Kyren Williams helps Rams run over Cardinals with second-half rally
Kyren Williams was not a mystery.
A few weeks ago, the Rams’ second-year running back rushed for more than 100 yards in an overtime victory at Indianapolis.
But it apparently took coach Sean McVay and his staff time to remember.
On Sunday, after a listless first half, the Rams gave the ball to Williams and he gave them a performance that keyed a 26-9 victory over the Arizona Cardinals at SoFi Stadium.
Williams rushed for a career-high 158 yards and a touchdown, star receiver Cooper Kupp played through his balky hamstring to amass 148 yards receiving and quarterback Matthew Stafford passed for a touchdown as the Rams evened their record at 3-3.
Rams lean on running game in second half to defeat Cardinals
🏈 Rams 26, Cardinals 9 — FINAL
Kyren Williams finished with a career-high 158 yards and a touchdown in 20 carries to power the Rams’ second-half resurgence in an important comeback win over the division rival Cardinals.
The Rams ran the ball just five times in the first half and only had six points to show for it before embracing the running game. Williams, however, exited the game in the fourth quarter with an ankle issue.
Matthew Stafford completed 15 of 24 passes for 226 yards and a touchdown. Cooper Kupp also had a big game, finishing with 148 yards and a touchdown on seven receptions.
The Rams defense forced two turnovers and limited Arizona quarterback Joshua Dobbs to 21-of-41 passing for 235 yards. Christian Rozeboom intercepted a pass and Byron Young forced a fumble as the Rams outscored Arizona 20-0 in the second half.
Rams extend lead after Byron Young forces fumble
🏈 Rams 26, Cardinals 9 — 4:37 left in the fourth
Byron Young knocked the ball out of Joshua Dobbs’ hand as the Arizona quarterback pulled back to pass, and safety Quentin Lake recovered the fumble.
The turnover at the Arizona 40 helped set up a 43-yard field goal by Brett Maher to give the Rams a commanding late lead.
While the revival of the offense has helped the Rams pull away, the L.A. defense has been strong all afternoon.
Kyren Williams touchdown run extends Rams’ lead in fourth quarter
🏈 Rams 23, Cardinals 9 — 8:15 left in the fourth quarter
Kyren Williams battled his way to a five-yard touchdown run, carrying three Arizona defenders with him into the end zone to extend the Rams lead.
The touchdown was initially ruled a touchback, but a video review determined Williams lost the ball after he crossed the goal line.
The 12-play, 88-yard drive was once again fueled by the Rams’ running game, with Williams busting out a 27-yard run. Williams has 156 yards in 19 carries — with 152 yards coming in the second half.
The emergence of a run-heavy offensive attack in the second half has turned around the game for the Rams.
Christian Rozeboom interception ends Cardinals drive
🏈 Rams 16, Cardinals 9 — 14:54 left in the fourth quarter
Linebacker Christian Rozeboom intercepted a deflected pass in the red zone, ending a promising-looking drive for the Arizona Cardinals and giving the Rams a prime opportunity to extend their lead.
Joshua Dobbs tried to connect over the middle to Zach Ertz, but threw the ball behind the tight end, who tipped the ball with his fingers before Rozeboom corralled it.
Rams extend lead on another field goal
🏈 Rams 16, Cardinals 9 — 2:44 left in the third quarter
The Rams have come alive on offense in the second half thanks to their running game. Their red-zone offense, however, might need some tinkering.
Brett Maher kicked a 25-yard field goal to extend the Rams’ lead after an eight-play, 80-yard drive fizzled just outside the Arizona end zone.
Kyren Williams fueled the drive, picking up 45 yards on four carries, which included one run of 31 yards. A false start on Williams coupled with Tyler Higbee dropping a catchable pass that could have been a touchdown forced the Rams to settle for a field goal.
Tutu Atwell also contributed to the drive with a 30-yard catch.
Rams take their first lead on Cooper Kupp touchdown
🏈 Rams 13, Cardinals 9 — 8:57 left in the third quarter
Matthew Stafford connected on a 13-yard pass to wide receiver Cooper Kupp to give the Rams their first lead of the game following a run-heavy drive to start the second half.
After only running the ball three times for five yards in the first half, the Rams ran the ball eight times on their 10-play, 75-yard drive, racking up 62 yards on the ground. Kyren Williams opened the drive with a 17-yard run and had 52 yards on the possession.
Unfortunately, Ronnie Rivers sustained a knee injury on his second carry of the half and is questionable to return.
Rams add field goal before halftime after big Cooper Kupp catch
🏈 Cardinals 9, Rams 6 — HALFTIME
Matthew Stafford’s 49-yard pass to Cooper Kupp set up Brett Maher’s 35-yard field goal with four seconds left in the second quarter.
Stafford has completed eight of 15 passes for 134 yards.
Kupp has three catches for 101 yards.
Cardinals quarterback Joshua Dobbs has completed 10 of 17 passes for 76 yards. He has rushed for 38 yards in four carries.
Cardinals extend their lead late in the second quarter
🏈 Cardinals 9, Rams 3 — 43 seconds left in second quarter
Matt Prater kicked a 27-yard field goal after the Cardinals drive consumed nearly five minutes.
Joshua Dobbs’ third-down scramble for 20 yards early in the drive was one of the key plays. The other was a facemask penalty against Rams linebacker Michael Hoecht.
Cardinals capitalize on botched Rams punt return
🏈 Cardinals 6, Rams 3 — 12:35 left in the second quarter
Austin Trammell fumbled a punt, enabling the Cardinals to keep alive a drive that ended with Matt Prater’s 32-yard field goal.
Trammell’s 29-yard punt return earlier in the game had helped set up a Rams’ field-goal drive.
But this time, after Aaron Donald recorded a third-down sack, Trammell caught the punt and had it knocked out of his hands. The Cardinals’ recovered the fumble at the 17-yard line.
Joshua Dobbs saw two passes fall incomplete before completing a short pass to set up the field goal.
Rams can’t find the end zone, settle for field goal
🏈 Cardinals 3, Rams 3 — End of first quarter
Cooper Kupp’s 37-yard catch and run got the Rams to the Cardinals’ 16-yard line, but the Rams were forced to settle for Brett Maher’s field goal.
Kupp, who returned from a hamstring injury to play against the Philadelphia Eagles last week, was limping a bit after the series and was examined by trainers on the sideline.
Matthew Stafford has completed four of nine passes for 63 yards.
Kupp has two catches for 52 yards.
Cardinals take early lead, but miss out on touchdown
🏈 Cardinals 3, Rams 0 — 11:25 left in the first quarter
Matt Prater kicked a 55-yard field goal to cap the game-opening drive.
Quarterback Joshua Dobbs keyed the drive with a 24-yard third-down scramble.
It could have been worse for the Rams. Dobbs underthrew a wide-open receiver on third and eight inside the rams 40-yard line, enabling cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon to recover and break up the pass.
What Rams game could Sean McVay miss if his wife delivers a baby on a Sunday?
Rams coach Sean McVay is not only preparing for Sunday’s game against the Arizona Cardinals, but he and his wife, Veronika, are also preparing for the arrival of a baby.
The due date is later this month, but “it could be any day now,” McVay said Friday.
“If he comes during a game,” McVay said, “I won’t be at the game.”
With injury-prone receiving corps, Rams’ trade of Van Jefferson seems risky
Sean McVay is a master of misdirection.
As architect of the Rams’ offense and the playcaller, McVay utilizes formations, motions and other tools to make defenses believe the Rams are doing one thing when they really are about to do another.
McVay this week appeared to employ a similar strategy regarding the fate of former Rams receiver Van Jefferson, who was traded less than 24 hours after McVay said that Jefferson’s two-snap cameo against the Philadelphia Eagles was brief only because it was a unique game and star Cooper Kupp had returned.
“That was a combination of a lot of things behind the scenes,” McVay said Wednesday of the turnaround on the trade. “So we talked. We had our conversations. Think there was some honest dialogue about what … probably it was going to look like moving forward.”
LeBron James gives Puka Nacua a nickname. Bills call Lakers star’s name on audible
Puka Nacua thinks LeBron James is the greatest NBA player of all time. The Rams rookie receiver has made his feelings on the matter clear, long before either of them took their talents to Los Angeles in their respective sports.
Nacua has quickly become an NFL sensation this season — his 39 receptions for 501 yards were both records for a player’s first four career games — but it still must have been a thrill for him to hear James of all people singing his praises in an Instagram video posted early Sunday.
While running through his picks for this week’s NFL games, the Lakers superstar mentioned that receiver Cooper Kupp, the Super Bowl LVI MVP, would be making his season debut when the Rams hosted the Philadelphia Eagles later that afternoon.
It’ll take more than just Cooper Kupp. Rams need consistency and cohesion to win
For a few moments against the Eagles last week, for a few precious plays, Cooper Kupp was his old self again, and it was a sight to see.
Free of the ankle injury that had knocked him out last season in Week 10 and no longer bothered by the training-camp hamstring injury that delayed his debut this season, Kupp was once again the dynamic receiver who was voted the most valuable player in the Rams’ Super Bowl LVI comeback win, the elusive and smart route runner.
He was “Coop,” as fans at SoFi Stadium happily serenaded him while he piled up 56 receiving yards on the Rams’ first possession against the defending NFC champions and matched them score for score.
Rams roundtable: Better than expected but will that show in win column?
Unable to score in the second half, the Rams lost at home to the Philadelphia Eagles, 23-14. Los Angeles Times Rams beat writer Gary Klein, NFL columnist Sam Farmer and columnist Helene Elliott discuss what happened and upcoming prospects:
Do you feel better or worse about the Rams’ season prospects after their loss to the defending NFC champion Eagles?
Sam Farmer: Better. I didn’t expect much from the Rams this season, yet their strong performances against San Francisco and Philadelphia, the only remaining undefeated teams, show they can punch up. The Rams aren’t an elite team, but they’re an entertaining one, and that’s saying something.
Helene Elliott: Probably a bit better. Yes, they have been competitive against top-tier teams. It appears, at least for now, that they won’t be blown out week after week, and that counts for something. But they’re missing the one outstanding play, the one moment of discipline, the one breakthrough moment in each game. Coach Sean McVay has done a solid job so far. The challenge is to keep everyone battling and working hard if they fall into a losing streak.
Rams vs. Cardinals matchups: How to watch, start time and prediction
Breaking down how the Rams (2-3) and the Arizona Cardinals (1-4) match up heading into their game Sunday at 1:25 p.m. at SoFi Stadium. The game will be shown on Fox.
When Rams have the ball
The Rams have been productive in the first half but are looking to end a trend of poor second-half performances that continued last Sunday in a 23-14 defeat to the Philadelphia Eagles. Now they face a team coached by Jonathan Gannon, the Eagles’ former defensive coordinator.