The Arizona Cardinals didn’t just steal a win from the Los Angeles Rams. They walked into a game plenty of people had written off and left with a shocker, 18-16, on the final play.
Chad Ryland was the entire story for Arizona on the scoreboard. Every one of the Cardinals’ 18 points came from his leg, and the sixth field goal of the night was the one that decided it all: a 43-yard kick that ended the Rams’ night and sent Los Angeles to the bottom of the NFC West.
Stunning: The dream-team #Rams just lost at home to the #Cardinals and are now 2-4 on the season.
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) October 18, 2026
LA is now in last place in the NFC West.pic.twitter.com/KUT8eFanfs https://t.co/1aP5Wf3Orb
For a team in a rebuilding phase, that made this look like a result few saw coming. The Cardinals had even traded away Marvin Harrison Jr., which only fueled the expectation that this would be an easy Rams win. Instead, Arizona flipped the script and came away with what could be the biggest NFL upset of the year so far.
“Stunning: The dream-team Rams just lost at home to the #Cardinals and are now 2-4 on the season,” Meirov wrote on X, formerly Twitter. “LA is now in last place in the NFC West.”
The Rams entered the year with plenty of buzz as a Super Bowl favorite, especially after the blockbuster trade for defensive star Myles Garrett and the return from retirement of Aaron Donald. Their roster also featured Matthew Stafford, Puka Nacua and Davante Adams, among others.
But the production hasn’t matched the hype, and the loss to Arizona only sharpened that reality. The Cardinals, meanwhile, got exactly what they needed out of Ryland and will try to ride that momentum into their next game on Oct. 25 against the Denver Broncos.
In Other News...
Rams Kicking Situation Already Looks Worse Than They Feared
The Rams kicking carousel spun again Sunday, and not in a direction anyone in the building wanted. After releasing Harrison Mevis earlier this week following a missed field goal, Los Angeles turned to Blake Grupe, only to see the new addition go down with a knee injury in the first quarter against the Arizona Cardinals and be listed as doubtful to return.
That leaves the Rams right back where they were trying to get away from, with the position suddenly unsettled again after a fresh change. For a team trying to stabilize even the smallest details, the possibility of hunting for yet another kicker this soon only adds to an already awkward week. [Read more 🡒]
Rams Fans Will Have Strong Reactions To This Sunday Notebook
A few Rams-related developments this week are bound to draw plenty of reaction before Sunday even arrives. Alaric Jackson was suspended one game by the NFL after throwing a punch at Bradley Chubb, while Chubb was fined for taunting in the same incident. Around the league, Myles Garrett got only a warning for wearing non-team gear on the sideline, a decision that will likely fuel the usual conversation about how the league draws its lines on discipline and uniform rules.
Amid the football side of the notebook, there is also a more personal Rams gesture worth noting. The team is set to host fan Mark Viegas and his family at an upcoming game after he lost his belongings in a fire. For a fan base that follows every roster move and league ruling closely, it is the kind of off-field reminder that the franchises reach extends well beyond what happens between the lines. [Read more 🡒]
Davante Adams Injury Suddenly Puts Rams Receiving Corps On Edge
The Rams suddenly had to finish Week 6 without Davante Adams after he left Sundays game against the Arizona Cardinals with a non-contact knee injury in the fourth quarter. Before exiting, Adams had three catches for 39 yards, and his departure immediately changed the look of a passing attack that has leaned on him as a steady target.
Los Angeles has not yet offered a detailed update on his condition, leaving the team in wait-and-see mode as it gauges the impact on a receiver group that already has plenty to prove. Even before any diagnosis is known, the injury brings the Rams wideout depth into sharper focus, with a short week of uncertainty now hanging over a position group the offense can least afford to lose. [Read more 🡒]