The Arizona Cardinals had opportunities to knock off the Los Angeles Rams Saturday night. Falling behind 10-0 in the first half, the Cardinals controlled the ball in the second half and held the Rams to 257 total yards, Kyler Murray threw two interceptions in the end zone in the final five minutes and the Rams came away with a 13-9 win to improve to 10-6.
James Conner was hurt in the first half, Michael Carter rushed for 70 yards and Trey McBride caught 12 passes for 123 yards and his first touchdown of the season, but it was the ball he didn’t catch at the goalline, bouncing off him into cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon’s hands that kept the Cardinals from winning.
Arizona fell to 7-9 and lost for the fifth time in six games since the bye week.
Here is how it went down.
Cardinals’ 1st drive stopped short of sticks
The Cardinals forced a punt with the Rams’ first possession but started pinned deep at their own three on offense. They picked up one first down but receiver Greg Dortch ran a third-down route a yard short of the line to gain and was tackled as he caught the ball, forcing a punt.
1st quarter ends with battle of punts
The first quarter ended with a 0-0 game with the Rams having punted three times and the Cardinals twice.
McBride hits 1,000
With a five-yard reception to get the Cardinals in the red zone in the second quarter, McBride passed 1,000 receiving yards for the season, only the second tight end in franchise history to do it. The other was Hall of Famer Jackie Smith, who had 1,205 yards in 1967.
Cardinals stuffed on 4th down
Just getting into the red zone on a nice drive after Dortch caught another third-down pass one yard short of the sticks, the Cardinals went for it on fourth down, but James Conner was stuffed for no gain and the Rams took over on downs at the 14 instead of kicking a field goal.
James Conner hurt
Conner was questionable to play with a knee injury. After four carries for four yards, he left the game in the first half and was questionable to return.
Stafford almost picked off twice
Garrett Williams broke up a pass in the red zone but couldn’t haul in the interception and then Budda Baker dropped a would-be pick in the end zone.
Rams 7, Cardinals 0
Kyren Williams had a one-yard touchdown run on third-and-goal with 3:23 left in the first half, scoring the first points in the game.
The drive went 60 yards on nine plays and included two near interceptions by the Cardinals.
Rams 10, Cardinals 0
After the Cardinals had to punt the ball away inside the two-minute warning and giving the Rams the ball with 1:41 to go, Joshua Karty hit a 53-yard field goal with 27 seconds to go. Matthew Stafford had three consecutive completions to Puka Nacua, setting up the kick.
The first half ended with Murray getting sacked for the third time.
Trey McBride TD! Rams 10, Cardinals 6
McBride finally got into the end zone. On second-and-goal, Murray found McBride for a one-yard touchdown pass, McBride’s first touchdown reception of the season. The extra point, though, was blocked.
FG! Rams 10, Cardinals 9
Chad Ryland made a 28-yard field goal after the Cardinals went 80 yards in 14 plays in 7:19.
At that point, they had run 27 plays in the second half with the Rams going three-and-out.
INT nullified by penalty; player injured
Stafford’s deep pass was picked off by Jalen Thompson, but Roy Lopez was offsides, which negated the play. It came on a first-and-20 after a holding penalty, so the Rams replayed the down on first-and-15.
Garrett Williams got hurt on the play and Thompson did on the next play.
Rams 13, Cardinals 9
Max Melton broke up a third-and-goal pass in the end zone to force the Rams to kick a field goal. Karty made the kick from 25 yards out and push the lead to four points with 6:33 to go.
Murray picked off
On fourth-and-10, Murray threw to Marvin Harrison Jr., but Kamren Kinchens picked off the pass at the goalline and returned it to the 11.
Rams go three-and-out
After the pick, the Cardinals do not allow a first down, forcing a punt with 2:09 to go. They took over with 2:01 left from their own 36.
End-zone INT seals win for Rams
Ahkello Witherspoon picked off a throw to the end zone that deflected off McBride’s helmet with 42 seconds left.
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