The Los Angeles Rams will stay on the road in Week 2 on Sunday, although a visit to the Arizona Cardinals will feel extremely comfortable.
The Rams will carry a nine-game road winning streak against the Cardinals into the game at Glendale, Ariz., where both teams will try to rebound from season-opening defeats.
The Rams (0-1) played a bruising yet competitive season opener on the road against the Detroit Lions on Sunday night and rallied from a two-touchdown deficit to take the game into overtime. The Lions won 26-20 when they scored a touchdown on the opening drive of the extra period.
The Rams not only lost wide receiver Puka Nacua to a knee injury, but the already thin offensive line saw both Joe Noteboom (ankle) and Steve Avila (knee) depart. All three were placed on injured reserve this week.
Behind a makeshift line, quarterback Matthew Stafford rallied the Rams in the second half to a 20-20 tie.
Los Angeles even had the ball with just over four minutes remaining and a chance to pad a 20-17 lead, but Stafford and star receiver Cooper Kupp had a miscommunication on fourth down. Detroit sent the game into OT with a field goal in the closing seconds.
“I had a chance to win it,” Stafford said.
Plenty of questions surrounded the Rams after the retirement of defensive tackle Aaron Donald in the offseason.
“We’re a really young team, and we had a lot of things that went our way and didn’t go our way tonight,” Rams head coach Sean McVay said. “When you come up short, this is a real learning opportunity, growth op for us. I know that this group is going to respond the right way.”
On Wednesday, Los Angeles practiced without tight end Davis Allen (back), offensive lineman Kevin Dotson (foot) and cornerback Cobie Durant (toe). Offensive lineman Rob Havenstein (foot) and linebacker Christian Rozeboom (hip) were limited.
Though the Cardinals have not defeated the Rams at home since 2014, when their opponent called St. Louis home, they have won in Los Angeles twice in the past four seasons. The Rams are still 13-2 against their division rival, counting playoffs, since 2017.
The Cardinals (0-1) also feel optimistic about the road ahead after a competitive 34-28 defeat to open the season in Buffalo. Arizona led 17-3 late in the first half and were within 31-28 with 8:31 remaining but gained just 26 total yards over their final two possessions.
The Cardinals offense was anything but lackluster in the early going as quarterback Kyler Murray made his return from knee surgery. Murray guided the Cardinals to points on each of their first three drives.
Murray was 21-of-31 passing for 162 yards, with a team-high 57 rushing yards, but he also fumbled deep in his own territory in the third quarter with the score tied 17-all. Five plays later, the Bills scored a touchdown and never trailed again.
“You watch it (against the Bills), probably be frustrated, but the season’s not over,” Murray said. “Been doing this a while now. (Sunday) we have a divisional opponent. The next one is the most important.”
Murray (knee) appeared on the injury report Wednesday but was a full practice participant. Cornerback Max Melton (concussion) was out and wide receiver Xavier Weaver (oblique) was limited. Starting right tackle Jonah Williams (knee) was placed on IR.
The Cardinals intend to make rookie wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. a bigger part of the offense moving forward. The No. 4 overall selection in this year’s draft was targeted just three times and had one catch for 4 yards.
“We’ll find a way to get him involved,” Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon said.
Arizona’s DeeJay Dallas made the NFL’s new “dynamic kickoff” look the part with a 96-yard touchdown return in the fourth quarter Sunday.
