GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) — The Los Angeles Rams defense, still adjusting to playing without Aaron Donald, had no answer against Kyler Murray and the Arizona Cardinals.
The offense, decimated by injuries on the offensive line, had little hope of creating gaps in the running or protecting quarterback Matthew Stafford.
The result: a crushing 41-10 loss to the Cardinals on Sunday that ended Los Angeles’ nine-game winning streak in the desert.
“There’s nothing positive about it,” Rams coach Sean McVay said. “The only positive is that this game is over now and we can move on.”
“It was an incredibly humiliating three-hour window. They did what they wanted to do from the beginning and we did nothing to give ourselves a chance.”
The Rams (0-2) had dominated the series against the Cardinals (1-1) since McVay took over in 2017, winning 13 of 15 games, including nine in a row in Glendale.
A series of injuries – especially on the offensive line – and breakdowns left the Rams whirling around State Farm Stadium like a dissolving dust devil.
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“We don’t want to look like that, but that’s not who we are,” said Rams defensive end Kobie Turner.
The Rams offense had some good moments against Detroit last week despite numerous injuries on the offensive line, forcing the Lions into overtime before losing 20-26.
On that ugly Sunday in the desert, Los Angeles’ ragtag offensive line was no match for the Cardinals.
Arizona’s shifting defense caused all sorts of problems, quickly closing gaps before the Rams runners could reach them. Los Angeles finished the game with 53 rushing yards on 20 carries.
More worrying was the pressure placed on quarterback Matthew Stafford.
The Cardinals came out of the blocks so quickly that Stafford barely had time to read through the defense, let alone make deep throws. Aside from a 42-yard pass after a broken play in the second quarter, Stafford was repeatedly forced to throw under the ball, reaching 216 yards on 19 of 27 passing.
Stafford was also sacked five times – three times by Dennis Gardeck – and lost a fumble.
“I had a few opportunities to get the ball out of my hands and didn’t,” Stafford said. “It’s frustrating for a player.”
The retirement of Donald, one of the best defensive players of a generation, left a big void, but the Rams had some good moments against the Lions last week.
Nothing seemed to work against the Cardinals.
The crafty Murray was able to evade pressure time and again, extending plays so his receivers had time to break free. He scored a 60-yard touchdown to Marvin Harrison Jr. on a rollout late in the first quarter and evaded three tackles in the second quarter before finding Elijah Higgins in the back of the end zone for an 18-yard touchdown that put Arizona up 21-0.
Murray also rushed for 59 yards on five runs, while James Conner rushed for 122 yards and a touchdown on 21 runs for the Rams.
“He was moving in the pocket, doing Kyler Murray things, running around,” Rams linebacker Michael Hoecht said. “We just have to keep him in check, keep going one step further, get him on the ground and not let him extend plays because then he’s Kyler Murray.”
Even when the Rams did something right, it went wrong.
Arizona pressed, but Rams linebacker Jared Verse stripped the ball from Conner at the 4-yard line, causing a fumble. The ball rolled forward and tight end Trey McBride threw it into the end zone for a touchdown that gave the Cardinals a 41-10 lead early in the fourth quarter.
“It was one of those days that was really humbling,” McVay said.
