The Los Angeles Rams have officially hit rock bottom six weeks into the 2026 season. Entering Week 6, the Rams needed a win to get back to .500. With the 1-4 Arizona Cardinals on the schedule, it seemed to be a ‘sure thing’. Instead, without allowing a touchdown, the Rams lost, 18-16.
For much of the afternoon, the Rams looked uninspired and lacked any sort of energy. While they took the lead with 47 seconds left, the Cardinals kicked a game-winning field goal, their sixth of the day, to win as time expired.
There’s no doubt that the Rams have been inconsistent to start the season. They lacked energy in Week 1 against the San Francisco 49ers and couldn’t finish against the Denver Broncos. The Rams were lucky to get out of Philadelphia with a win, scoring 10 points in the final seven minutes. It was special teams that cost them against the Buffalo Bills last week.
Rams Offensive Struggles Reach a New Low Against Cardinals
Head coach Sean McVay spoke last week about not letting the Bills beat them twice. However, the Rams’ offense made a Cardinals defense that ranked 29th in EPA per play coming in look like a Vic Fangio-led Bears unit in 2018.
The Rams’ first three possessions picked up 23 yards and just one first down. Matthew Stafford didn’t surpass 100 yards passing until the fourth quarter. While the defense allowed the Cardinals to play ball control, they also kept the Rams in the game. On the first drive, Quentin Lake intercepted Jacoby Brissett. The Rams held the Cardinals to 0-for-5 in the red zone and 5-for-15 on third down. However, the Cardinals held the ball for 34:52 and their opening drive of the second half lasted 8:35.
With the score tied 9-9 at halftime, fans at SoFi Stadium could be heard booing the Rams as they walked off the field. Nobody could blame them after what they just watched. For a team that was supposed to be a Super Bowl contender, the Rams haven’t played up to those expectations more often than not. The expectation continues to be that the Rams will eventually flip a switch, but that switch hasn’t been flipped and they’re running out of time.
Rams Fail to Capitalize on Opportunities Against Cardinals
Following last week’s loss to the Buffalo Bills, the Rams made a change at kicker, signing Blake Grupe. The early returns on Grupe looked promising as he hit a 44-yard field goal to give the Rams the lead in the first quarter. On the ensuing kickoff, the kickoff coverage unit let Devin Duvernay through and Grupe was hurt trying to make the tackle.
Still, the offense couldn’t get out of its own way. Facing 4th-and-1 in the third quarter, McVay called a fullback dive to tight end Davis Allen. With Kyren Williams and Puka Nacua as options, McVay gave the ball to Allen, who hadn’t taken a handoff in his four-year NFL career. Earlier in the drive, Stafford overthrew a wide-open Nacua that likely would have scored.
When a 26-yard defensive pass interference penalty on Nacua put the Rams inside the red zone, Stafford fell trying to escape the pocket and fumbled, taking an 11-yard loss. On the next play, Tyler Higbee fumbled and the Cardinals recovered.
Again, it was the defense keeping the game close. The unit got another stop, but with the offense facing 4th-and-3, a false start penalty on Warren McClendon pushed the Rams back five yards. McVay then called a screen to Williams that fell incomplete.
Even when the offense finally did get it right, they still got it wrong. After Nacua had 17 catches last week, he only had three targets through the first three quarters. On the final drive, Stafford hit Nacua for a gain of 43 while evading the rush and then found him again for a gain of 16 to put the Rams in the red zone.
Two plays later, Stafford found Colby Parkinson in the flat off play-action, and Parkinson reached for the end zone. With Grupe hurt, Ethan Evans gave the Rams their first lead since the first quarter as he drilled the extra point through the uprights.
While the Rams needed to score, the clock was also a factor. Parkinson was initially called short, which may have actually worked in the Rams’ favor to take more time off the clock. However, the touchdown gave the Cardinals 47 seconds. On the first play, Brissett found Jalen Brooks for a gain of 21, and a 15-yard unnecessary roughness penalty put the Cardinals in field goal range. With his sixth field goal of the day, Chad Ryland sealed the Rams’ fate as time expired, dropping Los Angeles to 2-4.
Super Bowl Expectations Are Quickly Fading
It’s long overdue, but this Rams team needs to take a long look in the mirror. Throughout the McVay era, beating the Cardinals was as ‘sure’ as it gets. This was supposed to be a ‘get-right’ game and the start of a run going into the bye. The Rams entered this week with the easiest schedule in the NFL over the next five games. Instead, they lost 18-16 to a Cardinals team that had essentially waived the white flag on the season.
A Rams team led by Sean McVay lost despite not allowing a touchdown on defense. The 1-4 Cardinals team beat the Rams at home in a must-win game. The Rams entered Sunday with a chance to improve to 1-1 in the NFC West and overtake the Seattle Seahawks. Instead, they are 0-2 in the division and will fall to last place.
It’s fair to point to injuries to Myles Garrett and Trent McDuffie. Those were the two stars the Rams traded for to get over the hump.Garrett has been on injured reserve since Week 2 and McDuffie was out on Sunday. However, injuries or not, this is not where this team should be. Two of their biggest problems right now are Matthew Stafford and Sean McVay, but those two are also the solutions.
The Rams have come a long way from being a superteam and Super Bowl contenders. They are now in last place in the NFC West, and a loss to the Cardinals puts them at rock bottom. The question now is whether it’s too late to climb out.
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