Los Angeles Rams vs Arizona Cardinals Match Player Stats (Dec 28, 2024)

Ahkello Witherspoon dove through the air, snagging a tipped pass in the end zone with just 37 seconds left. That play summed up the entire game between the Los Angeles Rams and Arizona Cardinals. The final score of 13-9 doesn’t tell half the story of what went down at SoFi Stadium on December 28, 2024. The Rams’ official site called it a “defensive battle,” and that’s putting it mildly.

Inside the Numbers: A Statistical Head-Scratcher

Looking at the NFL Week 17 stats, you’d swear the Cardinals won:

• Cardinals total yards: 396
• Rams total yards: 257
• Cardinals time of possession: 36:55
• Rams time of possession: 23:05
• Cardinals first downs: 24
• Rams first downs: 16

The Rams came in at 9-6, fighting to stay atop the NFC West. The Cardinals, already out of playoff contention at 6-9, were just looking to spoil their division rival’s season.

The crowd at SoFi knew what was at stake. Every Rams defensive stop got louder cheers than usual, and you could feel the nervous energy during that final Cardinals drive.

Game Flow: Defense Rules the Day

Here’s how the scoring played out:

Nobody scored until midway through the second quarter. Both D-lines owned the trenches early. The game shifted when the Rams stuffed the Cardinals on fourth-and-1 at their own 14-yard line, keeping the game scoreless.

Rams Offensive Performance: The Puka Nacua Show

The Rams offense couldn’t get much going all day. Matthew Stafford hit on just 17 of 32 passes for 189 yards with no touchdowns.

“We didn’t do a whole lot great, to be honest with you,” Stafford said after the game. “Didn’t run it great. Didn’t throw it great. But found a way to get a win.”

Thank goodness for rookie receiver Puka Nacua:

• 10 receptions
• 129 yards
• 14 targets
• 68% of team’s passing yards

Nacua bailed out the offense time after time with tough catches in traffic and perfect route running. When nothing else worked, Stafford looked his way.

Cooper Kupp caught just one ball for 29 yards, his fourth straight game under 50 yards. This slump looks a lot like what happened in the Rams’ earlier matchup against the Detroit Lions.

Running back Kyren Williams punched in the Rams’ only touchdown on a 1-yard run, finishing with 13 carries for 56 yards.

Rams Defensive Stars: Youth Movement Shines

While the offense sputtered, the Rams defense brought their A-game:

• 4 sacks on Kyler Murray
• 2 interceptions in critical moments
• 1 blocked extra point
• 9 points allowed (third straight game holding opponents to single digits)

Rookie defensive tackle Braden Fiske wrecked shop with 2 sacks, giving him three multi-sack games already in his young career. He pushed the pocket all day, making Murray uncomfortable on almost every drop back.

Cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon made the play of the game with his diving end zone interception with 37 seconds left, snatching a ball that bounced off McBride’s helmet.

Safety Kamren Kinchens, another rookie making noise, grabbed a pick on a fourth-down heave by Murray earlier in the fourth quarter.

Linebackers Omar Speights (10 tackles) and Michael Hoecht (7 tackles) locked down the middle, with Hoecht also blocking a crucial extra point.

This hard-nosed defensive style matches what we saw in the Rams’ previous battle against the 49ers, showing this team now wins with defense first.

Cardinals Offensive Output: So Near Yet So Far

The Cardinals moved the ball all day between the 20s but couldn’t finish drives:

Quarterback Kyler Murray put up big numbers (33/48, 321 yards, 1 TD) but threw two killer picks when it mattered most.

Tight end Trey McBride was a monster, grabbing 12 catches for 123 yards and the Cardinals’ only touchdown. Murray looked his way 16 times, trusting him in every big situation.

Rookie wideout Marvin Harrison Jr. added 6 catches for 96 yards, making tough grabs all afternoon.

After James Conner got hurt early, Michael Carter stepped up big time with 13 carries for 70 yards (5.4 YPC average).

Cardinals Defence: Solid But Not Enough

The Cardinals defense did their job:

• Held Rams to 257 total yards
• Limited Stafford to 189 passing yards
• Contained Rams rushing attack to 68 yards (3.1 YPC)
• Shut down Cooper Kupp (1 catch)

Safety Budda Baker led with 7 tackles and several pass breakups, while linebacker Kyzir White added 4 solo tackles.

Cornerback Max Melton broke up a deep ball to Nacua that could have gone for big yardage.

Even with this solid showing, it wasn’t enough to overcome the offensive mistakes. The Cardinals defense held up their end in what CBS Sports called a “defensive struggle from start to finish.”

The Cardinals’ D played much better than they did against the Panthers back in Week 12, but needed more help from their offense.

Four Plays That Decided The Game

This game came down to four huge plays that swung things the Rams’ way:

1. Fourth Down Stop (Q2, 0-0): With no score, the Rams stuffed James Conner on fourth-and-1 at their own 14-yard line. Rookie Jared Verse and linebacker Omar Speights teamed up on the tackle, stopping a long Cardinals drive cold.
2. Hoecht’s Blocked Extra Point (Q3, 10-6): After McBride’s touchdown catch pulled the Cardinals closer, Michael Hoecht broke through the line to block Chad Ryland’s extra point attempt. This kept the Rams up by four instead of three, forcing Arizona to need a touchdown at the end.
3. Turner’s Big Sack (Q4, 13-9): With the Cardinals driving into Rams territory, defensive tackle Kobie Turner sacked Murray on second down, creating a tough third-and-long. This led right to Kinchens’ interception on the next play, killing a potential go-ahead drive.
4. Witherspoon’s Game-Saving Pick (Q4, 0:37 left): On first-and-goal from the Rams’ 5-yard line, Murray’s pass to McBride hit the tight end’s helmet and bounced to Witherspoon, who made a diving grab to seal the win. Pro Football Reference called this the play that decided the game.

That blocked extra point by Hoecht, his third blocked kick this season, ended up making all the difference.

Player Spotlights: Two Standouts

Two guys played at a different level than everyone else:

Puka Nacua (Rams WR): The rookie bailed out Stafford all day, catching 10 passes for 129 yards. When the Rams needed a first down, Nacua got open. When they needed someone to make a tough catch, Nacua made it. The offense would have been completely lost without him.

Trey McBride (Cardinals TE): McBride was a force, hauling in 12 passes for 123 yards and a touchdown on 16 targets. His score was his first of the season, coming on his 98th catch. After the game, McBride owned the final interception, saying “It’s my fault. I have to get open faster. It hit me right in the face. I gotta make that play.”

Playoff Picture: What This Means

This win moved the Rams to 10-6, putting them in prime position to take the NFC West title as they bounced back from last year’s down season.

What’s encouraging for Rams fans is that they found a way to win on a day when their offense couldn’t get going. Good teams can win pretty. Great teams can win ugly too.

For the Cardinals, this game was their 2024 season in a nutshell: they hung tough but couldn’t finish. Coach Jonathan Gannon put it best: “It stings because we’re there, but we’re not there.”

FAQs About Los Angeles Rams vs Arizona Cardinals Match Player Stats

The Los Angeles Rams vs Arizona Cardinals match player stats show what separates good teams from great ones: finding ways to win ugly games when your offense isn’t clicking but your defense makes plays when it counts.