Rapid reactions: Cardinals pull out close game to Rams, snap losing streak

The Arizona Cardinals defeated the Los Angeles Rams 18-16 on a walk-off field goal by Chad Ryland, snapping their four-game losing streak and improving to 2-4.

Both Arizona wins have come on the road, coincidentally at SoFi Stadium, as the Cardinals now have more wins in Los Angeles than the two teams that call the city home combined.

Arizona’s defense stepped up for its best performance of the season, holding the Super Bowl-hopeful Rams to just 16 points and 286 yards of total offense.

Reactions from Arizona Sports hosts after Cardinals’ win over Rams

Vince Marotta, co-host of Bickley & Marotta:

Last week’s blowout loss to the Lions and the week of fan-fueled angst that followed made me think that possibly, just possibly, we had reached the low point of the Cardinals’ history in Arizona.

But one thing you can never forget: Football is weird.

The embattled Cardinals (a 12.5-point underdog) went on the road to Los Angeles and beat the Rams 18-16 without scoring a touchdown. If Sunday’s game was a Hollywood script, it would be rejected for lack of believability.

It felt like it would be another “nice try” effort that ended in a loss. With the Cardinals protecting a lead, wide receivers Jalen Brooks and Kendrick Bourne each had huge drops on third downs on consecutive possessions. The reigning league MVP made the second one hurt. Matthew Stafford found Colby Parkinson on a 6-yard touchdown pass with 47 seconds left to tie it. The Rams had to rely on their punter, Ethan Evans, to attempt the extra point (with a backup holder in, no less), and he converted to give the Rams a 16-15 lead.

The Cardinals had another chance, but no timeouts. Brooks atoned for his earlier drop with a tremendous catch on a 21-yard pass that got augmented by a weak personal foul penalty on L.A.’s Josh Wallace that put Arizona in field-goal range. Chad Ryland booted his sixth field goal of the game to win it as time expired.

The Cardinals now have two wins on the season, and they’ve both come at SoFi Stadium. It’s the first time they’ve won a game without scoring a touchdown since they beat the Titans 12-7 in Week 14 of the 2017 season. And they’re out of last place in the NFC West, snapping a long divisional losing streak in the process.

This win belongs to the defense. Defensive coordinator Nick Rallis called his best game since the 2024 season, got buy-in from his players and the result was holding the top offense in the NFL to 286 yards and only 16 points. Special shout to Budda Baker, who missed Friday’s practice with an injury but was a man possessed on Sunday. Rallis’ increased willingness to blitz freed up a vintage version of Baker.

Mitch Vareldzis, co-host of Arizona Sports at Night:

I was waiting for the inevitable.

A collapse on the road in a game that the Cardinals controlled from start to finish.

It was scripting up for another L.A. instant classic: “Down their brand-new kicker, and with a tough day offensively, Matthew Stafford leads the Rams to a pivotal 16-15 win to save the season.”

NOPE!

The obvious hero of the game is Chad Ryland, who did his job by making all six of his field-goal attempts, including the game-winner.

But how about the defense in this one? Josh Sweat was very much noticed in the first half. Cody Simon forced a HUGE fumble with the Rams deep in Cardinals territory. Multiple fourth-down stops. They deserve all the flowers after many, myself included, ripped into this unit and defensive coordinator Nick Rallis for the struggles to start the season.

Extra kudos to Mike LaFleur, who stood behind his guys and his plan and then proceeded to go in and outcoach his former boss in his stadium.

No, this does not change my opinion on the ultimate outcome of this season. The offense still failed to cross the goal line once in this game. But perhaps it can take advantage of a curious Denver Broncos team next week at home and pay the ultimate tribute to Larry Fitzgerald when he becomes immortalized in Cardinals history.

Tyler Drake, Cardinals reporter and co-host of Cardinals Corner: 

Just about everyone was writing off the Cardinals this week (myself included). After watching the Lions go to town against Arizona’s defense, the worst result felt like it was on the way in L.A.

Instead, the defense took a page out of its 2024 playbook under Nick Rallis and brought more pressure than we’ve seen all year.

Pair the defense’s impressive response with a Rams offense that was suddenly without a kicker, and the opening was there for the Cardinals’ taking.

And while the offense’s red-zone inefficiencies nearly gave the game away, Jacoby Brissett and Co. did just enough to put Chad Ryland in position for a career day.

Six attempts. Six makes.

For a kicker who entered the season with consistency questions, he was nails today.

As for those looking for a quarterback change sooner rather than later, that’s likely getting at least a one-week reprieve — even if Brissett didn’t find the end zone on Sunday.

The same goes for those wanting Rallis out of the desert. After a defensive showing like that, he definitely bought himself some time.

After a week filled with fan frustrations, the franchise delivered.

Now comes the bigger question: Can Arizona actually build off this?

Dave Burns, co-host of Burns & Gambo:

The first thing I think about is how this is a most unexpected pause to the noise surrounding the Cardinals. It’s been a loud week of billboards, angry and disappointed fans, and legitimate questions about the organization.

Of all the times for them to get their first division win in a season and a half, of all the times for them to end a four-game losing streak and an eight-game losing streak in the NFC West, Mike LaFleur does it against his former employer and quarterback in a stadium where he now has his first two wins of his career. The Cardinals are very rarely on the right end of this kind of kismet.

I almost can’t believe they did it behind a Nick Rallis defense that found its footing against one of the best offenses in the NFL. On Monday, I believed the time had come for Arizona to move on and frankly couldn’t understand what LaFleur was waiting for. His faith — and whatever the reason for it — was rewarded Sunday with a blitzing, swarming attack that made Matthew Stafford uncomfortable all day.

I almost can’t believe they did it going 0-for-5 in the red zone and 6-for-6 on field goals. The failure to launch in the red zone was primed to be the reason why they lost this game. The fact that they won despite it…doesn’t seem possible.

Finally, fortune smiled on the Cardinals at the end. The review that gave Colby Parkinson a touchdown put precious seconds back on the clock. Jalen Brooks’ amazing catch provided a moment of redemption, and the very soft penalty that was called was just the stroke of good luck this team needed.

John Gambadoro, co-host of Burns & Gambo:

The Arizona Cardinals won a division game! That does not happen often. Former head coach Jonathan Gannon was 0-6 twice and 3-15 overall. Mike LaFleur was 0-2 before this one.

Masterful game plan by Arizona to run the ball, take time off the clock and leave Matthew Stafford and the Rams offense on the sidelines. The Nick Rallis Redemption Tour was on full display Sunday — give him credit. That defense came to play: Josh Sweat, Budda Baker, Mack Wilson, Cody Simon and a few others made some big-time defensive plays.

The fact that the Rams had the lead with 47 seconds left was almost unbelievable — the Cardinals had been in front and in control the entire game. It looked like the Cardinals “were going to Cardinal” and find a way to lose.

But Jacoby Brissett, who gets a lot of heat (and rightfully so) for his inability to finish games, made the biggest offensive play of the game with a 21-yard pass to Jalen Brooks, and Arizona benefited from an awful personal foul penalty on the same play. Those plays set up the game-winning field goal by Chad Ryland, who accounted for all of Arizona’s scoring. Who had him in fantasy football this week?

The Cardinals’ biggest break came when Rams tight end Cody Parkinson actually broke the plane on a touchdown with 47 seconds left — it was originally ruled down at the 1-inch line. Had that play stood, the Cardinals would not have gotten the ball back, at least not with any time for more than a play or two. So, that review put time back on the clock and the Cardinals took advantage.

This should quiet the noise surrounding the Cardinals — at least temporarily. They had lost four games in a row before this win, and the fan base was angry, restless and venting its frustrations in many ways. For at least a week, that will subside as the Cardinals improve to 2-4.

It also pushes Carson Beck’s starting debut back a little more as Brissett, although he did not throw a touchdown pass, was effective and did move the offense as the Cardinals had long, sustained drives that took a lot of time off the clock. So, who would have thunk it: six weeks into the season, the Cardinals and the Rams are tied in the NFC West.

Related

What we learned from the Cardinals’ big win over the RamsCardinals quiet noise around defense, trajectory of franchise with inspiring winCardinals defense looks unrecognizable in upset win over RamsWhat did Marvin Harrison Jr.’s Texans debut look like?The Cardinals must show up vs. Rams or a volatile fanbase may lose itCardinals activate Kitan Crawford from IR, elevate 2 players from practice squad