The Los Angeles Rams Continue Their Dominance Over the Arizona Cardinals With a 20-12 Win and Take Over 1st Place in the NFC West; From LA Rams Up

Welcome back to Rams up, your Los Angeles Rams podcast. We're a proud member of the Pigskin podcast network. We'll cover just about any SoCal sports team, but we're mostly about your Los Angeles Rams. I'm your host, mark, let's get to it. 

Welcome back Rams fans. 

The Rams defeated the Arizona Cardinals 20 to 12. 

This is a game that probably shouldn't have been this close. 

Allen Robinson couldn't hold onto a touchdown pass the ramp? Settle for a field goal. Cooper Kupp can't hold onto a touchdown pass. I wouldn't call that 1/8. 

Drop, but it's a catch Cooper Kupp usually makes, that's for sure. 

And then Cam Akers fumbles at the goal. 

So this could have easily been a blowout. 

But then from the Cardinals perspective, how many passes did they drop? 

We blocked one of their punts. 

They were shooting themselves in the foot over and over again. 

Brands pulled out 20 to 12 and improved it two in one. 

And like I said, shouldn't have been that difficult. My prediction for the game was Rams 27, Cardinal 17. 

Oh, so close. 

Cam Akers hangs onto that ball. 

I would have been almost spot on. 

I'll review my fearsome 4 keys to this game, and #1 far and above everything else was make Kyler Murray a pocket passer. 

It doesn't take a genius to figure that out. 

The announcers called that out right from the get go. 

Everybody knows that. 

Don't let him hurt you with their legs. 

The Rams seemed to adapt a strategy much like they did against the bills. 

Bend it. 

Don't brag. 

Discipline, pass rush, keep Murray in the pocket. 

And we checked all those box. 

Since Murray was in the pocket, yeah, I mean, he scrambled a little bit, but I think our edge rushers actually did an incredible job. 

A disciplined pass rush, keeping him in the pocket, frustrating him a little bit. 

You know, Kyler Murray always looks frustrated. 

Actually, I've mentioned that before. 

I just don't like his vibe as a team later, but hey, that's just me. 

So that was my clear, fearsome key, number one to this game. My second key was keep our running game going and cantankerous really stepped up in the second-half. 

Now he had the oopsie there at the end and he's unfortunately starting to build quite a resume of key fumbles, and that's not good. 

We don't want it to be a mind game thing with him, but that said, you had a very good game. 

Rams running game finally picked it up. 

I was just about to say. 

Our running game Sox, and then they had that drive with Cam Akers. I think he had six carries, 50 plus yards on the one drive and he was the one that scored. So check box #2. 

There's some key #3. I did pretty good on these. A cornerback needs to step up and derion. Kendrick stepped up, didn't me, and I'll mention him a little bit later when I get to my game Balls segment. 

And fearsome keener before well, I'm not sure if we can check this box. 

No destructive plays. 

We got away. 

With one the fumble at the goal line. 

But at that point in the game, I felt pretty good about our chances at that point. I mean, I'm not saying I wasn't stressing. I didn't have a concern. It would have been nice to go up 27 to 9. 

That's for sure. 

So did we avoid destructive plays? 

I guess I can't say we can't. 

But three of these four, we checked those boxes and that's why. 

We won the. 

A lot in Part 2, bensky ronyx contribution sets, for sure. 

It was so enjoyable watching people on Twitter. 

Walk back their opinions of #18 bensky. Ronic led the team in receiving yards and boy did he lay down some blocks at a key catch as well. Ended up being the drive the can makers turned the ball over on. But. 

So Ben Skowronek is arriving along with a couple other guys. 

I'll talk about them in our players of the game segment, but go quickly through some key stats. 

Stafford, 18 for 25 with no interceptions. He was really disciplined with the ball. Spot on. Missed a couple of deep balls. 

That he was on target all day long. 

He had a miscommunication with Robinson on the one play. 

Robinson and Cup both had these sort of kind of drops, while Robinson definitely was cups. 

It's just it's just a natural thing at this point to give Cooper Kupp the benefit of the doubt, isn't it? 

Last week, he. 

Had a fumble this week. 

Ah, he should have squeezed. 

That should have been a touchdown. 

Akers finished with 5.1 yards per carry. The team had 20 rushes for exactly 100 yards and two TD's. Company. 

The leading receiver, who was the leading receiver, who were the top two receivers, didn't see this coming. Ben Skowronek, 4 catches for 66 yards, Higbee, 4 catches for 61. 

Brandon Powell had three catches. He may have supplanted 2/2 at well in some regards, although they did get at well out there. 

For the deep ball, but Powell getting involved in the offense finally, and Cooper Kupp, his various streaks he had gone. 

They were all broken. 

Hit 4 catches for 44 yards in one rushing TD and I can guarantee you he does not care. 

On the defensive side, who led the team in tackles? 

How about this derion Kendrick, 9 tackles, followed by Ramsey and Aaron. 

Donald and Trellis both had sacks. 

Aaron Donald, his 100th. The fastest ever for a defensive tackle in the history of the National Football League for the Cardinals. Murray, actually. 

Had a good day statistically, but no. TD is 37 for 58314 yards. Could not get his team into the end zone. Cardinals were held to 71 yards rushing. Murray had just. 

Hollywood brown, man with humans on fire, 14 catches from 140 yards. He was really all they had. 

Zach Ertz had a couple key catches, but he also struggled, hanging out at a ball couple of times and actually in the defense of Cardinal receivers. 

Murray wasn't really accurate in this game. 

He had a couple throws, several throws that were a little bit off target. 

What does it all mean to ransom proved to two and one, and it's so important. 

As they head for another divisional Rd game at San Francisco, Cardinal slipped to one and two. 

The only undefeated teams in NFC at the moment? 

The Philadelphia Eagles 3 and now the Giants playing Monday night two and how with the Giants? 

Yes, the Giants, and they could be three and oh, or two and one by the time you hear this. 

Rams get the win, we have three more segments coming up, we have our game capture, we have a review of my Fearsome 4 big plays of the game as well as game balls being handed out, and then lastly our loop around the league when I have spare time on my hands. 

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Let's capture this game possession by possession for you. 

Rams kicked off Arizona 1st possession 3 and out in Michael Hoyt blocks the punt sticking out his left hand. 

Just getting enough of it. 

The Rams recover at the Cardinal 40 and they get down to the four yard line. 

Alan Robertson. 

Can't hang on to what would probably have been a touchdown pass and the Rams have to set off with the field goal. 

3 Nothing Rams Arizona second possession, another three and out random power turns. The .22 yards. Rams go on a seven place 63 yard drive. 

Culminated by a 20 yard jet sweep by Cooper Kupp. 

Big play on that drive. 

Matthew Stafford scrambles for a first down. 

Rams up 10, nothing. Arizona's next possession, yet another three and out Rams get the ball at their own 20. Kendall Blanton and Ben Skowronek both picked up big receptions, 28 and 26 yards respectively. 

But Cooper Kupp cannot hang onto a touchdown pass. 

I'm not going to call it a drop, but it's a ball Cooper Kupp usually catches. 

Rams have to settle for a 40 yard field goal. 

They're up 13 to nothing. 

Next drive, Terrell Lewis gets a sack, Ramsey breaks up a pass to Zach Ertz and once again the Cardinals are punting. 

But grants also go three and out. 

Stafford too long to Tutuapp well on a long pass. 

Rams punt the Cardinals down 13 to nothing? 

Go on an 18 play drive. 

Really shoot themselves in the foot a couple of times though with penalties and drop passes, but they do convert 2 fourth downs on the drive, but end up settling for a field goal to make it 13 to 3 Rams. Get the ball back, 151 left in the half and you're thinking. 

You know what? 

Let's just pick up a first down and get to the locker room up 13 to 3. 

But the Rams can't do it, have to punt, and sure enough, Kyler Murray hooks up with Greg Dorsch for a 31 yard pass reception. 

And the Cardinals get the field goal as time runs out and they go to the half down. 

Only 13 to 6 Rams should really. 

Be up 21 to 6 at this point. Those two would be touchdown passes, costing us four points in each case. 

But of course the Cardinals, they could say the same thing. They had a punt blocked and they've dropped. I think it was five passes that 13-6 at the half and by the way on that Cardinals third possession, Aaron Donald. 

Picks up his 100th sack. 

The second. 

Rams get the ball first, Stafford is sacked and it's a three and out for the Rams. 

They punt Arizona, after a penalty on the return, start out at their own 11. 

They go on a 15 play drive, but have to settle for a 49 yard field goal, making it interesting at 13 to 9 Rams ensuing possession. 

Rams take over at their own 25, a holding call sets them back to first, and 20 acres breaks off a 9 yard run. Stafford overthrows cup deep. 

Actually I think it was a mix up cup turning left. 

Stafford thrown it over his right shoulder, but Stafford finds Higbee for a 26 yard gain on a screen pass. 

Acres breaks offerings of five and 14 yards and acres. 

He's carrying a workload on this drive and he finishes with a 14 yard touchdown run and the Rams are up 20 to 9 Cardinals. 

Down by 11, now moving into the fourth quarter, they drive into Rams territory, but Derion Kendrick breaks up a pass on 4th and four and it appears the Rams are in really good shape and they put together probably their best drive of the day, really mixing it up. 

Ben Skowronek picks up 30 yards on one play. 

Akers picks up 13. 

They get all the way down to the two yard line, and Akers fumbles now. 

He put himself in a bad position, trying to spin and reach for the goal line, and he got popped. 

He just needs to know not to expose himself in that situation. 

Hey, taking another down rents another 30 seconds off the clock. 

And the Rams should have been happy. 

With that, but. 

Turns the ball over and Arizona has the ball to Rams three and they are able to drive for a 31 yard field goal. 

And with 107 left, they're trying an onside kick. They're down 20 to 12, and Matt Prater pops the ball up in the air. 

And Tyler Higbee secures it and the Rams escape with a 20 to 12 win and a 2IN1 record that bought his back. 

Baby, we're back to seeing Stafford slinging beautiful balls all over the field to Cooper Kupp. 

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Back to the Rams 20 to 12 win over the Arizona Cardinals. 

Let's talk about the fearsome 4 big plays of the game. 

My four key plays, like I've told you before, I've mentioned many times two fairly evenly matched teams. 

The team that. 

Wins the four big plays, typically wins the game, and I'm going to save my number one play for last because it was really special. So I'll start with #2 Iran's leading 20 to 9 early in the 4th. 

For Derion, Kendrick breaks up a pass on 4th, and four Cardinals were really on the moves. 

No one to come back, and Kendrick shut it down. 

That was Murray trying to get the ball to Hollywood Brown again, and the rookie stepped up last week. 

Kobe Durant stepped up this week Derion Kendrick. 

Like I mentioned in the YouTube video I dropped last night, you have two pretty talented young cornerbacks. 

Big play #3 hate the blocked punt that set the tone for the early part of the game. Michael Hoyt. 

Getting this left hand, setting up the Rams in great field position and we only get three points out of it, but still, that's just a big momentum changer. 

You know when you're a team like the Cardinals trying to find a way to beat the Rams, a team that has pretty much dominated you. 

Things like that can really suck the air out of you, and I think it did a little bit. That's my key play #3 and keep playing #4. 

I'm going to hand it to the Cardinals. 

And it's not just one single play, it's those two fourth down conversions really kept the Cardinals alive. 

Oh, that was very painful to watch. It was part of that Rams bend don't break strategy. That one I'm going to throw in the Cardinals corner key play. #4, the biggest play in the game, was pretty clear to me. 

There were about four minutes left in the third quarter, Rams up 13 to 9. 

The Cardinals had scored nine straight points. 

They had gone on drives of 19, eight and 16 plays. 

Rams hadn't had a first down in forever, and the Rams are faced with a third and 11 on the prospect of punting again. 

The Cardinals bring the pressure at Stafford spins out of the pressure and throws a dart to Cooper Kupp barely for the first down, and the Rams keep the drive alive and they end up scoring going up. 

20 to 9 if the Rams had punted in that situation, or if Stafford had gotten sacked. 

I don't know. 

I think our chances of winning that game take a serious hit. 

And Stafford got to give him credit that that's not a play that Stafford typically makes. 

He stepped up, made a great play and that is my clear play of the game. 

Gang balls now. 

I already went through this on my YouTube video. 

I'll go through it again. 

#1 Michael Hoyt for the blocked punt. Pretty simple. What more needs to be said about that? Number two, I already talked about Stafford. 

He was spot on, very accurate, didn't make any mistakes over through a couple of long balls. 

Other than that, Matthew Stafford stepped up and had his best game of the year. 

No touchdown passes. 

I don't care. 

And how about Tyler Higbee? 

Those screenplays devastating. 

I think Higbee is so successful on the screenplays because he doesn't outrun his blockers. 

He's very. 

Good at setting them up and getting yardage that at first look you don't think he's going to get it, but there he goes. 

He'd be very effective in the screen game. 

And hey, securing that onside kick. 

Just icing on the cake. 

And how about Derion Kendrick last week? 

Kobe Durant stepped up. 

This week? 

Derion Kendrick? 

They were going after him. 

Was on Marquis Brown a lot. 

And that 4th and four play where Kendrick came through and swatted the ball away and you know he gave up some receptions, but overall for a rookie in his first start, got to give him a game ball and how about my guy Ben Skowronek, the best blocker on the team, perhaps starting to develop in the receiving game, had a really big catch. 

You didn't receive her in the game. 

Remember that? 

How much do? 

You love having a guy like Scar Anik on your side when you're going up against a so-called super physical team like the 49ers. 

Can't wait to see Scar Anik lay some wood in that game. 

In my last game ball, I gotta give it to Jalen Ramsey. 

He showed up to play. 

Secondary is depleted and you know, he just told that team. 

I got this. 

I'm shutting this offense down if I have to do it by myself, and he almost did at times in coverage, tackling Jalen Ramsey, playing with the intensity we expect week in and week out. 

He brought it against the Cardinals and he's my number one guy. 

He gets the game ball above all these other guys. 

He stepped up and we really needed him with all these guys in the secondary. 

Get out. 

And I should say I was going to give Cam Akers a game ball, but I'm going to have to retract that. 

But I feel much better about our running game. 

After acres performance as far as my coaches corner, the Rams took a delay of game and then called a timeout. 

And this is one of those things McVay does, and I don't get it. 

It's just really bad management, but. 

And we give Cooper Kupp a pass. 

When he screws up, I'm going to give Mcveagh pass, but he really needs to improve in his clock management and his use of timeouts the refs. 

I I just want to call out the one play they missed the face mask. 

It was pretty clear. 

Not a big deal that happens in the announcers, you know? 

There was that one play. 

The short yardage play and Mark Sanchez said, oh, they're running it up the gut here. 

They're, they are running it up the gut. 

That's what they're going to do. 

And I was like, no they're not. 

No, they're not. 

And that's the play they hits chronik for the big gain. 

So I don't know, maybe Mark Sanchez trying to be a little bit of Tony Romo up there. 

I didn't think they were going to hand it off in that situation. 

Rams up one Sanchez 0. 

Next, we will wrap things up with our loop around the league. 

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Let's wrap things up with our loop around the league. Browns 29, Steelers 17 on Thursday night and you know I'm guilty of not giving the Browns credit. 

They are a pretty good football team. Nick Chubb, 23 rushes for 113 yards in a TD. Browns. 

Are actually pretty good. 

And Jacoby Brissett getting it done. 

If what I saw wasn't. 

A mirage, I think the. 

Browns are going to compete for a playoff spot. 

The Steelers, not so much. 

Colts 20, cheats 17 Matt Ryan leads the Colts on his 16 place, 71 yard drive. They scored with 24 seconds left for the win and you know we should have saw this coming. My special assistant called this game out, he said. Don't touch the chiefs before the season. 

Started what did we think of the Colts and what did we think of the Chiefs? 

We thought they were both Super Bowl contenders. 

Good chance they're both going to win their division. 

Colts get out of the gate, they stumble, look pretty bad. 

Genes, meanwhile, roar out to a tunnel wreck. 

Third, kind of a lucky win against the Chargers. The Chiefs are favored by 6 1/2. I don't know. We saw this coming. 

Colts and cheese pretty even match up, right? At least a couple weeks ago they would have been. And sure enough, the Colts, the desperate team, pull out the win. Ravens 27, Patriots 26. 

Lamar Jackson, 4 passing TD's rushed for another. Mack Jones threw 3 interceptions. 

Mac Jones of the top 100 players List, Panthers 22, Saints 14 Jameis Winston doubled Baker Mayfield in passing yardage. 

Didn't matter. Panthers break A9 game losing streak. The Bears 23 Texans 20 game was Tide 2020 Texans were trying to drive. 

For a game-winning field goal, Roquan Smith intercepts with a minute left and the Bears kicked the winning field goal. 

Dolphins 21, bills 19. It's interesting, a friend of mine told me just a several days ago. 

Who's going to? 

Beat the bells. 

Is there really any team that can stand up to the bills? 

And my reply was, you know, it's a long season. 

A lot can happen. 

People get hurt. 

Teams go into slumps, other teams get hot. 

You just never know. 

And sure enough, dolphins pull out the win. 

Bills may not even win their division. 

Bills lose Micah Hyde for the year, by the way. 

That was before the game. 

Josh Allen actually had a receiver open in the end zone for the go ahead touchdown and just threw a horrible pass through it straight into the ground and the Dolphins held on. 

Vikings 28, Lions 24. I watched a lot of this game. Jared Goff playing really well. Lions very exciting. 

Now over the course of this game, Dan Campbell was going forward on 4th down a few times and was successful several times late in the game there at the Vikings, I think it was the 31 fourth. 

Down 4th and one. 

And might have been forced into really short yardage and they go for it and they don't get it. 

And then boom, Vikings connect on a long pass, the game winner and they went really a bad loss for the Lions. 

They looked like the better team, I think they're going to be. 

Back tough loss on. 

The road, though. 

They should have won this. 

Bengals 27, jets 12, drilbur on. The Bengals were not going to go and three. We all knew that, right? Titans 24, Raiders 22. The Raider is looking like a sort of jinx team. 

Both teams came in oh and two and the Raiders remain winless. 

They just seem jinxed. 

The Raiders do their great tight end. 

Waller couldn't secure a fourth quarter touchdown pass. 

It bounced up and was intercepted. 

Raiders came back and got the TD needed the two point conversion to tie it up and couldn't get it done. 

Equals 24 commanders. 8 Eagles are looking scarier every week. Devonta Smith. 

169 yards receiving and a touchdown seems like every week it's a different player for them. This game really surprised me, Jags. 

38 chargers ten. I thought their Chargers might struggle, but they really laid an egg. A Brandon Staley defense giving up that many points? Really weird. 

Packers 14, Bucs 12. 

Now, these are two teams, a lot of people calling out as Super Bowl contenders. 

I do not have a lot of faith in either of their offenses. 

Now the Bucs have some guys hurt, so maybe they'll be back. Maybe they'll get better. They needed A2 point conversion at the end of the game to send it into overtime. Couldn't get it done, much like the Raider Titan game. 

But both these. 

I don't know. 

It's kind of an ugly game. 

Packers hang on. 

The win Falcons 27, Seattle 23. The Rams held Cordell Patterson and checked last week. The Seahawks did not 141 yards rushing on just 17 carries. 

And Drake London, the rookie, another TD and the best game of the day. 

Aside from the Rams win, the Broncos 11 and Niners 10. 

This one really has to hurt Niner nation. 

Niner defense pretty much controlling this game. 

Russell Wilson kind of looking like the quarterback I predicted he would be. 

Not really that effective. 

I mean, the Niners are a good defense, but how good are they? 

We're not sure yet. 

They opened up against three of the worst offenses in the league that bears the Seahawks and now the Broncos. 

Broncos maybe not one of the worst. 

But they have a lot of. 

Proven to do in my eyes. 

Jimmy J looked a little unsettled, stepped out of the back of the end zone for a safety through an ill advised pass late in the game that was intercepted, and then the Niners got the ball back again and fumble it away. 

Makes no sense that they can't close out games like this. 

It's good news for the Rams, OK? 

Seahawks fall to one and two. 

Cardinals fall to one and two, Niners one and two, and you're Los Angeles Rams. 

Sounds atop the NFC West at 2:01 with that Monday night showdown in San Francisco coming up. Santa Clara, actually. 

We will have a preview of that game Thursday, maybe a day late since the games on Monday, but look for some YouTube drops in our YouTube channel. 

Check it out. 

Drop the one there last night. 

I'll drop another one later this week. 

That game next week or the Niner is super important. 

You know, it's more important to the Niners than it is to the Rams, this. 

Is a critical game. 

For them, their backs against the wall, much like the Colts were this week against the Chiefs, so they're going to bring. 

It, but I like our chances. 

That's going to do it for this episode. Remember, you can reach us at Rams up podcast@gmail.com. 

You can visit our website at ramsup.com. You'll find links to all of our episodes and a link to our YouTube channel. And you can also leave us a voicemail. 

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And remember, keep the horns up. 

Stand safe and have fun out there. 

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