10/18/2026 06:21:00
Printable Page
10/18 18:19 CDT Cardinals beat Rams 18-16 on Chad Ryland's 6th field goal as
time expires
Cardinals beat Rams 18-16 on Chad Ryland's 6th field goal as time expires
By GREG BEACHAM
AP Sports Writer
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.
Injuries
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).
Up next
Cardinals: Host Denver next Sunday.
Rams: At Las Vegas next Sunday.
___
See AP's full NFL coverage here
|