Carson Palmer went down on a non-contact knee injury early in the fourth quarter, and the Arizona Cardinals responded to adversity with an avalanche of touchdowns. They reeled off 21 straight points after the injury, 14 off of defensive turnovers, and solidified their NFL-leading record with a 31-14 win over the St. Louis Rams.
Rams vs. Cardinals final score: 3 things we learned from Arizona’s 31-14 win
The Cardinals poured on points against the Rams in the fourth quarter to improve on the league’s best record.
Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports
Palmer was hardly touched by safety Mark Barron before falling to the ground. He had to be carted off the field while the Cardinals were trying to climb out of a four-point deficit. The crowd in Arizona went silent. Then backup quarterback Drew Stanton woke them up. Stanton found the end zone in four plays, the biggest being a beautiful 48-yard touchdown pass to rookie John Brown, who had to dive to make the play.
Then the Cardinals' defense took over. Patrick Peterson ended the next two Rams possessions with interceptions. The second was an incredible display of athleticism. Peterson tipped a Austin Davis pass with an outstretched hand, then caught the bobbled ball with his fingertips. Thirty yards later he was in the end zone.
The next turnover should be credited to the Cards' front seven. Kareem Martin sacked Davis, causing a fumble, which was scooped up by Antonio Cromartie and ran in for another score.
The Cardinals' blitz clouded what had, to that point, been an encouraging effort by the Rams. The defense had harassed Palmer in key situations, picking up three sacks along the way, and essentially shut down the Cardinals' running game. Davis played reasonably well, especially in the first half when he made a pretty throw to hit tight end Jared Cook in stride for a 59-yard score that gave the Rams a 14-10 lead.
St. Louis appeared to be on its way to its third win over a division rival in four weeks, but alas it wasn’t meant to be. The Cardinals continue to thrive when pressure is at its highest. They improved to 8-1 on the season. With the best record in the NFL, they can make a legitimate claim as the league’s best team.
Three things:
1) The Rams’ defensive line is coming alive
The Rams' defensive line was supposed to be their brightest spot heading into the season, coming off a year when Robert Quinn and Chris Long tore up opponents. However, it has taken a long time for the expected chaos to materialize. The Rams haven't been all that great rushing the passer or stopping the run this season. They've been outstanding during their last two games, however.
Against the San Francisco 49ers last week, the Rams gave up just 80 yards rushing and had two Quinn sacks. The defensive end added another among the Rams' three on the day, and the Cardinals were only able to gain 28 yards on 22 carries.
The Rams are still a flawed team, but two big wins in the last four weaks and a strong showing through three quarters against Arizona proves that they aren’t moribund. That’s not much consolation, but it’s something.
2) The Cardinals have moxie
The Cardinals seem destined to be that team -- the team that pulls out every game, no matter how improbably, and no matter whether they should. The proof is how they have handled not having their starting quarterback. When Palmer went down in the fourth quarter, Stanton coolly entered the game and hit Brown for a pretty touchdown.
This feels like a flawed team in some ways -- the running game is mediocre, and the defense is aggressive but banged up. And yet, this team plays like it know it is going to win, week in and week out. Yeah it’s a horrible cliche, but I’m going to say it: The Cardinals simply know how to win (ugh, I’m sorry).
3) The (NFC) West is the best
The NFC West went 3-1 this week, with the only loss being the Cardinals' cannibalization of the Rams. With 21 combined wins across four teams, the division can put in a serious claim as the best and deepest in the NFL. Of course, others may have arguments to make, but on a day when Cardinals solidified the best record in the NFL, the Seahawks blew out the Giants and the 49ers topped the Saints in a thriller on the road, the West rules.
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