4 Big Instant Reactions After Cardinals' Stunning Win vs Rams

After a huge road win, what are the main takeaways from the Arizona Cardinals’ Week 6 performance?

Oct 18, 2026; Inglewood, California, USA; Arizona Cardinals punter Blake Gillikin (12) and Arizona Cardinals kicker Chad Ryland (38) head off the field after defeating the Los Angeles Rams at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The classic football saying "any given Sunday" couldn't be any truer this week, as the Arizona Cardinals defeated their divisional foes the Los Angeles Rams in Week 6 action.

The Cardinals down their NFC West rivals 16-15 on the final play of regulation and improved to 2-4 on the regular season in what was by far the biggest upset of the Sunday slate.

Four big takeaways after Arizona's second victory of the season:

Don't Get Too Excited After The Win

Before the season, a Cardinals win over the Rams would be considered the upset of the decade, as the Rams looked primed for a Super Bowl appearance and, by many, the likely winner. However, the Rams' season has not gone according to plan. Superstar and future first-ballot Hall of Famer Myles Garrett has missed a couple of weeks due to injury, including this game against Arizona. 

Sep 11, 2026; Melbourne, AUS; Los Angeles Rams defensive end Myles Garrett (95) pressures San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy (13) in the first half at Melbourne Cricket Ground. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

In this game, the Rams got zero sacks. If Garrett were in, he would have had a highly productive day. Quarterback Matthew Stafford has also taken a step back from his MVP campaign last season. While Stafford is still a good, very smart quarterback, this offense isn't as electric as it once was.

Yes, the Cardinals did great things in this game. However, the team still has a ton of issues to fix before it can win games like this regularly.

Players Answered the Bell

A huge part of the Cardinals' win was that many players who had to step up due to injury or trade did. Last week, the Cardinals traded Marvin Harrison Jr. to the Houston Texans, which gave wide receiver Kendirck Bourne more targets.

The 10-year veteran had a productive game, catching five passes for 47 yards. Before joining the Cardinals, Bourne spent time with the San Francisco 49ers, who run a similar offensive scheme. So, Bourne could be a nice piece in the passing game going forward.

In the run game, Bam Knight had a great showing with Jeremiyah Love sidelined due to injury. Knight ran for 80 yards and averaged 5.3 yards per carry. 

Oct 18, 2026; Inglewood, California, USA; Arizona Cardinals running back Bam Knight (20) carries the ball ahead of Los Angeles Rams cornerback Josh Wallace (30) in the first quarter at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Cardinals' Defense Made a Statement

In a shocking result, the Cardinals' defense was the biggest surprise. Opposing offenses, especially quarterbacks, have dissected this unit week after week. However, defensive coordinator Nick Rallis' defense held the Rams in check. Stafford posted his second-lowest QBR of the season; the Rams offense went 4-for-10 on third-down conversions and 0-for-2 on fourth down. 

A huge reason Arizona's defense played well was its ability to tackle the Rams after the catch. The Rams offense is very effective after the catch, and the Cardinals did their best to contain that. Leading the Cardinals in tackles was linebacker Mack Wilson Sr. 

This will go down as one of the best Cardinals defensive performances in recent memory. It's up to Rallis to build off of this momentum. Next week the Cardinals face the Denver Broncos. The Broncos' offense has looked sluggish at the start of the season. So, if the Cardinals' defense performs well against the Broncos, it could be a sign they're turning the corner.

Arizona Cardinals defensive coordinator Nick Rallis speaks with the media during training camp at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, on July 25, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Chad Ryland Was the Cardinals' Best Player in Week 6

While players stepped up on offense and the defense was great, the Cardinals' special teams were the reason they won this game. Kicker Chad Ryland deserves a lot of credit and respect, as he went 6-for-6 on field goals.

Ryland's field goals were 34, 30, 22, 38, 2,7 and 43 yards. Many of these were shorter because the Cardinals had red-zone offensive woes. Arizona didn't score a single touchdown, even though they got into the red zone five times. Ryland's reliability was huge for Arizona, especially his 43-yard game-winning kick as time expired in SoFi Stadium.

Oct 18, 2026; Inglewood, California, USA; Arizona Cardinals kicker Chad Ryland (38) watches as his winning field goal goes through the uprights to defeat the Los Angeles Rams at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Overall, time will tell how people view this game. Is it an outlier or actually a stepping stone? Next week's home game against the Broncos will tell us a lot about this team.