Okay, you are NOT going to believe this. The 1-4 Arizona Cardinals just rolled into SoFi Stadium and absolutely stunned the Los Angeles Rams with an 18-16 victory on October 18, 2026. Seriously, what in the actual NFL just happened? Both teams are now sitting at a brutal 2-4, dead last in the NFC West, and if you’re a Rams fan, this one’s gotta sting deep.
Matthew Stafford’s Numbers Are Ugly, No Way Around It
Let’s talk about the absolute elephant in the room: Matthew Stafford’s performance. The guy finished with a PFF grade of 50.6, making him the third-worst graded player on offense, only ahead of Davis Allen and Tyler Higbee. A 50.6! That’s just… that’s not good. He had one “big-time throw,” sure, but it was overshadowed by three “turnover-worthy plays.” And check this out: his average depth of target was a measly 5.3 yards. When your QB is throwing that short, that often, it tells you everything you need to know about how the offense is clicking, or rather, how it’s not. This isn’t just a bad game, this is a trend that needs to be slammed shut.
A Few Bright Spots Trying to Carry the Load
It wasn’t all doom and gloom on offense, believe it or not. A couple of guys actually showed up. David Quessenberry, stepping in at left tackle for Alaric Jackson (who got himself suspended after a post-game altercation with the Bills, seriously?), put up an 83.0 grade. The veteran allowed just two pressures in pass protection, earning an 84.8 in that facet, and was solid in run blocking with a 78.7. What a fill-in! Then there’s Blake Corum, the running back. He had nine carries at a 4.7 clip, and get this, NOT A SINGLE RUSH netted negative yards. He was met with contact at an average depth of 1.48 yards, way better than Kyren Williams’ 2.5 yards. Corum even created 3.22 yards after contact on average, again, outdoing Williams’ 2.5, and forced three missed tackles. He was definitely the better runner on Sunday, no debate. Puka Nacua also did everything he possibly could to keep the Rams in it. He caught all three of his targets against slot corner Kalen King for 57 yards and finished with six catches on seven targets for 80 yards, with 53 of those coming after the catch point. Second-year receiver Konata Mumpfield also stepped into the third receiver role from Tutu Atwell and caught both his targets for 15 yards. Unfortunately, Davante Adams also suffered a leg injury in the game’s final moments and his status is up in the air going forward, catching three of four targets for 39 yards before that.
This team needed more than a few individual efforts, though. They couldn’t get the job done, and it’s a tough pill to swallow.
What’s Next for This Rams Squad?
So, where does this leave the Rams? At 2-4, tied for last in the NFC West, things are looking pretty grim. Next up, they’ve got a better-than-expected 3-3 Raiders team on deck. On paper, it’s a game the Rams *should* win, but we all said that about the 1-4 Cardinals, right? This next one is absolutely crucial. They’ve gotta figure out how to get Stafford back on track and this offense humming, or this season could spiral fast. Get ready for a tense one, because these next few weeks are going to tell us everything we need to know about this team.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Turf Show Times.
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