LOS ANGELES _ For a guy who led the NFL in touchdowns in 2017, Todd Gurley got off to a slow start last week by scoring only once in the Los Angeles Rams' season-opening victory over the Oakland Raiders.
Gurley, the reigning offensive player of the year, picked up the pace Sunday against the Arizona Cardinals.
Gurley rushed for three touchdowns and two-point conversions in a 34-0 victory before an estimated crowd of 60,000 at the Coliseum.
Gurley rushed for 42 yards in 19 carries, and caught three passes for 31 yards before leaving the game late in the third quarter because of cramps.
Quarterback Jared Goff completed 24 of 32 passes for 354 yards and a touchdown, with one interception, as the Rams improved to 2-0 overall and 1-0 in the NFC West.
The Rams defense dominated the Cardinals while sending them to their second consecutive defeat.
The Rams built a 19-0 halftime lead and extended it in the third quarter on Gurley's third touchdown. Goff capped the victory with a short touchdown pass to tight end Tyler Higbee in the fourth quarter.
Goff once again connected with starting receivers Brandin Cooks, Robert Woods and Cooper Kupp on short and midrange routes, and found Cooks for 57 yards in the third quarter. He missed a wide-open Woods for a touchdown in the fourth quarter.
Cooks caught seven passes for 159 yards, Woods six passes for 81 yards.
Cardinals quarterback Sam Bradford passed for only 89 yards and managed only six first downs as his winless team suffered its second consecutive defeat. Rams cornerback Sam Shields intercepted a pass in the fourth quarter to set up the Rams' final touchdown.
The Rams limited running back David Johnson to 48 yards rushing in 13 carries.
They also got a superior performance from special-teams units that were reworked because of injuries.
The Rams were without Pro Bowl kick returner Pharoh Cooper, who suffered an ankle injury in the opener that required surgery.
JoJo Natson, who was released at the end of the preseason, was re-signed this week. The 5-foot-7, 153-pound Natson returned a punt 60 yards to set up a touchdown that ended the first half.
Kicker Greg Zuerlein, who kicked four field goals against the Raiders, suffered a groin injury in the first half, leaving the Rams without the NFL's leading scorer last season.
No problem.
Punter Johnny Hekker, another Pro Bowl player, assumed place-kicking duties and converted a 20-yard field-goal attempt.
The Rams led 19-0 at halftime on Gurley's two touchdown runs and two-point conversions and Hekker's field goal.
Neither team generated much consistency on offense until the Rams got the ball with less than a minute left in the first quarter.
Goff connected with Woods for 19 yards and with Cooks for 20. Cooks then caught a shovel pass and gained nine yards, setting the stage for Gurley's 11-yard touchdown run.
Goff and Woods stayed in rhythm during the Rams' next possession, but the drive stalled when Cardinals defensive end Chandler Jones knocked down a Goff pass on third and goal at the two yard-line.
Hekker's field goal put the Rams ahead 11-0.
The Rams got the ball again with 4 minutes 18 seconds remaining in the first half when Natson returned a punt 60 yards to the Cardinals' 32.
Gurley turned a short pass into a 15-yard gain, and he finished the eight-play drive with a one-yard run into the end zone on fourth down.
