Cardinals @ Rams
Final Score: Cardinals 37, Rams 20
Writer: James Schiano (@JeterHadNoRange on Twitter)
The perceived jewel of the 4 o’clock slate disappointed because the Cardinals thoroughly dominated the Rams in Los Angeles. Kyler Murray drastically outplayed Matthew Stafford in a battle of the two (early) odds-on favorites in the MVP race, leaving little doubt that Murray has ascended to a new tier. More surprisingly, Chase Edmonds and James Conner had no issue slicing up the Rams’ run defense as the Cardinals line was getting a great push from start to finish.
The Cardinals coverage unit gave Stafford and the Rams receivers fits all afternoon. Cooper Kupp looked alright and saw 13 targets, but this was the first game all year where he did not score nor break 100 yards receiving. Darrell Henderson looked nimble until the game script made him a non-factor. Overall, this was a shocking result that cements the Cardinals’ status as a true contender.
Arizona Cardinals
Quarterback
Kyler Murray: 24/32, 268 yards, 2 TD, 0 INT | 6 carries, 39 yards
Colt McCoy: 2 carries, -2 yards
Murray was both efficient and dynamic in this one and led the Cardinals’ offense up and down the field like a dominant point guard would a high-powered attack. He completed passes to seven different receivers and used every part of the field. The fireworks started early with a deep touchdown to AJ Green and Murray did not look back.
Are you really surprised? A.J. Green in for 6@ajgreen_18 x #RedSea pic.twitter.com/4uSekWSRwY
— Arizona Cardinals (@AZCardinals) October 3, 2021
His next touchdown was on a seam to TE Maxx Williams. A popular knock against Murray was his ability to get the ball into the middle of the field, especially in the 10-20 yard range. Well, this throw to Williams was just that…and a beauty.
A thing of beauty.@williams_maxx x #RedSea pic.twitter.com/sIlHxrBnNk
— Arizona Cardinals (@AZCardinals) October 3, 2021
Otherwise, he rarely put the ball in harm’s way and played very within himself. That’s a broad term for a player of Murray’s caliber, but this was the first game all season where he did not turn the ball over. Moreover, his 39 rushing yards were the most he’s had in a game all year. This run was his most impressive.
https://twitter.com/SportsAzFan/status/1444769866230075396
Agility, top-end speed, decisiveness, what a spectacular play on 3rd and long from Murray. He deked a defender five yards behind the line of scrimmage! And still, somehow, found a way to tip-toe for 17 yards and a first down. He was giving Aaron Donald and the Rams’ vaunted pass-rush fits all game.
He’s just not natural. While it lacked the gaudy counting stats in some of Murray’s past performances, this may have been the most impressive outing of his young career. We have a new MVP favorite, folks.
Running Backs
Chase Edmonds: 12 carries, 120 yards | 5 targets, 4 receptions, 19 yard
James Conner: 18 carries, 50 yards, 2 TDs | 2 targets, 2 receptions, 16 yards
Wow, did Chase Edmonds look explosive in this one. The Fordham product was dynamic all afternoon and turned in the 2nd highest single-game rushing total and longest individual run of his career, a 55-yard scamper.
Can't catch Deuce ✌️ but you can Chase him@ChaseEdmonds22 x #RedSea pic.twitter.com/S36N0NeNN7
— Arizona Cardinals (@AZCardinals) October 3, 2021
Skill players wearing single-digit numbers are a vibe, Edmonds looks so slick with #2. Of course, that rule is not universal because James Conner would still look like a plodder no matter what number he wore. He did have a great fantasy day, though, thanks to two separate short-yard plunges into the endzone.
King James back in the end zone 👑
🙌 @JamesConner_ 🙌#H2P » @AZCardinals pic.twitter.com/tmzuMzMArb
— Pitt Football (@Pitt_FB) October 3, 2021
I do not see his production as sustainable. Certainly, there will be more days like today where he vultures a touchdown or two from Edmonds, but it is very easy to see who the more explosive option is.
Conner also lost a fumble that Arizona recovered which will not bode well for his playing time moving forward and was on the field for 19 fewer snaps than Edmonds (52 vs 33). Just be aware that he is the short-yardage RB in this tandem right now.
Wide Receivers/Tight Ends
DeAndre Hopkins: 7 targets, 4 receptions, 67 yards
A.J. Green: 6 targets, 5 receptions, 67 yards, 1 TD
Christian Kirk: 1 target, 1 reception, 5 yards
Rondale Moore: 3 targets, 3 receptions, 28 yards | 2 carries, 9 yards
Maxx Williams: 5 targets, 5 receptions, 66 yards, 1 TD
What a full and total team effort by this unit. DeAndre Hopkins spent most of his day blanketed by Jalen Ramsey. Two of the best in the business battling for every single inch.
Give us this matchup every week 🍿
pic.twitter.com/pOeKR6ikD2— PFF (@PFF) October 3, 2021
This was still a fine showing for Hopkins, though. He garnered a 24% target share (highest on the team) and still turned in a respectable stat line. Luckily for Murray and the Cardinals, Williams and Green picked up the slack and turned in each of their best games of the season, respectively.
Green looks sprier with each passing week and has nearly put the rumors of his untimely demise to bed. He has taken a stranglehold of the WR2 role in this offense.
Williams’ game is indicative of a trend that has been building all season: this dude can play a little bit. You already saw the beautiful 16-yard touchdown in traffic above, but Kliff Kingsbury was not afraid to get his TE in space on multiple occasions. Check out the big fella on a slip screen.
https://twitter.com/SportsAzFan/status/1444792809643409410
Williams is, somehow, firmly in the decent TE1 conversation.
Lastly, Christian Kirk continued to play ahead of Rondale Moore. He was on the field for 23 more snaps and ran 19 more routes despite having fewer touches and targets. Kirk continues to get more playing time even though Moore is very clearly more explosive. Both should be rostered everywhere, especially in Best Ball, because this high-powered offense can fuel multiple big games every week.
Los Angeles Rams
Quarterback
Matthew Stafford: 26/41, 280 yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT | 6 carries, 21 yards
This was the first rough game for Cali-Matt. He briefly reverted to Detroit-Matt, slinging the ball all over the field in desperation, trying whatever he could to get his team back in the ballgame. DeSean Jackson was not getting behind the Cardinals’ secondary at will like he did the Bucs. Stafford tried to force one to him in the first quarter that Byron Murphy picked off.
Go off then @byronmurphy 😤 pic.twitter.com/AnHjBkmftf
— Arizona Cardinals (@AZCardinals) October 3, 2021
This is simply a bad decision by the veteran with Murphy playing under Jackson with a safety behind. Just ill-advised. However, Stafford did make some fantastic plays, as he always does, including this touchdown strike to Van Jefferson.
BAD MAN VAN
Stafford connects with @VanJefferson12 for a 14-yard TD 🙌 pic.twitter.com/FBKmVbwU6A
— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) October 3, 2021
Even this was a tight window. Good on Stafford for trusting the young receiver to make a play. This was one of the few highlights for the Rams’ signal-caller though, as the Cardinals sat back in coverage in obvious passing downs and did not allow much of anything. There was not even a ton of pressure, Stafford was not sacked and was only hit five times, just a great defensive gameplan by Vance Joseph.
Running Backs
Darrell Henderson: 14 carries, 89 yards | 6 targets, 5 receptions, 27 yards
Sony Michel: 3 carries, 11 yards
This was a statement game in terms of usage for Darrell Henderson. Back from missing Week 3 with a rib injury, he was on the field for 61 out of a possible 68 snaps, dwarfing Sony Michel‘s seven. It’s a shame this game got out of hand too because Henderson was slicing and dicing all over the field.
@dwainmcfarland fave, Johnny Mundt seals Chandler Jones for nice gain by Darrell Henderson #RamsHouse pic.twitter.com/H8MEUPoZ77
— Matt Waldman (@MattWaldman) October 4, 2021
Henderson’s hot stretch to start the season has almost entirely put the notion that he and Michel would be in a timeshare to bed. Gone are the days of McVay’s fascination with a running-back-by-committee approach: Henderson is a bell cow.
Michel also lost a fumble, which will not help his cause.
Wide Receivers/Tight Ends
Cooper Kupp: 13 targets, 5 receptions, 64 yards
Robert Woods: 6 targets, 4 receptions, 48 yards, 1 TD
Van Jefferson: 6 targets, 6 receptions, 90 yards, 1 TD
DeSean Jackson: 3 targets, 1 reception, 6 yards
Tyler Higbee: 6 targets, 4 receptions, 36 yards
Johnny Mundt: 1 target, 1 reception, 9 yards
Cooper Kupp was not the overall WR1 today. Alert the presses, the sky is falling! No, really all today showed was that Kupp is the unquestionable WR1 in this offense and should continue to get a nearly league-leading target share. Check out Stafford threading the needle to get his guy a long gain over the middle.
.@CooperKupp in traffic, no problem! 💪 pic.twitter.com/N7OVcg8Cn6
— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) October 3, 2021
Woooooo, right in between three Cardinals’ defenders. Not the decision I would have made, but I’ll take the points. Continue to celebrate your decision to draft Kupp and be ready for better games ahead.
The opposite can be said for Robert Woods. His decline has been nothing short of shocking and Jefferson’s newfound explosiveness as well as Tyler Higbee‘s prowess over the middle of the field has eaten into his target share. He stayed in to protect Stafford on Jefferson’s touchdown play.
WR Robert Woods in pass protection on RZ play Van Jefferson #RamsHouse pic.twitter.com/kNeZkusQNL
— Matt Waldman (@MattWaldman) October 4, 2021
What a horrifying development. That being said, Woods was still on the field for the exact same number of plays as Kupp and ran eight more routes than Jefferson. He is definitely still an asset, just forgot how highly you drafted him.
It was a relatively quiet game for Higbee, his second in four games, but such is the nature for mid-tier TEs. He saw at least five targets for the third time this year and that’s a good thing.
— James Schiano (@JeterHadNoRange on Twitter).