Rams move closer to clinching division with tough win over Cardinals

It wasn’t pretty, but the Los Angeles Rams are still hot.

The Rams won their fifth straight and their ninth in their last 11 games, taking home a 13-9 victory over the Arizona Cardinals on Saturday.

It was slow and steady to win the run and there was no scoring in the first quarter, but a Kyren Williams touchdown and Joshua Karly field goal in the second put the Rams up 10-0 at halftime.

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Matthew Stafford, #9 of the Los Angeles Rams, throws a pass during the third quarter against the Arizona Cardinals at SoFi Stadium on December 28, 2024 in Inglewood, California. (Harry How/Getty Images)

In the third quarter, however, Trey McBride finally got on the board and scored his first touchdown of the season, and even he couldn’t help but thank the heavens. However, the PAT was blocked, which would bite Arizona.

Chad Ryland kicked a chip-shot field goal in the fourth, but because of the missed extra point, they were still behind by one. Karly added a field goal of her own to make it a 13-9 LA lead and the Cardinals offense, which struggled to score all night, was forced to need a touchdown.

With this contest already having nine punts, Kyler Murray looked for Marvin Harrison Jr. in the end zone, but he was picked off. However, the Rams were unable to get a first down and the Cards had one more chance with 2:01 left and two timeouts.

Xavier Smith, #19 of the Los Angeles Rams reacts in the third quarter against the Arizona Cardinals at SoFi Stadium on December 28, 2024 in Inglewood, California. (Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

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Suddenly, the Cardinals put it together and they got to the opposite 5-yard line, but Murray threw another interception that was off the hands of McBride in the end zone and caught a diving Ahkello Witherspoon to nearly end it.

It was pretty sloppy for both offenses; Stafford was just 17 for 32 for 189 yards and didn’t throw a touchdown, but it was enough. Of those yards, 129 went to Puka Nacua. Murray, meanwhile, was 33-for-48 for 321 yards, but his one touchdown and two costly turnovers would prove too much for the other numbers to overcome.

Braden Fiske, #55 of the Los Angeles Rams celebrates a sack with Byron Young, #0, in the first quarter against the Arizona Cardinals at SoFi Stadium on December 28, 2024 in Inglewood, California. (Harry How/Getty Images)

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The Rams could win the NFC West on Sunday, but they need quite a few things to happen. At the end of the day, they control their own destiny, and they will face the Seattle Seahawks in the season finale, which could turn into the division title.

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