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It’s all bad news for Rams as Cardinals dominate and Cooper Kupp is injured

Gary Klein

https://www.latimes.com/sports/rams/story/2024-09-15/rams-fall-apart-against-cardinals-and-lose-cooper-kupp-to-ankle-injury

GLENDALE, Ariz. — This was bad.

“I’ll just be real,” Rams coach Sean McVay said, “There’s nothing positive about it.”

Really bad.

“Incredibly humbling,” McVay lamented.

Historically bad.

“This is not a fun place to be in,” McVay said.

A 41-10 rout by the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday at State Farm Stadium dropped the Rams’ record to 0-2.

For the first time in McVay’s eight seasons — a run that includes five playoff appearances, two Super Bowl appearances and one Super Bowl title — the Rams are winless after two games.

Rams safety John Johnson III speaks to children at the Edwin Markham Middle School in Watts.
Rams

John Johnson III shows Rams, school children what it means to have GAME
Sept. 15, 2024

Even in 2022, the season of their historic Super Bowl hangover, the Rams rebounded from a season-opening rout by the Buffalo Bills and won their next game.

“I’m not even worried about 0-2,” McVay said. “I’m worried about: how do we play better football?

“That was not a good product. … That was not something we’re OK with.”

The Rams had dominated the Cardinals under McVay, especially in games played at this stadium.

But Aaron Donald is now retired. He’s unable to terrorize Cardinal quarterback Kyler Murray from his couch in Pittsburgh.

And the Rams are missing star receiver Puka Nacua and linemen Steve Avila and Joe Noteboom, all of whom are on injured reserve for at least three more games, but possibly longer.

Adding to the bleakness: Star receiver Cooper Kupp suffered an ankle injury that forced him to sit out the second half. McVay had no update about the specifics of the injury, but Kupp exited the locker room with a forlorn grimace and a knee-high protective boot on his left foot and ankle.

More bad news: It won’t get easier.

The Rams next play host to the defending NFC champion San Francisco 49ers at SoFi Stadium.

The 49ers are 1-1 after a 23-17 defeat at Minnesota on Sunday. But even without running back Christian McCaffrey, who is on injured reserve, the 49ers have enough healthy star players to extend the Rams’ poor start.

“We’ve got some glaring issues that we need to fix,” offensive lineman Rob Havenstein said. ”Can’t be any excuses about it.”

It’s early, of course.

Remember, the Rams were 3-6 last season before they turned it around. They finished with a 10-7 record and made the playoffs.

“Everything in football is fixable,” said Havenstein, a 10th-year pro. “I don’t think we have a culture problem by any means, something that’ll kind of destroy a team from within.

“I think we just got to go out there, especially as a front five, we’ve got to go execute better. Simple as that.”

On Sunday, a week after the Rams lost in overtime to the Detroit Lions, Murray torched the Rams’ secondary for three first-half touchdown passes, two to rookie receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. on the first two possessions.

Murray completed 17 of 21 passes for 266 yards. He rushed for 59 yards in five carries as the Cardinals amassed 489 yards.

“It sucks,” said Rams rookie edge rusher Jared Verse, the team’s first-round pick. “Because you got it right there, a couple times you got in his face and everything like that, frustrating him … but he’s one of those running quarterbacks that can kill you with his feet.”

Murray wasn’t the only one. James Conner rushed for 122 yards and a touchdown in 21 carries.

Meantime, the Rams’ offense managed a second-quarter field goal and third-quarter touchdown when the game was out of reach.

Cardinals linebacker Dennis Gardeck (45) sacked Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford (9) three times.

Quarterback Matthew Stafford was under pressure throughout the game. He completed 19 of 27 passes for 216 yards, but he was sacked five times, including one that resulted in a fumble.

“You can’t get him hit that quickly,” McVay said.

Running back Kyren Williams, who twice rushed for more than 100 yards against the Cardinals last season, gained only 25 yards in 12 carries and scored a touchdown.

The Rams trailed, 24-3, at halftime after Murray tossed two touchdown passes to Harrison and another to tight end Elijah Higgins. Conner’s short touchdown run early in the third quarter extended the rout.

So players did not disagree with McVay’s assessment that there was nothing positive to take from their performance.

“That’s my first impression as well,” Stafford said.

Said defensive lineman Kobie Turner: “Ultimately, like that’s just not the way we want to look. That’s not who we are.”

Players sounded optimistic that they can turn around a season that features games against the 49ers, the Chicago Bears and the Green Bay Packers before their off week.

This week, left tackle Alaric Jackson and backup quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo will return from two-game suspensions.

“It’s a humbling league,” outside linebacker Michael Hoecht said. “It’s a humbling sport. But we have the right type of guys.

The loss will not define the Rams as a team, Stafford said.

“Not going to define us as a season as well,” he said.