Kyler Murray completed 17 of 21 passes for 266 yards and three touchdowns, including two to rookie wideout Marvin Harrison Jr., and the Arizona Cardinals cruised to a 41-10 win over the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday afternoon in Glendale, Ariz.
Harrison finished with four catches for 130 yards for Arizona (1-1), which won its home opener. James Conner had 21 carries for 122 yards and a touchdown.
Matthew Stafford completed 19 of 27 passes for 216 yards for Los Angeles (0-2). Kyren Williams scored the Rams’ lone touchdown but was held to 25 yards on 12 carries.
Rams wideout Cooper Kupp injured his left ankle in the second quarter and did not return. Kupp, who finished with four catches for 37 yards, limped as he left the field.
The Cardinals outgained the Rams 489-245.
Harrison scored back-to-back touchdowns in the first quarter to give the Cardinals a 14-0 lead. He caught a 23-yard pass for his first career score, and he added an explosive play with a 60-yard touchdown less than three minutes later.
Murray put the Cardinals on top 21-0 early in the second quarter when he connected with Elijah Higgins for an 18-yard touchdown.
A 29-yard field goal by the Rams’ Joshua Karty cut the lead to 21-3 on the next drive.
Arizona led 24-3 at halftime after Matt Prater made a 48-yard field goal with 5:09 left.
After the half, Arizona maintained its pressure on the Rams. Conner scored a 5-yard rushing touchdown and Prater made a 57-yard field goal to boost the Cardinals’ lead to 34-3 with 3:27 remaining in the third quarter.
Williams gave the Rams their first touchdown on a 4-yard run with 41 seconds to go in the third quarter. It marked his second rushing score in as many games this season.
A fortunate bounce helped the Cardinals increase their advantage to 41-10 with 9:02 left.
Conner rushed left but lost a fumble inside the Rams’ 5-yard line. The ball bounced forward across the goal line, where tight end Trey McBride pounced on it for a fumble recovery touchdown.
Arizona linebacker Dennis Gardeck recorded three sacks, as Stafford went down five times in all.
–Field Level Media