INGLEWOOD, Calif. – The Rams were dealt their first loss of the season on Sunday, falling to the Cardinals 37-20 at SoFi Stadium.
Starting after missing Week 3 against the Bucs with a rib injury, running back Darrell Henderson Jr. recorded 14 carries for 89 yards for Los Angeles (3-1) in its loss to Arizona (4-0).
Quarterback Matthew Stafford completed 26 of 41 pass attempts for 280 yards with two touchdowns and one interception. Wide receivers Van Jefferson and Robert Woods were on the receiving end of Stafford's pair touchdown passes; Jefferson finished with six catches for 90 yards in addition to the score, while Woods had four catches for 48 yards.
Safety Taylor Rapp posted a team-high 12 total tackles, while defensive lineman Sebastian Joseph-Day added eight total tackles and one sack. Outside linebackers Leonard Floyd and Terrell Lewis each chipped in a sack as well.
Here is the complete game recap, powered by Cedars-Sinai:
Helped by a 20-yard completion to Jefferson and an 18-yard completion to Higbee, the Rams opened the game scoring first with a 42-yard field goal by kicker Matt Gay for an early 3-0 lead.
After a 3-and-out by the Cardinals punctuated by Floyd sacking Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray for a 14-yard loss, the Rams looked to expand their lead with a deep shot downfield from Stafford to Jackson, but Cardinals cornerback Byron Murphy jumped in front of the underthrown ball for the interception. Arizona then capitalized on the takeaway with a 41-yard touchdown pass from Murray to wide receiver A.J. Green to take a 7-3 lead over Los Angeles with 5:50 left in the first quarter.
Riding runs of 15, nine and 15 yards by Henderson on the following series, the Rams answered the Cardinals' touchdown with a 14-yard touchdown pass from Stafford to Jefferson to regain the lead, 10-7. However, the Cardinals responded with another touchdown on the ensuing series – a 14-yard pass from Murray to tight end Maxx Williams – to regain the lead 14-10 early in the second quarter.
Trailing by four, the Rams committed their second turnover of the game via a fumble by running back Sony Michel that was recovered by the Cardinals at the Rams 21 yard line. Aided by an 18-yard scramble to convert on 3rd and 16 from the Rams 27, the Cardinals also capitalized on that turnover with a 1-yard touchdown run by running back James Conner to go up 21-10.
A 22-yard field goal by Gay with 3:22 left in the first half cut the Rams' deficit to eight, but the Cardinals milked the remaining time with a field goal-scoring drive to take a 24-13 lead into halftime.
Receiving the second half kickoff, Arizona opened the third quarter extending their lead to 14 with a 55-yard field goal by Prater.
Los Angeles reached Arizona territory on the ensuing series, but couldn't answer as Gay's 46-yard field goal attempt missed wide right. Its deficit grew to 21 late in the third quarter with a 1-yard touchdown run by Conner.
The Rams were on the doorstep of potentially making it a two-possession game on the ensuing possession, reaching the Cardinals 1-yard line. However, forced to go for it on 4th and goal for the 1, they were unable to convert after Stafford's pass intended for tight end Tyler Higbee fell incomplete.
A 23-yard field goal by Prater extended Arizona's lead to 37-13 with 3:38 left in the game.
Stafford connected with Woods for a 14-yard touchdown pass with 1:14 left to cut the Rams' deficit to 17.
