Sports Ahkello Witherspoon made a diving interception on a deflected pass in the tip zone with 37 seconds to play, and the Los Angeles Rams barely maintained expose of the NFC West speed with a 13-9 victory over the Arizona Cardinals on Saturday night.
Puka Nacua had 129 yards receiving and Kyren Williams scored the appropriate touchdown for the Rams (10-6), who grinded thru a sophisticated offensive night and survived a hair-elevating fourth quarter for their fifth consecutive victory.
The Rams host the Seattle Seahawks (9-7) in their in style-season finale next weekend, but they could possibly perhaps already possess coach Sean McVay’s fourth division title clinched sooner than then.
If the Buffalo Payments, Cleveland Browns, Minnesota Vikings, Washington Commanders and San Francisco 49ers combine for three wins — or two wins and a tie — over the following two days, the Rams can be NFC West champions in step with their energy of time desk, it’s miles rarely vital what occurs in opposition to Seattle.
If the Rams don’t gain that energy-of-time desk abet this week, they’re mute in expose of the division speed: The Seahawks need to beat the Rams and gain abet from extra than one groups to exclaim the West while denying the Rams’ sixth playoff berth in eight seasons below McVay.
The Rams narrowly shunned a winner-rob-all finale in opposition to Seattle by retaining off the Cardinals, who played a huge defensive game one week after getting eradicated from playoff competition.
Kyler Murray handed for 321 yards and threw two slack interceptions for Arizona (7-9), which managed trusty three functions out of three drives into Rams territory in the fourth quarter.
Arizona drove to the Los Angeles 5 in the leisure minute, but when Murray’s first-down pass deflected off tight discontinue Trey McBride’s helmet, Witherspoon made a fingertip interception in the tip zone that became upheld by video evaluate.
Matthew Stafford, who handed for 189 yards, ran out the clock on the Rams’ ninth ranking in 11 video games since their bye.
McBride made every his a hundredth reception and his first touchdown win of the season for Arizona, which has misplaced five of six. McBride had 12 catches for 123 yards, and Marvin Harrison Jr. had 96 yards receiving.
Williams’ 14th speeding TD of the season 3:23 sooner than halftime opened the scoring and capped the Rams’ first true pressure.
Arizona indirectly scored midway thru the third quarter on a 1-yard win by McBride, who indirectly scored his first touchdown on his 98th win of the season. He is the 10th tight discontinue in NFL ancient previous to win 100 passes in a season.
The Cardinals obtained to 10-9 early in the fourth quarter with Chad Ryland’s brief field goal after their 2nd straight impressive pressure. Rams rookie Joshua Karty made his 2nd field goal with 6:41 left to cap a seven-and-a-half-minute pressure.
Arizona drove to the Rams 40, however the pressure stalled sooner than rookie Kam Kinchens intercepted Murray’s heave to the target line with 3:02 left. But Kinchens put the Rams 40 yards of field draw by returning it to the 11 as an substitute of batting it down, and the Rams offense punted the ball wait on to the Playing cards trusty 1:01 later.
Michael Hoecht blocked Arizona’s extra-point strive in the third quarter. The linebacker leads the NFL this season with three blocked kicks, the 2nd-most in Rams ancient previous.
Cardinals CB Garrett Williams became evaluated for a concussion in the 2nd half. RB James Conner suited up without reference to a knee disaster, but had trusty four ineffective carries sooner than getting shut down.
Rams RT Rob Havenstein sat out with a shoulder disaster incurred at some stage in discover this week. The veteran passed over his fifth game of the season.
The Rams possess obtained three straight and 11 of their remaining 15 over Seattle. The Cardinals attain at house in opposition to the 49ers.
Reporting by The Related Press.
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