Jared Goff Outshines Kyler Murray as Rams Beat Cardinals in NFC West Battle

The Los Angeles Rams solidified their hold on a possible NFL playoff berth with a 38-28 win over the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona.

With the victory, the Rams improved to 8-4.

Darrell Henderson Jr. broke free for a 38-yard run through the heart of the Cardinals defense to help put Los Angeles up 31-21 with 10:14 left in the fourth quarter.

Troy Hill effectively sealed the result when he intercepted a Kyler Murray pass and returned it 35 yards for a score.

The Cardinals got a consolation touchdown as Murray hit Dan Arnold from two yards out with 2:04 remaining. Los Angeles recovered the ensuing kickoff and ran out the clock.

Notable Performers

Jared Goff, QB, Rams: 37-of-47, 351 yards, one touchdown; four carries, one yard, one touchdown

Cam Akers, RB, Rams: 21 carries, 72 yards, one touchdown; one reception, 22 yards

Robert Woods, WR, Rams: 10 receptions, 85 yards

Kyler Murray, QB, Cardinals: 21-of-39, 173 yards, three touchdowns, one interception; five carries, 15 yards

Kenyan Drake, RB, Cardinals: 10 carries, 49 yards, one touchdown; two receptions, nine yards

DeAndre Hopkins, WR, Cardinals: eight receptions, 52 yards, one touchdown

Goff Rebounds after Week 12 Loss

Following the Rams' 23-20 defeat to the San Francisco 49ers a week ago, head coach Sean McVay gave a vote of confidence to Jared Goff—such was the state of his play recently. McVay won't have to answer any tough questions about his starting quarterback this week.

Goff was efficient and avoided the turnover bug, the latter of which was important since he had six interceptions and five fumbles (four lost) over his previous four games.

The two-time Pro Bowler delivered the kind of showing that reinforces why McVay remains committed to him. More than just the raw numbers, he completed multiple throws that set him apart from some of his peers.

The Seattle Seahawks fell to the New York Giants, leaving them tied with the Rams for the NFC West's best record. The Rams own the head-to-head tiebreaker for the time being.

It looked like Seattle was the class of the division when it opened 5-0. Los Angeles has steadily been making up ground and made a strong case Sunday why it's now the team to beat in the NFC West.

Murray Struggles to Cope with Rams' Pressure

The Rams were only credited with sacking Murray twice. Were it not for his mobility, they would've gotten to the Cardinals quarterback more often.

Los Angeles did a great job of keeping Murray confined to the pocket and forcing him to make early throws. Aaron Donald will probably be giving him nightmares for the next few days.

In general, the Cardinals were somewhat fortunate to be within two scores of Los Angeles in the fourth quarter. The Rams out-gained Arizona 463-232 and had the ball for 38:53 of the 60 minutes. Their failure to convert on a pair of fourth downs inside Cardinals territory in the first half kept the score relatively close.

The highs with Murray are very high—his Week 7 performance against the Seattle Seahawks a prime example. The second-year passer can be still be a bit frustrating at times, though. He tried to keep a play alive in the fourth quarter, only to fumble the ball after being sacked. 

Hill's pick-six was the result of a bad decision by Murray as well.

A minor shoulder injury has dogged the Heisman Trophy winner, and one has to wonder how much that was a factor against the Rams.

What's Next?

The Rams have a short week ahead as they play the New England Patriots on Thursday at 8:20 p.m. ET. The Cardinals hit the road to take on the New York Giants on Dec. 13 at 1 p.m. ET.