The Los Angeles Rams just dropped an 18-16 stunner to the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday, and honestly, head coach Sean McVay basically summed up their entire 2-4 season in one brutal sentence: “You know, we won’t win a game unless we figure out how not to beat ourselves.” That’s not just coach-speak, that’s the raw truth of what’s happening down south, and it’s ugly.
The Self-Destruction Tour Is In Full Swing
This isn’t some one-off fluke. McVay’s desperate plea comes after the Rams have lost three of their last four games, with the last two coming at home within seven days, decided by a grand total of five points. Defensive end Kobie Turner pulled no punches, saying, “I think outside of expectations of our record, we’re just not playing the type of ball that we want to put out. That’s not the quality of ball that we expect. So, got to go back to the drawing board.” From erratic play on both sides of the ball to haphazard special teams, inopportune penalties, untimely injuries, and just plain bad decisions, this team is a mess.
It’s a pattern that started earlier this month. The Cardinals loss felt like a direct sequel to their 37-34 overtime defeat to the Buffalo Bills on Monday night. That Bills game ended with left tackle Alaric Jackson punching a Buffalo linebacker and getting himself suspended. His absence forced 36-year-old journeyman David Quessenberry into the starting lineup, and the Cardinals’ blitz packages ate them alive. Wide receiver Puka Nacua pointed out how brutal the offense has been from the jump, saying, “It felt like it was the first two series, three-and-out, not being able to gather any momentum, and then just putting ourselves behind the sticks, so they’re being able to chuck up the look and kind of get what they wanted from us in the third-and-long and the passing downs.” This offense only seems to get going when it’s in desperation mode, a recurring theme in their last four games, including a 30-26 loss at Denver and a frantic 24-20 comeback win at Philadelphia.
Kickers Dropping, Defense Blowing It: What Went Wrong On Sunday
Special teams continues to be a nightmare, too. They signed Blake Grupe, a new kicker, on Tuesday after Harrison Mevis had a rough go against Buffalo. Grupe gave a brief moment of hope, nailing a 44-yard field goal early on. But then, on the ensuing kickoff, coverage broke down, and Grupe had to tackle Devin Duvernay near midfield. He sustained a knee injury, knocking him out of the game. Photos showed him in the locker room with a large brace on his right knee, and his availability going forward looks shaky. Punter Ethan Evans was forced to take over kicking duties, which obviously changes *everything* about game planning. Evans actually made a go-ahead extra point with 47 seconds left, putting the Rams up! But then, the defense, led by Aaron Donald, couldn’t seal the deal. They gave up a 21-yard completion *and* a 15-yard personal foul on the same play, setting up Arizona’s game-winning field goal as time expired.
Tight end Colby Parkinson was blunt about the gut punch. “It’s tough, especially when you give yourselves a chance at the end there,” he said. “But it doesn’t come down to one drive, one play. We all have to play better, especially on the offensive side.” Oh, and just to pile on, wide receiver Davante Adams hobbled off late in the fourth quarter favoring his left knee. The defense wasn’t entirely blameless either, despite holding the Cardinals to six field goals. They let Arizona string together four drives of at least 10 plays and just couldn’t get off the field when it mattered most.
So what’s next for this Rams squad? They’re sitting at a dismal 2-4, and the issues just keep piling up. If they can’t figure out how to stop shooting themselves in the foot, those “Super Bowl favorite” tags are gonna feel like a lifetime ago real fast. It’s back to the drawing board, big time.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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