The Arizona Cardinals had a bad Sunday afternoon in Week 12. They were blown out 37-14 by the Los Angeles Rams, dropping them to 2-10 on the season.
Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford threw four touchdown passes, running back Kyren Williams had 204 total yards from scrimmage and a pair of scores.
Los Angeles had 457 yards of offense.
The Cardinals managed only 292 yards for the game and Kyler Murray had a passing touchdown and rushing touchdown, but their final score and many of their yards came in garbage time.
The sad recap of the game is below.
Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Spotify.
Marco Wilson out of starting lineup
The Cardinals announced three rookies as their starting cornerbacks. Kei’Trel Clark, Garrett Williams and Starling Thomas were all announced as starters and were in the game to start the game as well. Marco Wilson, who had started every game, was not in the lineup.
Rams 7, Cardinals 0
The Cardinals won the toss and deferred, giving the Rams the ball first. Thanks to a 42-yard pass play from Matthew Stafford to Tutu Atwell on third down and a fourth-down run for a first down by Kyren Williams, the Rams scored first on a nine-play drive with Stafford finding Tyler Higbee for a seven-yard touchdown pass.
Cardinals 8, Rams 7
.@K1 big end zone guy 🏃♂️
📺: #LARvsAZ on FOX pic.twitter.com/EqrRppY4YK
— Arizona Cardinals (@AZCardinals) November 26, 2023
Murray rushed for a touchdown for the third straight game and, after a penalty on the extra point, Clayton Tune, with the help of a “tush push” sneak play, converted the two-point attempt to give the Cardinals a one-point lead.
They went 75 yards in 12 plays. Murray completed 5-of-7 passes for 50 yards and James Conner rushed for 21 yards on their initial drive.
Of those 12 plays, Murray was under center five times.
Rams 14, Cardinals 8
Another touchdown, thank you! 🚛@Ty_Higs19 | @NFLonFOX pic.twitter.com/souQUbYx57
— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) November 26, 2023
After both teams punted, the Rams took 4:57 to go 51 yards in eight plays. Stafford connected with Higbee for a second touchdown, this time from five yards out.
Royce Freeman had a 14-yard run and Tutu Atwell had a 13-yard reception on the drive.
Rams miss FG
After forcing a Cardinals punt, the Rams moved fairly methodically down the field, but a holding penalty put them behind the sticks. They had to settle on a 50-yard field goal that Lucas Havrisik missed wide right.
4th-down failure
After the missed field goal, the Cardinals did not pick up a first down and went fir it on fourth down. Murray’s throw to Trey McBride in traffic was broken up and the Rams took over with under two minutes to go in the half in Arizona territory.
Rams 21, Cardinals 8
WELCOME BACK @Kyrenwilliams23!!!
📺 @NFLonFOX pic.twitter.com/Mj3pPIhjbO
— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) November 26, 2023
The Rams only needed four plays to score points. In four plays, they went 48 yards with Stafford throwing a 15-yard touchdown pass, his third of the game, to running back Kyren Williams.
Tutu Atwell had a 21-yard reception in the drive.
The drive only took 57 seconds.
THOMPSON INT
SEND JALEN THOMPSON TO THE PRO BOWL pic.twitter.com/f84ZbGMr9a
— PHNX Cardinals (@PHNX_Cardinals) November 26, 2023
The Cardinals couldn’t pick up a first down on their next possession but Jalen Thompson picked off Stafford for his second interception in as many weeks to give the offense the ball with 15 seconds left in the half.
57-yard FG nullified by penalty to end half
It appeared the Cardinals would turn the interception into points as Matt Prater nailed a 57-yard field goal as time expired at the end of the first half, but there was a holding penalty to nullify the kick and that ended the half.
Fake punt run!
After going three-and-out, the Cardinals extended the drive when punter Blake Gillikin ran the ball 10 yards for a first down to start the half.
So many penalties
After the fake punt for a first down, left guard Carter O’Donnell was flagged for holding and then Paris Johnson and Will Hernandez were penalized for an illegal chop block, making it first-and-34.
On third-and-32, Greg Dortch was called for a false start.
Rondale Moore picked up 20 yards on third down but they had to punt.
CB Starling Thomas out
Thomas, who was one of three rookie cornerbacks starting for the Cardinals, exited the game with an ankle injury. He was ruled out of the rest of the game immediately.
Rams 24, Cardinals 8
Mama there goes that man @Kyrenwilliams23 for 56 yards!
📺 @NFLonFOX pic.twitter.com/DTvsPG7QDy
— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) November 26, 2023
The Cardinals held the Rams to a field goal but Kyren Williams had a 56-yard run to start the drive.
Prater misses FG
The Cardinals got some offense going with two pass plays to Tray McBride and one to Hollywood Brown. However, Matt Prater missed a 56-yard field goal badly wide right and they left the field getting no points.
Rams 31, Cardinals 8
Kyren Williams scored his second touchdown of the game with a three-yard reception, Stafford’s fourth touchdown pass of the game.
It came at the end of a 13-play, 54-yard drive that took more than seven minutes.
Rams 37, Cardinals 8
The Rams added another touchdown as Royce Freeman scampered 23 yards for the score. It was only a 38-yard drive after Austin Trammell’s 11-yard return of the Cardinals’ 42-yard punt.
The only positive was the Rams missed the extra point.
Rams 37, Cardinals 14
Kyler Murray threw a six-yard touchdown pass to Greg Dortch but his two-point throw was picked off.
