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Injury-plagued Rams lose Cooper Kupp and fall to Cardinals in blowout

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Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. makes a touchdown catch over Rams cornerback Tre'Davious White.
Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. makes a touchdown catch over Rams cornerback Tre’Davious White during the first quarter Sunday.
(Rick Scuteri / Associated Press)

Even before Cooper Kupp left the game with an ankle injury the rout was already on in the Rams’ 41-10 loss to the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday.

Rams make the wrong kind of history in 41-10 loss to Cardinals

Rams running back Kyren Williams scores a touchdown during a 41-10 loss to the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium.
Rams running back Kyren Williams scores a touchdown during a 41-10 loss to the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium on Sunday.
(Ross D. Franklin / Associated Press)

🏈 Cardinals 41, Rams 10 — FINAL

GLENDALE, Ariz. — The Rams made history Sunday, though not the kind coach Sean McVay or anyone else affiliated with the organization desired.

A 41-10 rout by the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium dropped the Rams’ record to 0-2.

For the first time in McVay’s eight seasons, the Rams are winless after two games.

And it won’t get any easier.

The Rams next play host to the defending NFC champion San Francisco 49ers at SoFi Stadium.

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Cardinals recover Matthew Stafford fumble as Arizona continues to dominate

🏈 Cardinals 41, Rams 10 — 7:59 left in the fourth quarter

Matthew Stafford lost the ball while being sacked, and Arizona defensive end L.J. Collier recovered the ball in what is turning into a disaster of a game for the Rams.

Stafford was sacked by linebacker Dennis Gardeck on the third play of the possession. It was Gardeck’s third sack today.

Kyler Murray’s day is done — Clayton Tune is under center for Arizona. Murray finished with a perfect passer rating of 158.3 after completing 17 of 21 passes for 266 yards and three touchdowns.

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Cardinals score another touchdown to take 41-10 lead in fourth

🏈 Cardinals 41, Rams 10 — 9:02 left in the fourth quarter

Arizona tight end Trey McBride recovered a fumble by running back James Conner in the end zone to add to the Cardinals’ already huge lead.

Conner was hit hard just outside the end zone, losing the ball, which bounced right to the feet of McBride, who quickly pounced on it. The touchdown ended an 11-play, 70-yard drive orchestrated by Kyler Murray, who has dominated the Rams all afternoon.

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Kyren Williams gives Rams their first touchdown of game

Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford looks to pass against the Cardinals on Sunday.
(Ross D. Franklin / Associated Press)

🏈 Cardinals 34, Rams 10 — 41 seconds left in the third quarter

Kyren Williams rushed for a five-yard touchdown to cap an eight-play, 70-yard drive.

Williams, who rushed for more than 100 yards in both games against the Cardinals last season, has rushed for 25 yards in 12 carries.

Matthew Stafford has completed 17 of 25 passes for 196 yards.

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Matt Prater’s 57-yard field goal gives Cardinals a 31-point lead

Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray runs out of the pocket against the Rams in the second half.
(Rick Scuteri / Associated Press)

🏈 Cardinals 34, Rams 3 — 3:27 left in the third quarter

Matt Prater kicked a 57-yard field goal to extend the lead to 31 points.

Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray has completed 15 of 18 passes for 240 yards and three touchdowns. He also has rushed for 49 yards in four carries.

James Conner has rushed for 96 yards and a touchdown in 16 carries.

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Cardinals score quick TD to extend lead; Cooper Kupp doubtful to return

Arizona Cardinals cornerback Starling Thomas V, left, celebrates with teammates.
Arizona Cardinals cornerback Starling Thomas V, left, celebrates with teammates after a defensive play against the Rams in the first half.
(Ross D. Franklin / Associated Press)

🏈 Cardinals 31, Rams 3 — 10:33 left in the third quarter

James Conner scored on a five-yard touchdown run, but that wasn’t the worst news for the Rams.

Rams star receiver Cooper Kupp suffered an ankle injury and is doubtful to return.

Kupp has four catches for 37 yards.

Conner has rushed for 95 yards in 14 carries.

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Rams come up short on final drive of first half, trail 24-3 at halftime

Rams coach Sean McVay reacts on the sideline during the first half against the Arizona Cardinals.
(Rick Scuteri / Associated Press)

🏈 Cardinals 24, Rams 3 — Halftime

The Rams had a chance to pull to within 14 points, but on the last play of the second quarter Matthew Stafford’s fourth-down pass to Tyler Johnson in the end zone fell incomplete.

Based on the way the first half played out, it was not an unexpected conclusion for the Rams.

Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray completed 10 of 12 passes for 191 yards and three touchdowns, including two to rookie receiver Marvin Harrison Jr.

Harrison, who had only one catch in the Cardinals’ season-opening defeat at Buffalo, caught four passes for 130 yards, including touchdowns of 23 and 60 yards in the first two possessions.

Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford completed 12 of 18 passes for 126 yards. He was sacked three times on third down.

Kyren Williams has rushed for only 16 yards in nine carries.

Cooper Kupp hobbled off the field on the Rams’ final drive of the first half, but no announcement has been made about the wide receiver’s status.

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Cardinals add to their lead with field goal

 Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray (1) leaves the pocket under pressure Rams defensive tackle Braden Fiske (55).
Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray runs away from Rams defensive tackle Braden Fiske during the first half.
(Ross D. Franklin / Associated Press)

🏈 Cardinals 24, Rams 3 — 5:09 left in the second quarter

Matt Prater increased the Cardinals’ lead to 21 points again with a 48-yard field goal.

Prater’s kick capped a seven-play, 40-yard drive that began with Kyler Murray’s 23-yard pass to receiver Michael Wilson.

Murray has completed 10 of 11 passes for 191 yards and three touchdowns.

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Rams get on scoreboard with Joshua Karty field goal

Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford looks to pass during the first half Sunday.
(Rick Scuteri / Associated Press)

🏈 Cardinals 21, Rams 3 — 9:38 left in the second quarter

Joshua Karty kicked a 29-yard field goal after the Rams wasted a potential touchdown opportunity.

Matthew Stafford escaped pressure and heaved a 42-yard pass to Demarcus Robinson that moved the Rams to the Cardinals’ 27-yard line. An unnecessary roughness penalty against the Cardinals on the next play gave the Rams a first down at the 14.

Kyren Williams carried the ball to the five. But the Cardinals stopped Williams for a two-yard loss and then sacked Stafford, forcing the Rams to settle for the field goal.

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Kyler Murray and Cardinals dominating against Rams

🏈 Cardinals 21, Rams 0 — 13:29 left in the second quarter

Kyler Murray is doing his thing.

The elusive quarterback slipped several tackles and then fired an 18-yard touchdown pass to tight end Elijah Higgins.

Murray has completed eight of nine passes for 166 yards and three touchdowns.

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Marvin Harrison Jr. scores on a 60-yard TD catch for Cardinals

🏈 Cardinals 14, Rams 0 — 8:47 left in the first quarter

That Kyler Murray Marvin Harrison Jr. connection is starting to take root.

Murray found Harrison for a 60-yard touchdown pass play only minutes after their 23-yard touchdown pass play.

The Rams gave the Cardinals the ball after they went three and out.

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Cardinals lead on Marvin Harrison Jr.’s first career TD catch

Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr., right, celebrates after making a touchdown catch.
Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr., right, celebrates after making a touchdown catch in the first quarter Sunday.
(Ross D. Franklin / Associated Press)

🏈 Cardinals 7, Rams 0 — 11:03 left in the first quarter

Kyler Murray connected with rookie receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. on a 23-yard touchdown pass to give the Cardinals the early lead.

Running back James Conner helped set up the touchdown with rushing plays of 16 and 13 yards.

The Cardinals got the ball after stopping Rams receiver Cooper Kupp on fourth-and-two play at the Cardinals’ 41-yard line.

Rams rookie Blake Corum returned the opening kickoff 41 yards.

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Injury-riddled Rams will try to compensate for Puka Nacua’s loss against Cardinals

Rams wide receiver Tyler Johnson stiff-arms Detroit Lions cornerback Amik Robertson on a 63-yard reception on Sept. 8.
(David Dermer / Associated Press)

“tylRams coach Sean McVay enjoyed the luxury of having receivers Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua seemingly healthy at the same time for exactly half of one game.

The knee injury that Nacua aggravated in a season-opening loss at Detroit landed the second-year pro on injured reserve. So on Sunday against the Arizona Cardinals, Kupp is expected to once again carry the load for the Rams receiver corps at State Farm Stadium.

Kupp caught 14 passes for 110 yards and a touchdown in the 26-20 overtime defeat by the Lions. After struggling with injuries for much of the previous two seasons, the eighth-year pro looked like the player who was voted NFL offensive player of the year in 2021.

“It’s just been about preparing myself to come out here and do my job,” Kupp said. “I feel like I didn’t do a good enough job of that last year.

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Rams vs. Cardinals inactives for Sunday

Here are the players who will not be suiting up for the Rams and Arizona Cardinals on Sunday:

Rams inactives: RB Cody Schrader, OLB Brennan Jackson, OL Dylan McMahon, TE Davis Allen, DL Tyler Davis

Cardinals inactives: CB Darren Hall, LB Jesse Luketa, DL Dante Stills, OL Jon Gaines II, TE Travis Vokolek, WR Xavier Weaver

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John Johnson III shows Rams, school children what it means to have GAME

Rams safety John Johnson III talks to kids at the Edwin Markham Middle School in Watts.
(Gary Klein / Los Angeles Times)

John Johnson III intercepted a Drew Brees pass in the NFC championship game. He went up against Tom Brady in the Super Bowl.

Last week, moments before Johnson was to speak to a large room of middle school students, the Rams’ veteran safety was as nervous as he ever was facing certain first-ballot Hall of Fame quarterbacks.

“It’s pretty neck and neck right now,” Johnson said when asked to compare the feelings. “I can do the football stuff easy.”

Less than 48 hours earlier in the season opener at Detroit, Johnson had intercepted a fourth-quarter pass that led to the Rams scoring a go-ahead touchdown. The Rams eventually lost to the Lions in overtime, but Johnson once again stepped up in a big moment.

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Aaron Donald’s wife asks if he’s coming out of retirement. Rams legend caught sleeping on it

Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald gestures before a game against the Cardinals in 2022.
(Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press)

Whether merely playfully riffing off the fact that her husband was snoozing on the first Sunday of the NFL season or forcefully ending speculation that he might return to the field, Erica Donald’s social media media video is worth a peek.

Aaron Donald, of course, is considered to be the greatest defensive tackle in NFL history. In 10 seasons with the Rams, he helped them win a Super Bowl, was named All-Pro nine times and the defensive player of the year three times.

Donald retired after the 2023 season on his terms, his health intact and, according to Spotrac, having earned $171 million over his career. He can count on a Hall of Fame induction in 2028, the first year he will be eligible.

Unless he returns to the playing field.

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How injuries to Puka Nacua and two offensive linemen will impact Rams vs. Cardinals

Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua runs with the ball against the New Orleans Saints on Dec. 21.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

It’s only one game, but the rash of injuries suffered by Rams in their season-opening loss at Detroit harks back to 2022, when the defending Super Bowl-champion Rams were ravaged by injuries that contributed to the worst Super Bowl hangover in NFL history.

On Wednesday, the Rams placed receiver Puka Nacua (knee sprain) and offensive linemen Steve Avila (medial collateral ligament sprain) and Joe Noteboom (lateral ankle sprain) on injured reserve.

They also signed three offensive linemen: veterans Ty Nsekhe and Geron Christian Sr. and rookie Dylan McMahon, a sixth-round pick who was on the Philadelphia Eagles practice squad. Veteran cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon also was signed to the practice squad.

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Rams at Cardinals: How to watch, start time and prediction

Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford prepares to snap the ball during a loss to the Detroit Lions on Sept. 8.
(Rick Osentoski / Associated Press)

It’s only Week 2 and the Rams already are decimated by injuries.

Receiver Puka Nacua and offensive linemen Steve Avila and Joe Noteboom were placed on injured reserve because of injuries suffered in a 26-20 season-opening overtime defeat at Detroit.

Matthew Stafford still has Cooper Kupp, but Demarcus Robinson, Tyler Johnson, Jordan Whittington and Tutu Atwell will be called upon to help fill the void left by Nacua’s absence.

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