In a battle of backup quarterbacks, John Wolford handed for 231 yards because the Los Angeles Rams earned their manner into the playoffs with an 18-7 victory over the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday at Inglewood, Calif.
The Cardinals (8-8) have been eradicated from playoff consideration with the loss. The sixth-seeded Rams (10-6) will open the playoffs on the highway towards their NFC West-rival Seattle Seahawks at 4:40 p.m. ET on Saturday.
Wolford, who had by no means seen motion in a regular-season NFL sport, took over for starter Jared Goff, who had thumb surgical procedure following an damage final Sunday. The Wake Forest product had his first profession move intercepted by Arizona’s Jordan Hicks earlier than settling into the sport.
The Rams’ stout protection stepped up for his or her inexperienced quarterback, incomes a security on a Cardinals holding penalty ultimately zone within the second quarter scoring on Troy Hill’s interception return within the remaining minute earlier than halftime.
Wolford was 22 of 38 within the air and rushed for a team-leading 56 yards. Cam Akers added 34 speeding yards and 4 catches for 52 extra yards, however he did have a fumble on the 1-yard line.
The Cardinals performed a lot of the first three quarters with out starter Kyler Murray, who got here away with a proper ankle damage within the opening drive of the sport after he was sacked by the Rams’ Morgan Fox.
Chris Streveler, who had by no means thrown a move in a regular-season NFL sport, was 11 of 16 for 105 yards and a landing along with the pricey interception. Murray returned at the beginning of the fourth quarter and was 8 of 11 within the sport for 87 yards.
After Wolford’s early interception gave the Cardinals the ball on the Rams’ 14-yard line, Streveler gave the Cardinals a 7-0 lead on a brief flip to Jonathan Ward for an 11-yard landing.
Wolford drove the Rams to the 1-yard line on the crew’s third possession, however Los Angeles needed to accept a 28-yard area objective by Matt Homosexual. The Rams then pulled inside 7-5 on a security when Cardinals guard Justin Pugh was known as for holding ultimately zone.
Hill’s 84-yard interception return gave the Rams a 12-7 lead 20 seconds earlier than halftime.
With Wolford nonetheless unable to get the Rams into the top zone, two second-half area targets from Homosexual gave the Rams their 18-7 lead with 14:25 remaining.
Murray returned on the Cardinals’ first possession of the fourth quarter and rapidly drove Arizona to the Rams’ 7-yard line however Mike Nugent’s 37-yard field-goal try was blocked by A’Shawn Robinson with 9:08 remaining.
–Area Degree Media
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