After an abysmal performance versus the Detroit Lions in Week 5, Arizona Cardinals defensive coordinator Nick Rallis was determined to have his unit prepared in Week 6. The Los Angeles Rams were spoiled 18-16 by what appeared to be a deflated Cardinals team, but Rallis and head coach Mike LaFleur put together the perfect scheme to rattle the stellar Rams offense.
Rallis had received a hefty amount of the blame for the Cardinals' slow start to the 2026 season and another potential loss this past Sunday would've put him under even more scrutiny, yet Rallis has shown forth his brilliance helping the Cardinals to post mid-tier rankings in both sacks and interception totals. What the Cardinals have failed to do, however, is sustain offensive drives,
a factor that has led to fatigue and forfeiture for the team defense. In Week 6, LaFleur was finally able to pack a punch with the ground game.
Still, the Cardinals are near the top of the NFL ranks in time of possession per game, meaning that the teams' offense has been given many opportunities to turn drives into points. Rallis was focused on avenging the critics this past weekend and his unit held the Rams to just 16 total points, despite them having 10 total offensive drives. The Rams converted on just four of their 10 third-down conversion attempts and were limited to just 286 total yards on offense.
The Cardinals rough-housed the Rams offense with 62 total tackles, four of them resulted in negative plays, and they also had seven hits on the opposing quarterback Matthew Stafford. Moving forward, expect Rallis and LaFleur to continue their relentless tread upward as the Cardinals aim to recover and rally their way back to above .500 before the midpoint of the 2026 NFL season.
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This article originally appeared on Cards Wire: Cardinals' coaching staff was on a rescue mission vs. Rams in Week 6
