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Rams’ defense finds redemption in victory…

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Los Angeles Rams |
Rams’ defense finds redemption in victory over Cardinals

Cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon makes a diving interception on a deflected pass in the end zone with 37 seconds left to preserve a 13-9 victory that helps the Rams maintain command of the NFC West race

Cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon #4 of the Los Angeles Rams intercepts a pass against the Arizona Cardinals in the fourth quarter of a NFL football game at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood on Saturday, Dec. 28, 2024. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/ SCNG)
Cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon #4 of the Los Angeles Rams intercepts a pass against the Arizona Cardinals in the fourth quarter of a NFL football game at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood on Saturday, Dec. 28, 2024. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/ SCNG)
Sports reporter Adam Grosbard in Torrance on Monday, Sep. 23, 2019. (Photo by Scott Varley, Daily Breeze/SCNG)
By | [email protected] | Southern California News Group
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Wide receiver Michael Wilson #14 of the Arizona Cardinals drops pass in the end zone against cornerback Darious Williams #24 of the Los Angeles Rams in the first half of a NFL football game at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood on Saturday, Dec. 28, 2024. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/ SCNG)

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INGLEWOOD — After an interception with less than four minutes left, the Rams leading the Arizona Cardinals by four, safety Kamren Kinchens ran into the end zone he had just successfully defended. His teammates joined him for a celebratory dance, believing they had done enough to leave SoFi Stadium with a win.

Instead, the Rams’ offense, tasked with putting the game away, failed to get a first down for the fourth time in the game. They punted the ball away to the Cardinals before the two-minute warning.

And the Rams’ weary defense, on the field for 36:55 of game time, kept getting pushed further and further back until their backs were up against that same end zone. Arizona quarterback Kyler Murray tried to squeeze the ball in to tight end Trey McBride. The ball bounced off his helmet into the air, and cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon dove, catching the ball centimeters away from the ground for the interception, the nose touching the turf as he came down.

As the officials went to review the play, even Witherspoon wasn’t sure what the call would be. “I thought I stuck it,” Witherspoon said. “Any time that ball hits the ground, you never know.”

Ultimately, the play was upheld. And 15 weeks after being embarrassed to the tune of 41 points and 489 yards against these same Cardinals, it was the Rams’ defense that secured a 13-9 win, their ninth in the past 11 games.

“It was a revenge game,” safety Kam Curl said. “We know we’re a totally different team than we was Week 2, and I feel like we came out here and proved that.”

They gave up 396 yards, but the Rams (10-6) held Arizona to 6 for 13 on third down, 0 for 2 on fourth and, most importantly, 1 for 4 in the red zone. They sacked Murray four times, including two from rookie defensive lineman Braden Fiske. Linebacker Jared Verse walled off James Conner on a fourth-down run to turn the ball over on downs in the red zone. Witherspoon dove to break up a pass in the end zone in the third quarter.

And they were able to shake off the few mistakes they made. Outside linebacker Michael Hoecht’s defensive holding call in the end zone gave the Cardinals (7-9) a fresh start at the Rams’ 1-yard line. But after McBride scored on a screen pass, Hoecht leaped up to block the extra point, his third blocked kick of the year.

“We know that was early on in the season,” outside linebacker Byron Young said of the first game against Arizona, “but at the same time we had to own up to that game. We knew we could have played better and we showed that.”

Meanwhile, the Rams’ offense started the game mired in the same slog that has dominated first quarters for the team this season.

Four drives, 60 yards, 1 for 5 on third down and four punts. And a 13th first quarter without a touchdown in 16 games. The Cardinals’ pass rush was hurrying Stafford as Joe Noteboom struggled in place of Rob Havenstein (shoulder) at right tackle.

“It does come down to, ‘Let’s execute, let’s do what we’re supposed to do snap in and snap out, let’s not have penalties that set us back,’” Rams coach Sean McVay said. “But we all gotta be better and it will always start with me.”

As the defense shut out the Cardinals in the first half, the offense finally got going after a 29-yard catch-and-run from receiver Cooper Kupp. Stafford narrowly avoided three interceptions on the drive, but his loping scramble got the Rams to the Arizona 5 and Kyren Williams punched the ball in from the 1.

Add in a 53-yard Josh Karty field goal after Puka Nacua moved the Rams 42 yards and into range, and the team had a 10-0 lead at the half.

A fourth-quarter field goal from Karty was all the scoring and the offense managed in the second half. The unit possessed the ball for a total of 2:12 in the third quarter. The onus was on the Rams’ defense to win the game.

A Young pressure forced a Murray throwaway on third down as the Cardinals settled for a field goal in the red zone. Then, with less than four minutes to play and facing fourth-and-10, Murray heaved a ball to Marvin Harrison Jr. in double coverage at the goal line.

The ball sailed over Harrison’s outstretched arms, and Kinchens came away with the interception, sliding into the Rams’ 10 after a short return. Witherspoon would seal the win with his own pick one drive later.

The Rams had done their part for the weekend with their eighth one-possession win of the season, giving themselves the chance to clinch the NFC West if Buffalo, Minnesota, Cleveland, Washington and San Francisco combine for three wins – or two wins and a tie – over the next two days. The Rams host second-place Seattle (9-7) in their regular-season finale next weekend.

“It would mean a lot,” McVay said of his potential fourth division title, “but what I don’t want to do is get ahead because you get emotionally invested in other people’s games, and that never has really served me very well.”

And the defense had found some redemption for their worst outing of the season.

“Tough,” McVay said of the group. “Guys that give themselves an opportunity to make them play that next snap, see what ends up happening. Tonight, I thought that was on display in a big way.”

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