The Cardinals’ defense finally managed to force the Rams’ offense into a third down for just the second time all game.
But unfortunately for Arizona, the club couldn’t get a stop.
It’s turned into a blowout in the desert, as Matthew Stafford connected with tight end Colby Parkinson to cap Los Angeles’ opening possession of the second half with a 6-yard touchdown.
L.A. now leads 31-10.
The Rams got down the field with a 10-play, 74-yard drive. Running back Blake Corum continued to run the ball effectively, gaining 17 yards to put the Rams deeper into Arizona territory.
While Stafford had incompletions on first- and second-and-goal, he was able to find Parkinson over the middle for a 6-yard score to give the Rams a 21-point lead.
Stafford is now 19-of-25 for 233 yards with two touchdowns on the day, getting back to his MVP pace after multiple turnovers in last week’s loss to Carolina.
On the injury front, Arizona defensive lineman Bilal Nichols (knee) has been downgraded to out
Cardinals Clips
Puka Nacua is putting on a show in the desert and the Rams, powering Los Angeles to a 24-10 halftime lead over Arizona.
Nacua caught six passes on seven targets for 136 yards — including a 28-yard touchdown with 12 seconds left in the half.
It seemed like each one of Nacua’s receptions was particularly impressive, with the third-year wideout making contested catches over the middle and on the sideline to help L.A. continue to move the chains.
With an efficient attack, the Rams faced just one first down in the first half, which the club did not convert on its first possession. L.A. got a field goal to cap its first drive, but otherwise has gone right down the field to score touchdowns. The club is averaging 9.6 yards per play, racking up 17 first downs and 306 total yards.
Matthew Stafford has completed 14-of-19 for 197 yards with one TD. Kyren Williams and Blake Corum have combined for 109 rushing yards, with Williams taking eight carries for 61 yards with a TD. Corum has six carries for 48 yards with a score.
On the other side, Jacoby Brissett led the Cardinals to a quick touchdown on Arizona’s first drive, connecting with Marco Wilson for a 19-yard TD. But the Cardinals have not been as effective for the rest of the half, with Brissett finishing the first 30 minutes 13-of-18 for 154 yards with a TD. He’s also the team’s leading rusher with 20 yards on three carries.
On the injury front, Cardinals defensive lineman Bilal Nichols (knee) is questionable to return.
The Rams will receive the second-half kickoff.
Blake Corum has scored a touchdown for the second game in a row and the Rams are on top of the Cardinals.
Corum’s 2-yard touchdown has Los Angeles up 10-7 late in the first quarter against Arizona.
After the Cardinals quickly scored a touchdown with a five-play drive to open the game, the Rams ran it effectively to get down to the red zone in response. But three consecutive incompletions on first-, second-, and third-and-goal led the club to settle for a 26-yard field goal.
But it didn’t take too long for L.A. to get back in the lead. Matthew Stafford connected with Puka Nacua on passes of 18 and 32 yards to put the Rams in Arizona territory.
Then Corum ran it three consecutive times, with his final attempt there being a 2-yard touchdown.
Through two drivers, Corum has six carries for 48 yards with Kyren Williams has three carries for 30 yards.
Rams coach Sean McVay is not traveling with the team to Arizona today.
McVay has an illness and is traveling separately, the team announced. McVay still plans to coach the Rams against the Cardinals tomorrow.
Although the nature of the illness has not been reported, indications are that he is traveling separately primarily as a precaution against getting players sick on the team flight. McVay worked his usual schedule on Friday.
The Rams are 10-point favorites at Arizona on Sunday.
Rams wide receiver Tutu Atwell has not played since Oct. 19 when he injured a hamstring. Coach Sean McVay said on Nov. 24 that he expected Atwell to return for Week 13, that Atwell was “ready to roll.”
Eleven days later, though, Atwell remains on injured reserve. McVay said Friday that Atwell is ruled out for Sunday’s game against the Cardinals.
Atwell will miss his sixth consecutive game.
The Rams have one more week to decide whether to activate Atwell from injured reserve or let him finish the season on injured reserve. McVay indicated earlier this week that it’s about finding a roster spot for Atwell rather than Atwell having had a setback in his recovery.
“I have a lot of love for him and what he’s done and how he’s handled it,” McVay said. “It’s been a unique set of circumstances relative to the timing and figuring out how you get 48 guys up and being able to balance that out relative to how many on offense, how many on defense and your three specialists. That’s not something that we’ve explored or really thought is a possibility, but you never know.”
Atwell signed a $10 million contract in the offseason but has only four catches for 164 yards and a touchdown this season.
The Rams list cornerback Darious Williams (tibia) as doubtful and defensive tackle Poona Ford (calf) as questionable.
Yes, the Cardinals and quarterback Kyler Murray are destined for an offseason divorce.
Friday’s announcement that Murray won’t play again this year for the Cardinals wasn’t a surprise. For some, it was expected.
The Cardinals already owe Murray $39.8 million, fully guaranteed, for 2026. If he’s on the roster on the fifth day of the 2026 league year, another $19.5 million in 2027 salary becomes fully guaranteed, too.
Because the 2027 money currently isn’t guaranteed in any way, including for injury, the Cardinals have a window to release him. Healthy or not.
Even if he’s currently healthy, there’s no reason to risk an injury that would open the door to another $19.5 million for Murray.
It’s the fourth straight year an NFL team has shut down a starting quarterback to minimize future liability. The Raiders did it with Derek Carr in 2022. The Broncos did it with Russell Wilson in 2023. The Giants did it with Daniel Jones in 2024.
Now, the Cardinals will stop the bleeding at $39.5 million — without risking the possibility that it will increase to $59 million.
And while a trade remains possible, the Cardinals would surely have to pay a large chunk of the $39.5 million that Murray is owed in 2026. Cutting Murray would allow him to do a one-year deal for the veteran minimum with another team, like Wilson did with the Steelers in 2024, with the rest of the money coming from the Cardinals.
Regardless, today’s news is the next step toward the inevitable announcement that the Cardinals have released Murray. At this point, any other outcome would be a shock.
The biggest news in Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon’s Friday press conference was that quarterback Kyler Murray will not play for the team again this season, but Gannon also shared some other injury information for Week 14’s game against the Rams.
Wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr.'s status was at the top of that list. Harrison has been ruled out for Sunday because of the heel injury he suffered in last weekend’s loss to the Buccaneers. Harrison had missed the previous two games after having an appendectomy, so this will be his third time out of the lineup in the last four games.
Greg Dortch (chest) will also miss the game, so the Cardinals will be thin at wideout as they try to send the Rams to their second straight loss.
Defensive tackle Walter Nolen (knee), cornerback Max Melton (heel), and safety Dadrion Taylor-Demerson (ankle) are the others out this week while running back Trey Benson (knee) will not be activated from injured reserve.
Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray’s season is over.
Murray has not played since Week 5 due to a foot injury and head coach Jonathan Gannon said at his Friday press conference that Murray will not return to action before the end of the season. Gannon said that Murray had more tests done earlier this week and that the injury is “not progressing where it’s gonna make sense that he can go.”
With Murray’s season over, attention will now shift to where he will be playing during the 2026 season. Gannon said he’s only worried about this week’s game against the Rams right now, but speculation about the quarterback’s future began before he went on injured reserve and his extended absence from the lineup won’t do anything to endure he’ll return next year.
Gannon’s own uncertain future could have an impact on Murray’s outlook. If the team does make a coaching change, the incoming coach’s view of the best path forward on offense would be part of any decision regarding Murray’s future in Arizona.
Rams receiver Davante Adams did not practice on Wednesday and was upgraded to a limited participant on Thursday with a hamstring injury.
Adams told reporters that it’s not the same hamstring issue that bothered him earlier in the season and he feels like he should be OK to play this weekend against the Cardinals.
“It’s a little different spot, but it’s feeling good, though,” Adams said, via transcript from the team. “I’m feeling much better than what I anticipated and honestly just wanted to be smart about it. I felt it early in the game last week and was able to get through the game just fine.
“I just want to manage it. We have a turtle race coming up here so we just have to make sure we are available.”
Adams currently leads the league with 14 touchdown receptions, having caught at least one in each of Los Angeles’ last six games.
In his first season with the Rams, Adams has 52 receptions for 689 yards.
Rams wide receiver Davante Adams didn’t practice on Wednesday because of hamstring soreness. He also didn’t practice last Wednesday before returning to work on Thursday.
He played 30 snaps in Sunday’s win over the Cardinals, catching four passes for 29 yards.
In his first season with the Rams, Adams has 52 receptions for 689 yards and 14 touchdowns.
Outside linebacker Byron Young (knee) was limited.
Wide receiver Tutu Atwell (hamstring) and cornerback Darious Williams (tibia) were full participants. Atwell will return to the active roster this week.
