The Los Angeles Rams were in desperate need of a bounce-back win after losing to the Philadelphia Eagles, and in the first half against the Arizona Cardinals, it looked like they were destined for a second straight loss.
Then, they woke up.
In the second half – a half that has killed the Rams all season – Los Angeles dominated by scoring 23 unanswered points and pulling away from the Cardinals. It was largely thanks to Kyren Williams, who rushed for 154 yards and a touchdown in the second half alone after having just 4 yards in the first 30 minutes.
The Rams completely shut down the Cardinals in the second half, forcing two turnovers and allowing zero points on the scoreboard. It was a much-needed victory for the Rams, who are now 3-3 and only a half-game back of the Seahawks in the NFC West and two games behind the 49ers.
Final score: Rams 26, Cardinals 9
Game notes
- The Rams came out with a pass-heavy attack, throwing it 10 times on their first 13 plays with one sack. They only ran it twice on their first three drives, gaining just 66 net yards on those three possessions.
- The offense got a much-needed big play just before halftime, a 49-yard bomb from Matthew Stafford to Cooper Kupp. It set up a 35-yard FG by Brett Maher with 4 seconds left in the first half, cutting into the Cardinals’ lead and making it 9-6.
- Coming out of halftime, the Rams called eight straight run plays, with Kyren Williams turning five of those runs into 53 yards after getting just two carries for 4 yards in the first half.
- Williams broke off the longest run of his career in the second half, a 31-yarder to the right side to set up a field goal that put the Rams up 16-9 late in the third quarter. He later added a 27-yarder and a touchdown, which gave the Rams a 23-9 lead. It was a career day for Williams, who rushed for 158 yards on 20 carries
- The Rams got a key takeaway to start the fourth quarter, an interception by Christian Rozeboom on a pass that went off Zach Ertz’s hand. The Cardinals were threatening to tie the game at 16 but Rozeboom was in the right place at the right time.
- For the second week in a row, Tutu Atwell wasn’t very involved on offense, catching just one pass for 30 yards – which was also his only target of the game.
- The defense played excellent in this one, albeit against a shorthanded Cardinals offense. The Rams had nine QB hits, two sacks and six tackles for a loss, constantly getting into the backfield. The Rams also forced two turnovers in the win, an interception by Christian Rozeboom and a forced fumble by Byron Young.
It was over when...
… Williams scored a touchdown with 8:24 left in the fourth quarter, putting the Rams up 23-9. It capped off another terrific drive by himself and the Rams, a drive during which he had a 27-yard run.
The Rams never relinquished the lead after that score, which made things a bit more comfortable for them in the second half.
Have a day @Kyrenwilliams23! Findin' the endzone for 6️⃣!
📺 @NFLonFOX pic.twitter.com/Tu5xtPVb3O
— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) October 15, 2023
3 stars of the game
No. 3 star: Aaron Donald: 5 tackles, 3 tackles for a loss, 3 QB hits
No. 2 star: Cooper Kupp: 7 catches, 148 yards, 1 TD
No. 1 star: Kyren Williams – 20 carries, 158 yards 1 TD
Play of the game
Perhaps the play that sparked the offense came right before halftime when Stafford hit Kupp for a 49-yard gain over the top. It set up a field goal by Brett Maher, which cut the Cardinals’ lead to 9-6, giving the Rams some momentum before the break.
It was a perfect throw by Stafford deep down the field, finding Kupp just as he did in the playoffs two years ago against the Bucs.
LAUNCHED TO KUPP 🚀@CooperKupp | 📺 @NFLonFOX pic.twitter.com/Fa8Cp0KvKK
— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) October 15, 2023
What's next?
The Rams will stay home for their Week 7 contest, the last of three straight home games. They’ll host the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday afternoon at 4:05 p.m. ET. It’s only the 28th meeting all-time between these two teams, and the first since the 2019 season when the Steelers beat the Rams, 17-12.
