Los Angeles Rams vs. Arizona Cardinals Notebook: Running Game Comes Alive in Second Half
The Los Angeles Rams defeated the Arizona Cardinals 26-9 on Sunday.
The game was truly a tale of two halves, as the Rams were unproductive in the first 30 minutes, but were dominant in the second.
So, following the Rams' sixth game of this season, here's what we learned:
1. Rams Offense Was Stagnant in the First Half
Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford threw for a very solid 134 yards in the first half, but receiver Cooper Kupp was the only pass catcher who made an impact, as he hauled in 3-of-5 targets for 101 yards. Stafford only completed 8-of-15 pass attempts in the first 30 minutes and the rushing attack couldn't make up for it, as Kyren Williams and Ronnie Rivers were given just three carries for five combined yards.
The Rams logged just four first downs compared to the Cardinals' 11, but they had zero third-down conversions (out of five chances). The Cardinals took advantage of Los Angeles' inability to move the ball down the field, as they more than doubled them in time of possession.
The first half was all field goals, but Cardinals' Matt Prater out-dueled Rams' Maher 3-2 to make the score 9-6. A big reason for the Cardinals' slightly more success was due to their rushing attack.
Cardinals scrambling quarterback Josh Dobbs kicked off the game with a 24-yard run and the rest of the team followed, as he was one of three Cardinals to rush for over 25 yards in the first half (running backs Keontay Ingram and Darrel Williams).
Fortunately, the Rams' defense did enough to counter the Cardinals' offense, as numerous players, including Aaron Donald and Jonah Williams, logged tackles for loss.
Los Angeles Rams running back Kyren Williams (23) runs the football against Arizona Cardinals cornerback Antonio Hamilton Sr. (33) and linebacker Dennis Gardeck (45) during the third quarter at SoFi Stadium
Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
2. Kyren Williams Found Groove in the Third Quarter
As previously stated, the Rams run game was the definition of a non-factor in the first half. But on the first drive of the third quarter, all the negativity went away, as Williams rushed four straight times for a combined 47 yards. The Rams were in the red zone a few plays later, and Stafford capped off the drive with a 13-yard strike to Kupp for a touchdown.
Now with momentum, the Rams' defense locked down Arizona by sending them back to the sidelines after three plays.
L.A.'s offense took advantage of their hot start on both sides of the ball, by driving through the run once again, as Williams notched a 30-yarder. However, they couldn't make much more of the turning tides as Maher trotted out for his third field goal of the game from 25 yards out to make the score 16-9.
The first down battle went from 11-4 Cardinals in the first half to just a 15-12 deficit at the end of the third quarter. Arizona finished the period with just five more minutes of possession compared to the 11-minute difference at the end of the first half.
3. Rams Defense Gained the Offense's Momentum in the Fourth Quarter
Williams continued his third-quarter dominance at the start of the fourth with multiple long runs, including one for 27 yards. He ended the drive with a four-yard touchdown run to take a 23-9 lead. It's worth noting that Kupp was also a factor on the possession as he hauled in two consecutive catches for a combined 29 yards.
Nevertheless, their opening possession of the final period wouldn't have been so smooth without linebacker Christian Rozeboom's interception. Besides a couple of long receptions, the Rams' defense got the job done in the fourth quarter.
Los Angeles scored their final three points after rookie Byron Young strip-sacked Dobbs (Donald added pressure) and Quentin Lake recovered.
On the Cardinals' final possession (besides the ending with a few seconds left), Donald forced an intentional grounding, and Rozeboom followed it with a fourth-down pass-breakup.
The Rams did a stellar job on Sunday, as they didn't allow a single touchdown. The pass rush was arguably the best unit due to the constant quarterback hits (9) and pressures. The secondary also performed well as the team collectively recorded seven pass breakups, including two from Cobie Durant and Ahkello Witherspoon.
