It wasn’t pretty, but that Los Angeles Rams are still hot.
The Rams won their fifth straight and ninth in their last 11 games with a 13-9 victory over the Rams Arizona Cardinals on Saturday.
It was slow and steady progress toward winning the race, and no points were scored in the first quarter, but a Kyren Williams touchdown and a Joshua Karly field goal in the second gave the Rams a 10-0 halftime lead.
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Matthew Stafford, #9 of the Los Angeles Rams, throws a pass in the third quarter against the Arizona Cardinals at SoFi Stadium on December 28, 2024 in Inglewood, California. (Harry How/Getty Images)
However, in the third quarter, Trey McBride finally made it onto the field 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 hit a chip-shot field goal in the fourth, but the missed extra point meant they were still down a point. Karly made a field goal of his own to give LA a 13-9 lead, and the Cardinals’ offense, which had struggled scoring all night, was left needing a touchdown.
With this contest already involving nine punts, Kyler Murray looked for Marvin Harrison Jr. in the end zone, but he was deflected. However, the Rams failed to get a first down and the Cards still had a chance with 2:01 remaining 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)
Longtime sports presenter and announcer GREG GUMBEL dies at the age of 78
Suddenly the Cardinals pulled it all together and reached the opposing 5-yard line, but Murray threw another interception that eluded McBride in the end zone and intercepted a dive by Ahkello Witherspoon that nearly finished the ball.
Both attacks were rather sloppy; 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 of 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 a few things still need to happen. At the end of the day, they control their own destiny and will face it Seattle Seahawks in the season finale, which could be about the division title.
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