The Los Angeles Rams were on their heels early after the Arizona Cardinals marched down the field and Jacoby Brissett hit Michael Wilson for a quick opening score. It brought back memories of last week’s road upset where LA came up short to the Carolina Panthers.
Instead, the Rams leaned heavily on both Blake Corum and Kyren Williams to charge back. They never looked in the rear view mirror and controlled the rest of the game.
Los Angeles won 45-17 and moved to 10-3 on the season. With the Chicago Bears’ loss, the Rams are back in the driver’s seat for first place in the NFC conference and a first-round postseason bye.
There are several very positive individual efforts that deserve that flowers on Sunday. We’ll also find some blame to spread, though in an effort like this it will feel like splitting hairs.
Winners
Blake Corum, RB
The last time we saw a running back find a crease and take it the distance for a touchdown, it was probably back when Todd Gurley was still in horns. Corum hit the hole and raced for a 48-yard score—his second on the day.
Are we sure that Corum isn’t a better runner than Williams? He seems much shiftier and demonstrated that he has the long speed to house the ball. It’s simply an element that has been missing from the Rams’ offense in recent years, and Corum handled his larger workload beautifully. It’s a great sign into the late stages of the season and the playoffs.
Corum rushed 12 times for 128 yards (10.7 avg) and two scores. Williams managed 84 yards on one more carry (6.5 avg). Both were good against the Cardinals. Corum was just better.
Puka Nacua, WR
Arizona did not have a single answer for Puka Nacua. It seemed that every time Nacua caught the ball it was for a long gain, and on the day he averaged just under 24 yards per reception. His best play was a 32-yard touchdown where he ran through defenders at the goal line to cross the plane. The star receiver caught seven of 11 targets for 167 yards and two scores.
It’s been a while since we’ve seen a vintage Nacua performance. With the Rams facing the Lions and Seahawks over the next two games, they need him firing on all cylinders.
Nate Landman, MLB
Landman showed smooth hands on his interception of Brissett. This wasn’t a play that necessarily decided the outcome, but we should still celebrate the captain’s first interception as a Ram. Both Landman and Omar Speights were stingy in coverage for most of the game, and overall Los Angeles was stout in the run game.
Matthew Stafford, QB
There isn’t much to complain about with Stafford’s performance against the Cardinals. He wasn’t the most sharp in the red zone and missed Davante Adams early in the game. The offensive line kept him well-protected and he made the most of it by pushing the ball down the field mostly to Nacua. The touchdown to Colby Parkinson was maybe his most impressive throw of the day as it was layered between three defenders and allowed Parkinson to use his size to his advantage.
Stafford completed 22 of 31 passes (71%) for 281 yards and three touchdowns.
Byron Young, EDGE
Byron Young notched his eleventh sack of the season and became the first Ram since Aaron Donald in 2021 to do so. While the sack total will get Young the most credit, it’s clear that he’s taken a step forward in his overall game in 2025. He’s improved in run defense and is an impact player in all phases. Young finished with four total tackles.
Warren McClendon, RT
Maybe the most difficult individual matchup in this game was tasked to Warren McClendon. He was challenged with blocking Josh Sweat and managed to keep him completely clear of the box score.
The Rams need to come to terms with the fact they have their right tackle of the future. Sure, it’s unfortunate for Rob Havenstein. They need to move on, assuming they haven’t already.
Desjuan Johnson, EDGE
The fourth quarter felt like a preseason game with the starters hitting the benches. Desjuan Johnson again played mostly at EDGE like he did earlier this year in the exhibition games—and he looked comfortable and effective in this role. Rookie Ty Hamilton was inactive but usually has a depth role. It could be wise to elevate Johnson over Hamilton moving forward.
Losers
Ahkello Witherspoon, CB
For the second week in a row, Ahkello Witherspoon looked totally uninterested in tackling ball carriers. He missed at least two tackles by my count. Even more concerning is the fact that Witherspoon was porous in coverage and he does not belong in the starting lineup at the expense of Emmanuel Forbes and/or Cobie Durant. Sure, it helps to have Witherspoon’s larger frame against bigger targets; however, if he’s not going to stick his nose in to tackle or mitigate these larger threats, then he’s actually not bringing much to the table.
Davante Adams, WR
It almost feels like if Davante Adams doesn’t score a touchdown, that he can become somewhat of a hindrance on offense. He’s just not effective between the 20-yard lines at this stage of his career, and he used to be an amazing run after the catch threat.
When Adams is on, the Rams offense is incredibly difficult to slow down. However, when the connection between Stafford and Adams is off, it certainly feels like the Rams are leaving meat on the bone.
Adams caught four of six targets for 29 yards (7.3 avg). Averaging less than 10 yards per reception is difficult to do, except for receivers on the wrong side of 30.
I think it’s fair to be concerned into the playoffs whether Adams can make plays consistently outside of the red zone. He plays a lot of snaps for this team, and he doesn’t produce regularly. Another problem is that no one has really emerged at the third receiver spot and it effectively leaves the Rams one-dimensional with Nacua as the usual target and chains mover.
See More:
