Rams make the wrong kind of history in 41-10 loss to Cardinals
🏈 Cardinals 41, Rams 10 — FINAL
GLENDALE, Ariz. — The Rams made history Sunday, though not the kind coach Sean McVay or anyone else affiliated with the organization desired.
A 41-10 rout by the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium dropped the Rams’ record to 0-2.
For the first time in McVay’s eight seasons, the Rams are winless after two games.
And it won’t get any easier.
The Rams next play host to the defending NFC champion San Francisco 49ers at SoFi Stadium.
Cardinals recover Matthew Stafford fumble as Arizona continues to dominate
🏈 Cardinals 41, Rams 10 — 7:59 left in the fourth quarter
Matthew Stafford lost the ball while being sacked, and Arizona defensive end L.J. Collier recovered the ball in what is turning into a disaster of a game for the Rams.
Stafford was sacked by linebacker Dennis Gardeck on the third play of the possession. It was Gardeck’s third sack today.
Kyler Murray’s day is done — Clayton Tune is under center for Arizona. Murray finished with a perfect passer rating of 158.3 after completing 17 of 21 passes for 266 yards and three touchdowns.
Cardinals score another touchdown to take 41-10 lead in fourth
🏈 Cardinals 41, Rams 10 — 9:02 left in the fourth quarter
Arizona tight end Trey McBride recovered a fumble by running back James Conner in the end zone to add to the Cardinals’ already huge lead.
Conner was hit hard just outside the end zone, losing the ball, which bounced right to the feet of McBride, who quickly pounced on it. The touchdown ended an 11-play, 70-yard drive orchestrated by Kyler Murray, who has dominated the Rams all afternoon.
Kyren Williams gives Rams their first touchdown of game
🏈 Cardinals 34, Rams 10 — 41 seconds left in the third quarter
Kyren Williams rushed for a five-yard touchdown to cap an eight-play, 70-yard drive.
Williams, who rushed for more than 100 yards in both games against the Cardinals last season, has rushed for 25 yards in 12 carries.
Matthew Stafford has completed 17 of 25 passes for 196 yards.
Matt Prater’s 57-yard field goal gives Cardinals a 31-point lead
🏈 Cardinals 34, Rams 3 — 3:27 left in the third quarter
Matt Prater kicked a 57-yard field goal to extend the lead to 31 points.
Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray has completed 15 of 18 passes for 240 yards and three touchdowns. He also has rushed for 49 yards in four carries.
James Conner has rushed for 96 yards and a touchdown in 16 carries.
Cardinals score quick TD to extend lead; Cooper Kupp doubtful to return
🏈 Cardinals 31, Rams 3 — 10:33 left in the third quarter
James Conner scored on a five-yard touchdown run, but that wasn’t the worst news for the Rams.
Rams star receiver Cooper Kupp suffered an ankle injury and is doubtful to return.
Kupp has four catches for 37 yards.
Conner has rushed for 95 yards in 14 carries.
Rams come up short on final drive of first half, trail 24-3 at halftime
🏈 Cardinals 24, Rams 3 — Halftime
The Rams had a chance to pull to within 14 points, but on the last play of the second quarter Matthew Stafford’s fourth-down pass to Tyler Johnson in the end zone fell incomplete.
Based on the way the first half played out, it was not an unexpected conclusion for the Rams.
Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray completed 10 of 12 passes for 191 yards and three touchdowns, including two to rookie receiver Marvin Harrison Jr.
Harrison, who had only one catch in the Cardinals’ season-opening defeat at Buffalo, caught four passes for 130 yards, including touchdowns of 23 and 60 yards in the first two possessions.
Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford completed 12 of 18 passes for 126 yards. He was sacked three times on third down.
Kyren Williams has rushed for only 16 yards in nine carries.
Cooper Kupp hobbled off the field on the Rams’ final drive of the first half, but no announcement has been made about the wide receiver’s status.
Cardinals add to their lead with field goal
🏈 Cardinals 24, Rams 3 — 5:09 left in the second quarter
Matt Prater increased the Cardinals’ lead to 21 points again with a 48-yard field goal.
Prater’s kick capped a seven-play, 40-yard drive that began with Kyler Murray’s 23-yard pass to receiver Michael Wilson.
Murray has completed 10 of 11 passes for 191 yards and three touchdowns.
Rams get on scoreboard with Joshua Karty field goal
🏈 Cardinals 21, Rams 3 — 9:38 left in the second quarter
Joshua Karty kicked a 29-yard field goal after the Rams wasted a potential touchdown opportunity.
Matthew Stafford escaped pressure and heaved a 42-yard pass to Demarcus Robinson that moved the Rams to the Cardinals’ 27-yard line. An unnecessary roughness penalty against the Cardinals on the next play gave the Rams a first down at the 14.
Kyren Williams carried the ball to the five. But the Cardinals stopped Williams for a two-yard loss and then sacked Stafford, forcing the Rams to settle for the field goal.
Kyler Murray and Cardinals dominating against Rams
🏈 Cardinals 21, Rams 0 — 13:29 left in the second quarter
Kyler Murray is doing his thing.
The elusive quarterback slipped several tackles and then fired an 18-yard touchdown pass to tight end Elijah Higgins.
Murray has completed eight of nine passes for 166 yards and three touchdowns.
Marvin Harrison Jr. scores on a 60-yard TD catch for Cardinals
🏈 Cardinals 14, Rams 0 — 8:47 left in the first quarter
That Kyler Murray Marvin Harrison Jr. connection is starting to take root.
Murray found Harrison for a 60-yard touchdown pass play only minutes after their 23-yard touchdown pass play.
The Rams gave the Cardinals the ball after they went three and out.
Cardinals lead on Marvin Harrison Jr.’s first career TD catch
🏈 Cardinals 7, Rams 0 — 11:03 left in the first quarter
Kyler Murray connected with rookie receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. on a 23-yard touchdown pass to give the Cardinals the early lead.
Running back James Conner helped set up the touchdown with rushing plays of 16 and 13 yards.
The Cardinals got the ball after stopping Rams receiver Cooper Kupp on fourth-and-two play at the Cardinals’ 41-yard line.
Rams rookie Blake Corum returned the opening kickoff 41 yards.
Injury-riddled Rams will try to compensate for Puka Nacua’s loss against Cardinals
“tylRams coach Sean McVay enjoyed the luxury of having receivers Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua seemingly healthy at the same time for exactly half of one game.
The knee injury that Nacua aggravated in a season-opening loss at Detroit landed the second-year pro on injured reserve. So on Sunday against the Arizona Cardinals, Kupp is expected to once again carry the load for the Rams receiver corps at State Farm Stadium.
Kupp caught 14 passes for 110 yards and a touchdown in the 26-20 overtime defeat by the Lions. After struggling with injuries for much of the previous two seasons, the eighth-year pro looked like the player who was voted NFL offensive player of the year in 2021.
“It’s just been about preparing myself to come out here and do my job,” Kupp said. “I feel like I didn’t do a good enough job of that last year.
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Rams vs. Cardinals inactives for Sunday
Here are the players who will not be suiting up for the Rams and Arizona Cardinals on Sunday:
Rams inactives: RB Cody Schrader, OLB Brennan Jackson, OL Dylan McMahon, TE Davis Allen, DL Tyler Davis
Cardinals inactives: CB Darren Hall, LB Jesse Luketa, DL Dante Stills, OL Jon Gaines II, TE Travis Vokolek, WR Xavier Weaver
John Johnson III shows Rams, school children what it means to have GAME
John Johnson III intercepted a Drew Brees pass in the NFC championship game. He went up against Tom Brady in the Super Bowl.
Last week, moments before Johnson was to speak to a large room of middle school students, the Rams’ veteran safety was as nervous as he ever was facing certain first-ballot Hall of Fame quarterbacks.
“It’s pretty neck and neck right now,” Johnson said when asked to compare the feelings. “I can do the football stuff easy.”
Less than 48 hours earlier in the season opener at Detroit, Johnson had intercepted a fourth-quarter pass that led to the Rams scoring a go-ahead touchdown. The Rams eventually lost to the Lions in overtime, but Johnson once again stepped up in a big moment.
Aaron Donald’s wife asks if he’s coming out of retirement. Rams legend caught sleeping on it
Whether merely playfully riffing off the fact that her husband was snoozing on the first Sunday of the NFL season or forcefully ending speculation that he might return to the field, Erica Donald’s social media media video is worth a peek.
Aaron Donald, of course, is considered to be the greatest defensive tackle in NFL history. In 10 seasons with the Rams, he helped them win a Super Bowl, was named All-Pro nine times and the defensive player of the year three times.
Donald retired after the 2023 season on his terms, his health intact and, according to Spotrac, having earned $171 million over his career. He can count on a Hall of Fame induction in 2028, the first year he will be eligible.
Unless he returns to the playing field.
How injuries to Puka Nacua and two offensive linemen will impact Rams vs. Cardinals
It’s only one game, but the rash of injuries suffered by Rams in their season-opening loss at Detroit harks back to 2022, when the defending Super Bowl-champion Rams were ravaged by injuries that contributed to the worst Super Bowl hangover in NFL history.
On Wednesday, the Rams placed receiver Puka Nacua (knee sprain) and offensive linemen Steve Avila (medial collateral ligament sprain) and Joe Noteboom (lateral ankle sprain) on injured reserve.
They also signed three offensive linemen: veterans Ty Nsekhe and Geron Christian Sr. and rookie Dylan McMahon, a sixth-round pick who was on the Philadelphia Eagles practice squad. Veteran cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon also was signed to the practice squad.
Rams at Cardinals: How to watch, start time and prediction
It’s only Week 2 and the Rams already are decimated by injuries.
Receiver Puka Nacua and offensive linemen Steve Avila and Joe Noteboom were placed on injured reserve because of injuries suffered in a 26-20 season-opening overtime defeat at Detroit.
Matthew Stafford still has Cooper Kupp, but Demarcus Robinson, Tyler Johnson, Jordan Whittington and Tutu Atwell will be called upon to help fill the void left by Nacua’s absence.