-yard pass in the end zone.
That scoring play ended the Rams’ nine-play, 75-yard drive. Matt Gay’s extra point was good for the Rams to take back the lead, 10-7, to close the first quarter.
Cardinals’ Murray throws 41-yard TD to Green
Kyler Murray and veteran WR A.J. Green capped off the Cardinals’ six-play, 87-yard drive, their second series of the contest, with a 41-yard TD pass at 5:50 in the first quarter. Kicker Matt Prater made the extra point to put the Cardinals ahead, 7-3 over the Rams.
Cardinals CB Murphy picks off Rams’ QB Stafford
The reigning NFC Defensive Player of the Week Byron Murphy, Jr. got his third interception of the season. After Cardinals QB Kyler Murray was sacked by Rams OLB Leonard Floyd for a loss of 14 yards on the Cardinals opening drive, the third-year CB and Arizona native Murphy Jr. picked off Rams QB Matthew Stafford’s pass at Arizona 13 at the 9:08 minute mark as he targeted WR DeSean Jackson from the Rams 44.
Murphy’s three INTs are the most within their first three games of a regular season since 1980.
Rams score first on FG
Rams kicker Matt Gay ended the Rams’ first possession of the game on a 42-yard field goal on fourth-and-5 at the 11:18 minute mark in the opening quarter. Gay has made all seven of his FG attempts this season.
The Rams lead 3-0.
Cardinals OL Justin Pugh returns, inactive players
Cardinals offensive line will need as much help as they can get today to stop league’s most powerful pass rusher Aaron Donald and the Rams front seven.
Donald has 85.5 sacks since he was drafted in 2014, which is six more than Cardinals outside linebacker Chandler Jones, who’s in second place with 79.5 since that year. Also, Donald’s 201 quarterback hits rank eighth all-time.
Among the piling injuries of the Cardinals’ front frive, Justin Pugh is back for the Cardinals as their starting left guard. Pugh, along with second-string right tackle Justin Murray (who is out for this game) returned to practice on Thursday after nursing their back injuries.
Cardinals right tackle Kelvin Beachum is out for Sunday, which means Josh Jones will once again kick outside from right guard to right tackle. Max Garcia will be moved to right guard. Other Cardinals who will not play today are third-string QB Chris Streveler, running back Eno Benjamin, wide receiver Andy Isabella, cornerback Tay Gowan and OLB Victor Dimukeje.
Other Cardinals-Rams pregame reading
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