INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — Chad Ryland kicked his sixth field goal a 43-yarder as time expired, and the Arizona Cardinals rallied for a stunning 18-16 victory over the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday.
Punter Ethan Evans kicked a go-ahead extra point after Colby Parkinson caught a touchdown pass from Matthew Stafford with 47 seconds to play for the vaunted Rams (2-4), who struggled all day before mounting a desperate final scoring drive.
But the Cardinals immediately
moved 36 yards into field goal range on Jalen Brooks' long reception and an unnecessary roughness penalty on Josh Wallace. Three snaps later, Ryland buried his final kick to seal a shocking upset for Arizona (2-4), a double-digit underdog.
Jacoby Brissett passed for 218 yards to balance a superb defensive game by the Cardinals against the preseason Super Bowl favorites. New Cardinals coach Mike LaFleur won his first meeting with former boss Sean McVay and earned Arizona's second win this season at SoFi Stadium, where it also beat the Chargers in Week 1.
Matthew Stafford passed for 222 yards and two scores for the Rams (2-4), who are in complete disarray after three losses in their last four games, including this setback at home to a team McVay had beaten 16 times in 19 meetings. Los Angeles still rallied, and Evans even came through with his first career placekick after new Rams kicker Blake Grupe injured his knee making a tackle in the first quarter — but Ryland and the Cardinals cashed in their final chance.
Stafford hit Blake Corum for the game’s first touchdown in a dismal offensive performance by the Rams, who came in leading the NFL in total offense. Although being forced to play without a kicking game didn’t help, the Rams struggled to move the ball all day, and they turned it over twice in Cardinals territory in the fourth quarter.
Arizona’s defense had been one of the NFL’s worst this season until it held McVay, Stafford and their talented unit to 286 yards. All-Pro receiver Puka Nacua had half of his six receptions on the final drive.
LaFleur was McVay's offensive coordinator for the previous three seasons. He is the eighth of McVay's former assistants to become an NFL head coach.
Grupe hit a 44-yard field goal in the first quarter, but the newcomer injured his knee when he was forced to make a downfield tackle on the ensuing kickoff in the Rams’ latest special teams nightmare.
Ryland's fourth field goal put the Cardinals ahead 12-9 in the third quarter. After Ryland's fifth field goal, Cody Simon forced a fumble by Rams tight end Tyler Higbee deep in Cards territory with 7:47 to play. Los Angeles' defense quickly got the ball back, but the offense turned it over on downs.
The Rams got one last chance from their 15 with 2:48 to play, and Stafford stepped up in the pocket to find Nacua for a rambling 42-yard gain.
Parkinson was awarded a touchdown upon video review after initially being ruled down at the 1 — and 29 extra seconds put back on the clock came back to haunt Los Angeles.
With Rams left tackle Alaric Jackson suspended, backup David Quessenberry and the left side of LA’s line were repeatedly targeted by the Cardinals, with the 38-year-old Stafford taking several big hits.
Cardinals: DT Walter Nolen III injured his ankle in the second half. Rookie RB Jeremiyah Love (ankle) did not play.
Rams: Played without star CB Trent McDuffie (groin).
Cardinals: Host Denver next Sunday.
Rams: At Las Vegas next Sunday.
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