Matthew Stafford and Puka Nacua power Rams to blowout win over Cardinals

GLENDALE, Ariz. — There was no time for players and fans to send Rams coach Sean McVay get-well-soon cards.

A day after deciding not to travel with the team for fear of spreading stomach-flu symptoms, McVay arrived at State Farm Field on Sunday morning.

McVay fist-bumped players during warmups, his trademark gelled hair spikes in full effect. And he looked none the worse for wear while roaming the sideline sockless and calling plays against the Arizona Cardinals.

McVay had to feel good after the Rams routed the Cardinals, 45-17.

🏈 Rams 45, Cardinals 17 — FINAL

Matthew Stafford passed for 281 yards and three touchdowns and Puka Nacua caught seven passes for 167 yards and two touchdowns to help lead the Rams to a dominant road victory over the Arizona Cardinals.

Blake Corum also had a big game, rushing for 128 yards and two touchdowns in 12 carries.

The Rams, who regained the NFC’s No. 1 seed after the Bears’ loss in Green Bay, improved to 10-3 heading into next week’s showdown against Jared Goff and the Detroit Lions at SoFi Stadium.

Jacoby Brissett completed 25 of 44 passes for 271 yards, with two touchdowns and an interception for the Cardinals, who fell to 3-10.

🏈 Rams 45, Cardinals 17 — 11:08 left in the fourth quarter

Jacoby Brissett connected with wide receiver Michael Wilson on a 14-yard touchdown pass for the Cardinals’ first points of the second half.

Wilson made the grab under tight coverage from Emmanuel Forbes Jr.

The play capped a 10-play, 65-yard drive for the Cardinals. Brissett has completed 21 of 35 passes for 218 yards, with two touchdowns and an interception.

With the game still out of reach for the Cardinals, Jimmy Garoppolo replaced Matthew Stafford under center on the Rams’ ensuing possession. The Rams went three and out.

🏈 Rams 45, Cardinals 10 — 13:46 left in the fourth quarter

Blake Corum scored his second touchdown of the game, this time on a 48-yard run to add to the Rams’ already commanding lead in the fourth quarter.

The touchdown came after the Rams held the Cardinals to a three and out when Kam Curl sacked Jacoby Brissett on third down.

🏈 Rams 38, Cardinals 10 — 12 seconds left in the third quarter

After linebacker Nate Landman intercepted a pass for the Rams, Matthew Stafford connected with Puka Nacua for a 31-yard touchdown.

Stafford has passed for three touchdowns, two to Nacua.

Nacua has seven catches for 167 yards.

Stafford has completed 22 of 31 passes for 281 yards.

🏈 Rams 31, Cardinals 10 — 10:09 left in the third quarter

Matthew Stafford tossed a six-yard touchdown pass to tight end Colby Parkinson as the Rams took the opening possession of the second half and extended their lead.

Blake Corum had a 17-yard run during the 10-play, 74-yard drive.

Stafford has completed 19 of 25 passes for 233 yards and two touchdowns.

Corum has rushed for 74 yards in nine carries.

🏈 Rams 24, Cardinals 10 — HALFTIME

Matthew Stafford’s 28-yard touchdown pass to receiver Puka Nacua with 12 seconds left in the second quarter gave the Rams their 14-point cushion.

In 90 seconds, Stafford drove the Rams 92 yards in seven plays.

Nacua has six catches for 136 yards and a touchdown.

Stafford has completed 14 of 18 passes for 197 yards.

Kyren Williams has rushed for 61 yards and a touchdown in eight carries. Blake Corum has rushed for 48 yards and a touchdown in six carries.

Cardinals quarterback Jacoby Brissett has completed 13 of 18 passes for 154 yards and a touchdown.

Arizona kicker Chad Ryland came up short on a 63-yard field-goal attempt on the final play of the half.

🏈Rams 17, Cardinals 10 — 2:47 left in the second quarter

Kyren Williams put the Rams in the lead with a two-yard touchdown run.

Williams has rushed for 51 yards in seven carries.

Matthew Stafford’s 20-yard pass to Puka Nacua set up the touchdown.

Stafford has completed nine of 12 passes for 110 yards. Nacua has four catches for 80 yards.

🏈 Rams 10, Cardinals 10 — 8:34 left in the second quarter

Chad Ryland’s 38-yard field goal tied the score.

Jacoby Brissett connected with receiver Michael Wilson four times during the 13-play, 62-yard drive.

The Cardinals advanced to the Rams’ 12-yard line before Brissett was sacked by edge rusher Byron Young. Two plays later, tackle Kobie Turner sacked Brissett, forcing the Cardinals to attempt the field goal.

🏈 Rams 10, Cardinals 7 — 1:29 left in the first quarter

Blake Corum put the Rams in the lead with a two-yard touchdown run.

Corum set up the scoring play with a 14-yard run. He has rushed for 48 yards in six carries.

Matthew Stafford completed passes of 18 and 32 yards to receiver Puka Nacua during the six-play, 74-yard drive.

Stafford has completed three of six passes for 56 yards.

🏈 Cardinals 7, Rams 3 — 7:40 left in the first quarter

The Rams marched to the Cardinals’ eight-yard line, but could not punch it in.

Harrison Mevis kicked a 26-yard field goal to cut the Cardinals’ lead to four points.

Running backs Kyren Williams and Blake Corum each broke off 18-yard runs as the Rams moved from their 32-yard line to the Cardinals’ eight.

Matthew Stafford attempted to find receiver Davante Adams twice in the end zone but both passes fell incomplete. His third-down pass to tight end Colby Parkinson also was incomplete, bringing on Mevis.

🏈 Cardinals 7, Rams 0 — 12:05 left in the first quarter

The Cardinals might be 3-9 but they sure didn’t look like it on the opening drive.

Jacoby Brissett fired a 19-yard touchdown pass to Michael Wilson to complete a five-play drive.

Brissett connected with tight end Trey McBride for gains of 27 and 18 yards during the drive.

Brissett completed three passes for 64 yards.

Who’s No. 1?

Not the Rams. Not for now anyway.

Before last Sunday’s game against the Carolina Panthers, the Rams held the No. 1 seed in the NFC.

After their defeat, the Rams (9-3) are No. 2 heading into Sunday’s game against the Arizona Cardinals (3-9) at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Ariz.

The Chicago Bears (9-3) currently hold the top spot.

Here are the players who will not be playing Sunday for the Rams and Arizona Cardinals:

For the second consecutive game, the Rams did not activate receiver Tutu Atwell from injured reserve.

Two weeks ago, The Rams opened the 21-day window for Atwell to return to the roster. If he is not activated after next Sunday’s game against the Detroit Lions, he would remain on injured reserve for the rest of the season and the playoffs.

“We haven’t gone down that road yet,” McVay said this week, adding, “That’s not something that we’ve explored or really thought is a possibility, but you never know.”

The Rams gave Atwell a one-year, $10-million contract, seemingly with the expectation that he would team with Puka Nuca and Davante Adams as the primary targets for quarterback Matthew Stafford.

But Atwell had only four catches before he aggravated a hamstring injury and went on injured reserve.

McVay has since indicated that Atwell’s return has been hampered by the team’s need for special teams players on the 48-man game-day roster.

Receiver Xavier Smith, who also returns punts, started against the Carolina Panthers and caught three passes for 82 yards, including one for a 51-yard gain.

“It’s been a unique set of circumstances relative to the timing and figuring out how you get 48 guys up and being able to balance that out relative to how many on offense, how many on defense and you’re three specialists,” McVay said.

Atwell said this week that he trusts McVay to make the best decisions for the Rams.

“So let him do his part, and I’ll do mine when the time comes,” Atwell said. “When my number’s called I’ll make the best of it like I always do.”

Rams star receiver Davante Adams admired former Arizona Cardinals great Larry Fitzgerald from afar — and eventually embraced him as a mentee and role model.

In 17 seasons, Fitzgerald caught 1,432 passes for 17,492 yards, both of which rank second all-time, and 121 touchdowns, which ranks sixth.

In 11-plus seasons, Adams has 1,009 receptions for 12,533 yards and 117 touchdowns, which ranks seventh.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Calm down.

Humility, as Sean McVay likes to say, is only a day away. And the Rams lived it Sunday.

McVay, quarterback Matthew Stafford and the Rams defense all were humbled in a 31-28 defeat by the Carolina Panthers before 71,292 at Bank of America Stadium.

Stafford’s stellar MVP-caliber play ended with two interceptions — his first since September — a crucial delay-of-game penalty and a lost fumble.

Matthew Stafford is looking to bounce back on Sunday against the Arizona Cardinals.

After playing eight consecutive games without an interception, Stafford committed three turnovers in a 31-28 loss to the Carolina Panthers.

The Panthers intercepted two passes — returning one for a touchdown — and forced Stafford to fumble one play after the Rams were penalized for delay of game for not getting a snap off on time.

Stafford has passed for 32 touchdowns, with only four interceptions.

Stafford, who was named the NFC offensive player of the month for November, is not sweating last week’s performance.

“I move on pretty darn quickly,” he said.

How long did it take the 17th-year pro to perfect that skill?

“I’ve played in a lot of games now so it feels like it comes easy to me,” he said. “Unless it’s the last game of the year, there’s another one coming and you better be ready for it. I just try to do my best to do that.”

Last season at State Farm Stadium, the Cardinals dominated the Rams 41-10 in a Week 2 rout.

“We got our asses whooped,” edge rusher Jared Verse said.