The Los Angeles Rams defeated the Arizona Cardinals 26-9 and improved their record to 3-3
INGLEWOOD, Calif. – Cooper Kupp had seven receptions for 148 yards and his first touchdown of the season, and Kyren Williams rushed for a career-high 158 yards and a touchdown in the Los Angeles Rams’ 26-9 victory over the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday.
Matthew Stafford passed for 226 yards for the Rams (3-3), who scored 23 unanswered points and shut out their NFC West rivals in the second half of their first home win of the season.
Record-setting rookie Puka Nacua had just four catches for 26 yards, but the Los Angeles offense got rolling after halftime after Kupp made a stellar shot and Williams posted the Rams’ best rushing performance in nearly three years.
Joshua Dobbs passed for 235 yards for the Cardinals (1-5), who lost their third straight while trying to stay competitive without Kyler Murray. Arizona led 9-6 at halftime, but Dobbs threw an interception in the red zone and fumbled a sack in the second half as Los Angeles rolled away.
Kupp caught a 13-yard TD pass in the third quarter for the first score of his season, which began just last week after suffering a serious hamstring injury in training camp. The Super Bowl 56 MVP also missed the final eight games of last season.
Rams wide receiver Cooper Kupp runs with the ball past Arizona Cardinals cornerback Marco Wilson and safety Jalen Thompson on Oct. 15, 2023, at SoFi Stadium.
AP Photo/Kyusung Gong
Los Angeles coach Sean McVay has rediscovered his running game with Williams, the second-year Notre Dame pro whose play allowed the Rams to trade Cam Akers last month. After McVay ran just three plays in the first half, Williams took advantage of his opportunities in the second half, completing runs of 31, 27, 17 and 14 yards.
Williams gave the Rams a commanding lead with a gutsy 5-yard TD run with 8:19 left, stretching the ball past his tacklers and across the goal line near the pylon to cap an 88-yard drive. His 158 yards were the most by a Rams running back since Akers had 171 against New England in December 2020, the season before Los Angeles’ Super Bowl championship run.
Williams missed the Rams’ final offensive series after injuring his ankle.
Neither team reached the end zone in the first half, and the Cardinals failed even after Los Angeles’ Austin Trammell botched a punt return at the Rams 17.
Arizona led 9-6 at halftime after the Rams ran out of time to get into the end zone following a 49-yard catch by Kupp in the final minutes.
After largely ignoring the run in the first half, McVay scored eight straight runs and opened the second half with a strong drive that ended in Kupp’s touchdown catch. Los Angeles hadn’t scored a second-half touchdown at home all season.
Arizona drove to the Rams 12 on its next possession, but linebacker Christian Rozeboom made his first career interception with a tipped pass thrown behind Zach Ertz.
Next up: The Rams host the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday, October 22nd.
