B-E-A-U-TIFUL from Matthew and Higs. 🤌

📺 @NFLonFOX | #RamsHouse pic.twitter.com/oItENWTppk

— x – Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) January 4, 2026

from Nate Atkins: https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6940322/2026/01/04/cardinals-rams-score-result-takeaways-nfl-week-18/

This wasn’t the Rams’ best, but it was better

Immediately after last week’s 27-24 loss to the Atlanta Falcons on “Monday Night Football,” Rams coach Sean McVay said his starters would play in this game regardless of what it meant for seeding. He knew his team needed to play better and build some kind of cohesive momentum before its season would be on the line in the playoffs. And at that point, six straight quarters had brought the opposite for what was recently the league’s Super Bowl favorite.

Sunday against Arizona wasn’t exactly a traditional bounce-back. The Rams launched just one touchdown drive in the first half and then gave up a 14-0 run to find themselves trailing near the end of the third. But, as it has at times this season, the offense turned it up with a strong mix of balance, with Kyren Williams gashing the defense up the middle and Stafford finding tight ends time and again along the sidelines to cap off three long scoring drives.

Stafford got back to playing clean and throwing touchdowns, with four scoring tosses. The defense got back to limiting explosives in the run game and forcing turnovers, with an interception by Ahkello Witherspoon and a strip-sack by Josiah Stewart that Kobie Turner recovered to set up a field goal. They also recorded six sacks.

The Cardinals came in on an eight-game losing streak and were without quarterback Kyler Murray and top wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. This was a game the Rams needed to win and win comfortably. Ultimately, they did that, even if the pass coverage and offensive line play left something to be desired.

But with wide receiver Davante Adams and safety Quentin Lake ready to come back for a wild-card trip to Carolina, a little bit of momentum is good to have. Next week will be both a test and a chance to launch that forward with a mostly healthy roster. — Nate Atkins, Rams beat writer

Nate Atkins@NateAtkins_
Rams WR Davante Adams and TE Terrance Ferguson are OUT against the Cardinals. But the RBs are IN.

Rams inactives:

WR Davante Adams
TE Terrance Ferguson
RB Jarquez Hunter
CB Josh Wallace
CB Darious Williams
OG Kevin Dotson

With Stetson Bennett as the emergency QB.

Rams Wire@TheRamsWire
Davante Adams won’t play vs. Cardinals despite pushing to suit up

Mike Sando@SandoNFL
Most wins by 10+ points this season:
•Seahawks 8
•Rams 7
•49ers 7

Most vs teams that had winning records at kickoff:
•Seahawks 3
•Rams 3
•49ers 3

•Bills 3
•Jaguars 3

Los Angeles Rams PR@TheLARamsPR
Alaric Jackson and Warren McClendon Jr. are both T-6th in Run Blocking Grade (81.5) among all offensive tackles in the NFL (min 50% snaps played), according to @PFF.

Nate Atkins@NateAtkins_
Rams star receiver Davante Adams is running routes in practice.

First action he’s seen since hurting his hamstring three weeks ago.

***

The good news for the Rams after two losses? Their stars are close to full health https://t.co/h9eiO7PQUg

— Gary Klein (@LATimesklein) January 3, 2026

Los Angeles Rams PR@TheLARamsPR
Jared Verse became the 4th-fastest player to reach 150 career pressures (33 games). He’s also registered 2 or more hurries in 11 consecutive games, tied for the longest streak in the NFL this season (Danielle Hunter, HOU).

Gregg Rosenthal is joined by Jourdan Rodrigue and Patrick Claybon to preview all of the Week 18 action from around the NFL.

00:00 START
02:00 Seahawks at 49ers
09:45 Lions at Bears
15:30 Commanders at Eagles
19:45 Panthers at Buccaneers
28:02 Cardinals at Rams
33:40 Packers at Vikings
38:25 Cowboys at Giants
42:15 Saints at Falcons
48:20 Chargers at Broncos
53:15 Dolphins at Patriots
58:30 Titans at Jaguars
01:04:39 Ravens at Steelers
01:13:07 Colts at Texans
01:24:30 Jets at Bills
01:28:45 Browns at Bengals
01:33:40 Chiefs at Raiders

Thanks JM.