The Rams Defense Holds Cardinals Out of the End Zone, but Arizona Wins 18-16
The Los Angeles Rams #99 Aaron Donald (DL) and #10 Josaiah Stewart (OLB) putting pressure on the Arizona Cardinals’ quarterback Jocoby Brissett at SoFi Stadium. This photo is by Jerry Kelly/TGSportstv1 October 18, 2026.
INGLEWOOD, CA - The Rams couldn’t hold a late lead Sunday, falling 18-16 to the Arizona Cardinals at SoFi Stadium and dropping to 2-4.
Colby Parkinson caught a touchdown to put Los Angeles up 16-15, but Arizona drove back into range and won it on a 43-yard field goal with 3 seconds left.
The Cardinals never reached the end zone. All 18 of their points came on six field goals, and the Rams defense was a big reason Arizona never got any closer.
“I thought our defense did enough to keep us in the game, but anytime we’d string a little bit of momentum, we’d turn it over,” head coach Sean McVay said.
The defense set the tone early. Quentin Lake intercepted a pass in the first quarter, and Blake Grupe’s 44-yard field goal gave the Rams a 3-0 lead.
Grupe hurt his knee later in the quarter when he knocked Arizona’s Devin Duvernay out of bounds to end a 40-yard kick return, and he did not return.
Aaron Donald then dropped the quarterback for a loss of five on one play and brought him down again on another. Late in the quarter, Arizona got within 10 yards of a touchdown, and the Rams held. In the fourth, Jaylen Watson stopped Arizona short of the goal line, forcing a 27-yard field goal.
The offense was at its best in the second quarter. Matthew Stafford moved the ball with little resistance, and a catch by Parkinson put Los Angeles at the Arizona 15. Stafford then found Blake Corum for a 15-yard touchdown and a 9-6 lead. On the two-point try, Stafford was sacked and fumbled, and Arizona nearly returned it the length of the field for a defensive two-point conversion. The Cardinals tied it 9-9 with a field goal late in the half.
Los Angeles Rams #84 Coby Parkinson (TE) touchdown gave his team a 16-15 lead late in the fourth quarter against the Arizona Cardinals’ defense at SoFi Stadium. This photo is by Jerry Kelly/TGSportstv1 October 18, 2026.
Stafford was efficient, completing 13 of 14 passes for 126 yards. Puka Nacua caught four passes for 64 yards, including a long of 43. But the turnovers kept the Rams from building on it. With 8:05 left in the fourth quarter and the Rams trailing 15-9, Stafford hit Tyler Higbee, who made the catch and then fumbled as he went to the ground, ending a drive when the Rams badly needed points.
The Rams rallied late in the game. Parkinson’s touchdown catch with 52 seconds left, followed by an extra point from Ethan Evans, who took over for Grupe, put Los Angeles up 16-15. It wasn’t enough of a cushion, as Arizona still had time to drive into field-goal range.
“We won’t win a game unless we figure out how not to beat ourselves,” McVay said.
Stafford was asked about the team’s identity and was blunt. “We are what our record is, and we obviously have to find a way to be better,” he said. “We’ve been decent in some late-game and late-half situations, but I think there are areas to improve in all aspects of our team right now.”
The Rams will try to snap a two-game losing streak Oct. 25 in Las Vegas against the Raiders.