5 Takeaways from Cardinals' 20-12 Loss Against Rams
In this story:
For the eighth straight season, the Arizona Cardinals have lost to the Los Angeles Rams in their home stadium.
Arizona didn't let Sunday's game get away from them after being down 10-0 in the first quarter. The Cardinals were down 13-9 with five minutes left in the third quarter.
But it didn't matter. The Rams would get a touchdown on the ensuing possession and wouldn't need to score again. Arizona had four field goals for the day and didn't score a touchdown.
The Cardinals have now lost 11 of their last 12 games to the Rams and are now 1-2.
Here are five takeaways from the Cardinals' 20-12 loss versus the Rams in Week 3.
First Half Deficiencies Continue
Arizona would continue their first half challenges as they've punted in all five first-quarter drives in 2022.
The Cardinals had seven combined first-half points entering Week 3. They ended with just three points against the Rams in the first 30 minutes of the game. The Rams also outgained the Cardinals 158 yards to 26 in that span, with eight first downs compared to one for Arizona.
Arizona needed a 19-play drive to nab a field goal in the second quarter. Similar to the first two games, the Cardinals' offense wasn't in sync. Zach Ertz dropped a pass in the end zone and James Conner dropped a pass on a crucial third down that had a chance of resulting in a touchdown.
It's been more than difficult for Arizona to get off to good starts in games.
Murray Looked Uncomfortable
Despite not committing any turnovers, Murray was on-and-off in Week 3. The Rams offensive front, headlined by Aaron Donald, forced Murray to throw off his backfoot and not be in-sync. He also only ran the ball twice for eight yards, which could also be pinned on head coach Kliff Kingsbury's gameplan.
Murray finished with a career-high 37-58 completions with 314 yards passing and a 77.8 passer rating. It seemed like the Rams were a step ahead on Kingsbury's play designs and Murray's reads.
Cardinals' Defense Had its Moments
Sure, the Cardinals had a tough time stopping Los Angeles's screen game. They also allowed 80 rushing yards in the second half after allowing 20 in the second half.
But the Cardinals gave up just two touchdowns to the defending Super Bowl champions. At one point, the Cardinals defense forced three straight three-and-outs.
J.J. Watt had his second sack of the season. Zaven Collins also forced a fumble in the red zone.
They also allowed Cooper Kupp to catch just four receptions on 44 yards. The Cardinals' defense was far from perfect and Kupp did have a 20-yard rushing touchdown, but the group wasn't nearly the reason why they lost on Sunday.
Quality Beats Quantity
Usually, whichever team leads in time possession has a better chance of winning. The Cardinals had 33 minutes of possession compared to the Rams' 26 minutes.
That wasn't the case. The Rams averaged 7.6 yards per play compared to the Cardinals' 4.9. Los Angeles did that by having just 46 offensive plays. The Cardinals had an astounding 81 offensive plays.
Matthew Stafford was efficient, averaging 10 yards per completion. He did that while not relying heavily on Cooper Kupp and getting players like Tyler Higbee and Ben Skowronek involved. Cam Akers showed his potential with 12 carries for 61 yards.
Marquise Brown Needs Support
With DeAndre Hopkins out for the first six games of the season, Brown has been asked to be the team's No. 1 wideout. While Arizona lost in Week 3, Brown delivered in a huge way, catching a career-high 14 receptions and 140 receiving yards on 17 targets. He was Murray's go-to receiver, with Greg Dortch and Zach Ertz posting 10 targets
But the Cardinals can't force-feed Brown and expect to win. While the game script had to do with it, the Cardinals had just 70 total rushing yards on 21 attempts. James Conner couldn't eclipse 30 rushing yards Sunday and has just one touchdown in three games. The Pittsburgh product had 18 touchdowns in 15 games last season.
It doesn't help that A.J. Green hasn't been trustworthy and left in Week 3 with a knee injury. With the wide receiver depth already shattered, Arizona needs the injured Rondale Moore to return next week in the worst way.
Thank you for making All Cardinals your number one choice for Arizona Cardinals news, updates, analysis and more. Be sure to give us a like on Facebook and subscribe to our YouTube channel for more Cards content.
Top Arizona Cardinals Stories
Game Recap: Arizona Cardinals Fall to Rams in NFC West Debut
Cardinals-Rams: Week 3 Bets to Take
James Conner Expected to Play vs. Rams
Experts Pick Cardinals-Rams Week 3
