The Los Angeles Rams were able to escape with a 20-12 win over the Arizona Cardinals in Week 3 and multiple plays led to the victory. After the game, Sean McVay named the one he believes was the play of the day: Matthew Stafford’s third-down pass to Cooper Kupp in the third quarter, dodging a free rusher and throwing a dart to his receiver for a first down.
“I thought that was the play of the game. He redeemed himself after the previous snap where Cooper and him usually hit that,” McVay said. “But they ended up having a kind of delayed add-on right there and he’s free off that left side, did a great job like you mentioned. But to be able to spin out, keep his eyes down the field, change his arm slot, and hit Cooper right over the middle for 11 on a third-and-10 was big.”
The play occurred late in the third quarter after a second-down play where Stafford tried to hit Kupp down the field, but they were uncharacteristically not on the same page. The two would bounce back immediately on the next play by converting a crucial third down to extend the drive.
WHAT A MOVE BY MATTHEW!
📺: @NFLonFOX 📱 https://t.co/4beUdmlymg pic.twitter.com/FT2ipQ0BEO
— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) September 25, 2022
Following the third-down conversion from Stafford to Kupp, the Rams would drive down the field and extend their lead from 13-9 to 20-9 on a touchdown run from Cam Akers. Even though you could pinpoint multiple plays as a reason why Los Angeles defeated Arizona, McVay credits his veteran quarterback for making an off-script play that led to important points for the Rams.
