Rams take down Cardinals 37-20

The Los Angeles Rams used their regular-season finale as a final tune-up for the playoffs, and after a sluggish start, they finished it with the kind of surge they hope carries into January.

Matthew Stafford threw for 259 yards and four touchdowns, including two to Colby Parkinson, as the Rams rallied past the Arizona Cardinals 37–20 on Sunday to clinch the No. 5 seed in the NFC playoffs. Los Angeles (12–5) erased a third-quarter deficit with three consecutive touchdown drives and will head to Carolina to face the NFC South champion Panthers in next weekend’s wild-card round.

The Rams, who dressed their starters despite already securing a postseason berth, struggled to find rhythm early and trailed late in the third quarter. Arizona capitalized on a fake punt and a 43-yard touchdown pass from Jacoby Brissett to Michael Wilson, then surged ahead on a 76-yard drive capped by Josiah Deguara’s touchdown reception.

Los Angeles responded decisively. Stafford connected with Parkinson on a 21-yard catch-and-run touchdown, then found Tyler Higbee, playing his first game in six weeks, for a score early in the fourth quarter. Parkinson later added a 1-yard touchdown reception to put the game away.

Stafford completed his MVP-caliber regular season with 4,707 passing yards and 46 touchdown passes, leading the NFL in both categories. He also passed Dan Marino for seventh place on the league’s all-time touchdown pass list. Puka Nacua caught 10 passes for 76 yards and made a one-handed touchdown grab just before halftime, while Higbee finished with five receptions for 91 yards in his return.

Arizona (3–14) showed late-season fight despite extending its losing streak to nine games. Brissett threw for 243 yards and a pair of touchdowns, while Trey McBride caught seven passes to set an NFL single-season record for tight ends with 126 receptions. Wilson topped 1,000 receiving yards for the first time in his career.

The Rams, who had dropped two straight games to lose their grip on the NFC’s top seed, steadied themselves in the second half to avoid an upset and regain momentum heading into the postseason. They will now return to Carolina, where they suffered a 31–28 loss earlier this season, with a chance to begin their playoff run on a stronger note.