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Arizona Cardinals defense and Chad Ryland dominate in close win over Rams

The Arizona Cardinals secured an 18-16 victory against the Los Angeles Rams on October 18, 2026, at SoFi Stadium. Chad Ryland provided all the scoring for Arizona, completing 6-of-6 field goal attempts. His final kick, a 43-yard attempt as time ran out, clinched the win for the Cardinals.

Los Angeles held a 16-15 advantage with 47 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter before Arizona launched its game-winning drive. Earlier in the contest, Blake Corum put the Rams on the scoreboard with a 15-yard touchdown catch in the second quarter.

Matthew Stafford later connected with Colby Parkinson for a 6-yard touchdown pass late in the game. Los Angeles kicker Blake Grupe departed the contest early due to a knee injury sustained while making a tackle on a kickoff.

In his absence, punter Ethan Evans stepped in to kick the extra point following the Rams' second touchdown.

Statistically, Arizona quarterback Jacoby Brissett went 24-of-35 passing for 218 yards and threw one interception. Trey McBride recorded a team-high seven receptions for 53 yards for the Cardinals.

For Los Angeles, Stafford finished the game completing 25 of his 33 pass attempts for 222 yards and two touchdowns. Puka Nacua led the Rams' receivers with six catches for 80 yards, while Davante Adams added three receptions for 39 yards.

Adams exited the game late in the fourth quarter after suffering an apparent leg injury.

The Rams' offense had barely 100 yards and three three-and-outs by halftime. The Cardinals also dominated time of possession throughout the afternoon, holding the ball for 34:52 compared to 25:08 for Los Angeles.

With the result, the Cardinals improved their record to 2-4 on the 2026 season. The victory marked their second win of the year, with both wins occurring at SoFi Stadium following a Week 1 triumph against the Chargers.

The Rams also saw their record drop to 2-4 following the loss, placing their playoff chances in jeopardy.

This report also draws on coverage from Pro Football Talk.

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