Cardinals upset Rams 18-16 with last-second field goal
Arizona secured a 18-16 win over Los Angeles after a 43-yard field goal as time expired, marking the season's biggest upset and dropping the Rams to 2-4.
Arizona quarterback Jacoby Brissett led the Cardinals to a 15-12 lead with under three minutes left, and a 21-yard pass to Jalen Brooks set up a 43-yard field-goal attempt by Chad Ryland. Ryland's kick as the clock hit zero gave the Cardinals an 18-16 victory, the largest upset of the season after entering as 13.5-point underdogs.
The Cardinals did not score a touchdown, but their defense limited the Rams and their offense generated 338 yards on six of ten drives, holding the ball for about ten minutes more than Los Angeles.
Los Angeles quarterback Matthew Stafford completed 25 of 33 passes for 222 yards and two touchdowns but posted a low yards-per-attempt average and was sacked three times. The Rams also committed several turnovers, including a fumble by tight end Tyler Higbee and a recovered fumble by Stafford, and they failed to convert a fourth-and-1 play.
Penalties hurt the Rams, with four penalties—including an unnecessary-roughness call that set up the game-winning field goal—contributing to the loss. The defense recorded no sacks and no takeaways, and the special-teams unit allowed a 40-yard kickoff return and lost kicker Blake Grupe to injury after a tackle.
The defeat leaves the Rams at 2-4, matching the Cardinals' record after the season opener and raising questions about the team's performance across offense, defense and special teams.