Maybe the Cardinals should only play at SoFi Stadium.
Arizona got its second win of the season on Sunday, stunning the Rams 18-16 for the club’s second victory of the season.
The first came Week 1 at the same venue over the Chargers.
Entering the week at No. 26 in yards allowed and No. 32 in points allowed, Arizona stifled Los Angeles’ offense throughout the contest.
The Rams barely had 100 yards at halftime with three three-and-outs. It didn’t help that the team lost its new kicker, Blake Grupe, to a knee injury early in the game when he made a tackle on a kickoff.
But the Cardinals were able to control the ball and the clock throughout the afternoon, winning time of possession 34:52 to 25:08. And while the club never reached the end zone, Chad Ryland was automatic in Rams territory with his six field goals — including his 43-yard make as time expired to give Arizona the win.
Los Angeles got to the end zone twice — once with Blake Corum’s 15-yard touchdown reception in the second quarter. It then took them until there were 47 seconds left on the clock for Matthew Stafford to find Colby Parkinson for a 6-yard touchdown. With Grupe out, punter Ethan Evans put the Rams ahead with a successful extra point.
But that lead did not hold, as Jacoby Brissett connected with Jalen Brooks for a 21-yard completion to open the ensuing Cardinals possession. An unnecessary roughness penalty tacked on 15 yards, putting Arizona in clear field goal range.
A few plays later, Ryland sent his sixth kick through the uprights for the win.
Brissett ended the day 24-of-35 passing for 218 yards with an interception. Trey McBride led with seven catches for 53 yards.
On the other side, Stafford finished 25-of-33 for 222 yards with two touchdowns. Puka Nacua had six receptions for 80 yards. Davante Adams — who hopped off the field late in the fourth quarter with an apparent leg injury — had three catches for 39 yards.
The Cardinals now have more wins at SoFi Stadium this season — two — than the Rams and Chargers, who have a combined one.
At 2-4, Arizona will be at home to host the Broncos in Week 7.
The 2-4 Rams are reeling and will be in Las Vegas next weekend to play the Raiders.
Cardinals Clips
The Cardinals have ben giving the Rams all they can handle and the two teams are tied 9-9 at halftime.
While Arizona has scored three field goals, Los Angeles’ situation is different because the team’s new kicker suffered a knee injury.
With poor kick coverage, Blake Grupe was forced to try and tackle returner Devin Duvernay near midfield. But Grupe suffered a knee injury on the play and is now doubtful to return.
Because of the injury, the Rams went for two after Matthew Stafford’s 15-yard touchdown pass to Blake Grupe. But Stafford was strip-sacked on the attempt, and the Cardinals nearly returned the fumble for two points.
Los Angeles’ offense has not been particularly productive against Arizona, tallying 107 yards and eight first downs in the first 30 minutes, averaging 3.8 yards per play. The team is 3-of-7 on third down.
Arizona has sacked Stafford twice and registered four total QB hits.
The Cardinals have been able to move the ball but have not put the ball in the box in the red zone. Jacoby Brissett is 11-of-17 for 119 yards with an interception. Trey McBride leads with three catches for 42 yards.
Arizona will receive the second-half kickoff.
The Rams have gotten in the end zone. But their kicker situation has made things more complicated than it needed to be.
Blake Corum scored on a 15-yard screen that he caught and took to the paint for the first receiving touchdown of his career. That put the Rams up 9-6 over the Cardinals.
But with new kicker Blake Grupe doubtful to return with a knee injury, the Rams elected to go for two. Matthew Stafford was strip-sacked on the play, and the Cardinals nearly had two points of their own when defensive lineman L.J. Collier picked up the loose ball and went running the other way.
But Collier was tackled before he could get to the opposite end zone, keeping the Rams’ three-point advantage.
Stafford is 9-of-13 for 60 yards with a TD.
The Rams special teams are — and have been — a mess.
One of the group’s first opportunities on Sunday made things even more complicated.
After making his first field goal with Los Angeles, Blake Grupe was injured while trying to make a tackle on a kickoff return. The Rams did not cover the kick well, with returner Devin Duvernay nearly getting to midfield before Grupe hit him to drive him out of bounds.
But Grupe suffered a knee injury on the play and is now doubtful to return.
According to multiple reporters on the scene, punter Ethan Evans has been practicing kicks into the net on the sideline.
The Rams will not have their top cornerback for Sunday’s game against the Cardinals.
Trent McDuffie is inactive for the contest. He was listed as questionable after missing Friday’s practice with a groin issue.
McDuffie has registered seven passes defensed with an interception so far this season — his first with Los Angeles.
Rams safety Kam Curl (ankle) is active after he was also questionable.
For the Cardinals, safety Budda Baker is active after he was listed as questionable with a groin injury.
But running back Jeremiyah Love was previously ruled out with an ankle injury.
Arizona’s inactives are Love, quarterback Carson Beck, cornerback Starling Thomas, safety Andrew Wingard, safety Wydett Williams, safety Jerrick Reed, and defensive lineman Andrew Billings.
The inactives for L.A. are McDuffie, receiver C.J. Daniels, receiver Tutu Atwell, quarterback Ty Simpson, defensive end Larrell Murchison, and offensive lineman Bill Murray.
Beck and Simpson are the emergency third QBs for their respective teams.
The good news for the Cardinals, who haven’t won at home since September 14, 2025, is that they’re playing on the road today. The bad news is that they’re facing the Rams, who have an offense that is more than good enough to give the Cardinals’ defense the hot-knife-through-butter treatment.
Of course, the Cardinals’ tub of Country Crock has seen plenty of warm knives in recent weeks.
The Cardinals have allowed 36 or more points in three straight games. Via NBC Sports research, that’s one short of tying the all-time record of four in a row in a given season.
The others to have three straight games with 36 or more points allowed are the 2010 Bills, 2004 Titans, 1954 Washington, 1950 Colts, 1948 Chicago Rockets, and 1934 Cincinnati Reds.
If the Cardinals allow 36 or more this week, the potential record setter would come next week, when the Broncos come to town.
More importantly, the Cardinals have lost eight games in a row in the NFC West. Another loss ties their all-time record (since the merger) of nine in a row, which happened in 1991-92 when they were in the NFC East.
Two of the Rams defensive backs are uncertain to play Sunday’s game against the Cardinals.
Trent McDuffie (groin) and safety Kam Curl (ankle) are both listed as questionable.
Head coach Sean McVay told reporters that Trent McDuffie felt something in his groin at the end of Thursday’s session, so the team held him out of Friday’s practice out of an abundance of caution.
McDuffie has registered seven passes defensed and an interception so far in 2026.
The rest of the Rams are good to go, including tight end Davis Allen (foot) who missed the first two days of the practice week. He was limited in Friday’s session.
Receiver/returner Alex Bachman (wrist), linebacker Nate Landman (wrist/shoulder), tight end Colby Parkinson (shoulder), linebacker Omar Speights (knee), offensive lineman Keagan Trost (hamstring), and cornerback Josh Wallace (shoulder) are the other players who are off the injury report.
The NFL has announced it has removed Broncos outside linebacker Jonathon Cooper from the Commissioner’s Exempt List.
Cooper is eligible to play in the team’s next game on Oct. 25 after missing six games.
The NFL placed Cooper on paid leave on Aug. 30 following domestic-related charges involving two incidents with his former girlfriend in June.
Cooper’s motion hearing was continued on Monday at the request of the district attorney’s office. He is now scheduled for a motion hearing on Feb. 23 and a jury trial the week of March 2. The NFL season ends with Super Bowl LXI on Feb. 14.
Cooper is facing five charges after two disputes with his ex-girlfriend that began with a fight over a cell phone. The most serious charge is felony second-degree assault/strangulation.
He participated in the team’s training camp and three preseason games after pleading not guilty to all charges.
Cooper lost $180,000 in per-game roster bonuses but was able to keep his six weekly game checks of $676,471 each while on leave.
In its statement, the league said it will continue to investigate and monitor Cooper’s legal matter until a resolution.
The Rams will not have to contend with running back Jeremiyah Love this weekend.
Cardinals head coach Mike LaFleur announced that Love will not play in Week 6 during his Friday press conference. Love has been dealing with an ankle injury for the last couple of weeks and LaFleur said earlier in the week that the team wants him to get back to full health.
Love did not practice at all this week and the decision to rule him out gives him more time to heal. LaFleur said there have not been any conversations about placing the first-round pick on injured reserve, so they will hope to get him back on the field ahead of their Week 7 game against the Broncos.
Tyler Allgeier and Bam Knight will be the backs for Arizona against the Rams.
The Rams added safety Kam Curl to the practice report Thursday. He was limited due to an ankle injury.
It indicates Curl injured his ankle during practice, but coach Sean McVay doesn’t hold a news conference again until Friday.
The Rams also added offensive lineman Keagen Trost to the injury report with a hamstring injury, but he was a full participant.
Wide receiver Alex Bachman (wrist) returned to full participation after limited work Wednesday.
The rest of the Rams’ report remained the same: Tight end Davis Allen (foot) did not practice, and inside linebacker Nate Landman (wrist/shoulder), tight end Colby Parkinson (shoulder) and cornerback Josh Wallace (shoulder) were limited again. Inside linebacker Omar Speights (knee) was a full participant for a second consecutive day.
