How the Rams' Early Loss to Cardinals Made Them Better

The Los Angeles Rams will face the Arizona Cardinals for the second time this season. Their beatdown at the hands of the Cardinals helped spark the Rams' current run.

Arizona Cardinals linebacker Dennis Gardeck (45) sacks Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford (9) on Sept. 15, 2024, at State Farm Stadium in Glendale. / Joe Rondone/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Los Angeles Rams will face the Arizona Cardinals at home for the second time this season, but the game will be played in Los Angeles this time. The Rams are significantly healthier than they were when the two teams last faced each other.

In their first matchup, the Cardinals trounced the Rams by a score of 41-10. The Cardinals converted on seven of their 11 third-down attempts. This helped them dominate the time of possession, controlling the ball for nearly 14 more minutes than the Rams did.

Arizona seemed unstoppable, as they averaged nearly eight yards per play. Rams defensive coordinator Chris Shula still vividly remembers the matchup against the Cardinals earlier this season.

He noted that the embarrassing loss brought the best out of the Rams, as Los Angeles has gone on a run since their Week 2 road loss to Arizona.

"It was a test of who we truly were," Shula said. "That game was almost like… you play that game, and you were almost shocked how bad you played, and to go out and put on that type of performance, it was embarrassing, to be honest. To see what type of guys we are, we challenged them. We had a tough 'Niners' team coming in that could run the ball. Arizona rushed for over 200 yards, and we knew the Niners were going to try to run it, and we challenged them, and they were able to step up to the task.

"Obviously, it hasn't been perfect since then, but what you think is this league is so hard, and every single week, you're going against great quarterbacks, great teams, and great schemes, just like Arizona is this week. It's how you bounce back from those adverse situations you find out who you really are.”

The Cardinals and Rams are at two very different points in their seasons. The Cardinals have been eliminated from the postseason, but the Rams are still very much in the running.

However, that will change for the Rams if they cannot finish the season strong with two wins over NFC West foes. Shula and the Rams' defense must play their best to secure a playoff berth.

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