The pressure came from all angles.
Through the center, from the edges, from both areas at the same time.
The Rams’ defense didn’t wait to see if the offense could prevent turnovers in an NFC wild-card playoff game against the Arizona Cardinals on Monday night.
Instead, lineman Aaron Donald and linebacker Von Miller led a drive that cornered Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray, forced two turnovers and completely dominated in a 34-11 win against 70,625 at SoFi Stadium.
The Rams intercepted two passes – one that cornerback David Long Jr. returned for a touchdown – and another in which punter Johnny Hekker regained his All-Pro form and constantly harassed the Cardinals, making it easier for Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford recorded his first playoff victory.
“It was exactly what we wanted to be able to do,” coach Sean McVay said of his team’s complete performance.
Stafford hit wide receivers Odell Beckham Jr. and Cooper Kupp for touchdown passes and sneaked in for another as the Rams advanced to a divisional round game against the defending Super Bowl champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers and quarterback Seven-time Super Bowl champion Tom Brady on Sunday in Tampa, Florida.
“What a team effort,” said Stafford, who completed 13 of 17 passes for 202 yards. “Our defense played outstanding … the special teams set up a giant touchdown play to pin them down there, they did a great job on field goals, and we were good enough on offense to score some points and get away with it. victory.
“We are happy to move on.”
The Rams defeated the second-ranked Buccaneers 34-24 on Sept. 26 at SoFi Stadium. In that victory, Stafford passed for 343 yards and four touchdowns.
The trip to Tampa is something of a break for the Rams.
The San Francisco 49ers, by beating the Dallas Cowboys in Sunday’s wild-card game, spared the Rams a trip to frigid Green Bay to face the top-seeded Packers and quarterback Aaron Rodgers, the favorite to win the award for the most valuable player in the NFL.
But perhaps it’s appropriate that the Rams play the Buccaneers, the only team to win a Super Bowl at their stadium.
The Rams were built on a mandate to repeat that feat and play in Super Bowl LVI at SoFi Stadium. Owner Stan Kroenke spared no expense on his $5 billion stadium and arguably the most star-studded roster in the NFL.
The Rams’ loss to the 49ers at the end of the season dropped them from No. 2 to No. 4.
Rams linebacker Troy Reeder (51) pressures Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray (1) into a desperation pass that was intercepted by David Long Jr. and returned for a score.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
But against the Cardinals, the Rams dispelled lingering doubts about whether they’re capable of reaching the Super Bowl for the first time since 2018.
“We’re bunching up at the right time,” said Miller, who set the tone early with a sack.
Despite playing without injured safeties Jordan Fuller and Taylor Rapp — Nick Scott and Terrell Burgess started and Eric Weddle rotated — the defense held the Cardinals to 183 yards. The Cardinals converted zero of their nine third downs. Along with Miller’s sack to Murray, Donald and nose tackle Greg Gaines split one, and lineman Marquise Copeland also intercepted a pass.
“Guys were flying around making big plays when we needed them to,” said Donald, who increased his aces total to 13.
Stafford, who had not won in three playoff games with the Detroit Lions, did not commit a turnover for the first time since a 30-23 win over the Cardinals on Dec. 13.
The way the Rams’ defense was acting, Stafford had no reason to feel pressured.
The Rams forced the Cardinals to go three and out on each of their first four drives, setting up Stafford’s touchdown pass to Beckham in the first quarter and Stafford’s laundry in the second.
Linebacker Troy Reeder helped start the loss when he hit Murray in the end zone while throwing a pass. Long intercepted the pass and returned it 3 yards for a touchdown and a 21-0 lead.
In the season finale, the Rams blew a 17-0 lead against the 49ers, ending a 43-game win streak after leading going into halftime.
That never came close to becoming an issue against the Cardinals, who looked like a team that had lost four of its last five regular-season games.
A week after 49ers fans forced the Rams into a quiet exit from their stadium, a towel-waving crowd lifted the Rams up.
On the first possession of the second half, Beckham’s option pass to running back Cam Akers gained 40 yards, setting up Stafford’s touchdown pass to Kupp.
Meanwhile, the defense continued to shut down the Cardinals.
It was a far cry from the first time the teams met in October, when Murray played error-free, passed for two touchdowns and scrambling the Rams to pieces.
Despite the roster being devastated at the time by a coronavirus outbreak, the Rams behind Donald boxed Murray in their December win over Arizona.
But the Cardinals just aren’t the same team without wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins, who suffered a season-ending knee injury in that game against the Rams.
They scored a touchdown in the third quarter and got a field goal in the fourth quarter, but that was it.
Murray completed 19 of 34 passes for 137 yards.
Now it’s his turn to face Brady.
“It’s a new year,” Donald said. “I respect what he did in the past, but it’s a whole new year.”
Weddle, who came out of retirement at 37 to join the Rams in a playoff run, said his goal is to beat Brady for the first time.
“So we’re going to break that streak,” Weddle said.
Stafford is up for the challenge.
“I’m not going to play him one-on-one, but he’s a great player,” Stafford said. “He’s going to get his team into the end zone, so I have to do my part as well.”
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