It wasn’t pretty, but the Los Angeles Rams are still hot.
The Rams won their fifth in a row, and their ninth in their last 11 games, by taking home a 13-9 victory over the Arizona Cardinals on Saturday.
It was slow and steady to win the race, and no points were scored in the first quarter, but a Kyren Williams touchdown and Joshua Karly field goal in the second put the Rams up 10-0 at half.
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Matthew Stafford, #9 of the Los Angeles Rams, throws a pass during the third quarter against the Arizona Cardinals at SoFi Stadium on December 28, 2024, in Inglewood, California. (Harry How/Getty Images)
In the third quarter, though, Trey McBride finally got on the board, scoring his first touchdown of the season, and even he couldn’t help but thank the heavens. However, the PAT was blocked, which would bite Arizona.
Chad Ryland kicked a chip shot field goal in the fourth, but because of the missed extra point, they still trailed by one. Karly added a field goal of his own to make it a 13-9 L.A. lead, and the Cardinals offense, which had trouble scoring all night, was forced into needing a touchdown.
With this contest already having nine punts, Kyler Murray looked for Marvin Harrison Jr. in the end zone, but he was picked off. The Rams were unable to get a first down, though, and the Cards had one more chance with 2:01 left and two timeouts.
Xavier Smith, #19 of the Los Angeles Rams, reacts during the third quarter against the Arizona Cardinals at SoFi Stadium on December 28, 2024, in Inglewood, California. (Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
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Suddenly, the Cardinals put it together, and they got to the opposing 5-yard line, but Murray threw another interception that was off the hands of McBride in the end zone and caught off a dive by Ahkello Witherspoon to all but end it.
It was rather sloppy for both offenses; Stafford was just 17 for 32 for 189 yards and didn’t throw a touchdown, but it was enough. Of those yards, 129 went to Puka Nacua. Murray, meanwhile, was 33-for-48 for 321 yards, but his one touchdown and two costly turnovers would prove to be too much for the other numbers to overcome.
Braden Fiske, #55 of the Los Angeles Rams, celebrates a sack with Byron Young, #0, during the first quarter against the Arizona Cardinals at SoFi Stadium on December 28, 2024, in Inglewood, California. (Harry How/Getty Images)
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The Rams could clinch the NFC West on Sunday, but they need quite a few things to happen. At the end of the day, they do control their own destiny, and they will face the Seattle Seahawks in the season finale, which could be for the division title.
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