After Cincinnati and Buffalo on Saturday, San Francisco, Tampa Bay and Kansas City on Sunday, the Los Angeles Rams have in turn qualified for the second round of the NFL play-offs. They easily dismissed the Arizona Cardinals (34-11) on Monday at home, thanks in particular to a good display of their defense.
After a quarter, Arizona indeed posted a gain of … -1 yard. On the whole part, Kyler Murray, his quarterback, was limited to 137 yards and committed two interceptions. One was returned for a touchdown by cornerback David Long. Between them, Chase Edmonds and James Conner, the two Cardinals runners, might only produce 47 yards.
First play-off victory for Stafford
In attack, Matthew Stafford, the QB of Los Angeles, was effective with 202 yards, gained in just 13 passes, and two TD’s (for Odell Beckham Jr and Cooper Kupp). Stafford also scored a running touchdown. After 13 NFL seasons, he won his first playoff game.
Arizona has thus completed a season that started off with a bang (seven wins in the first seven games), then much more irregular (four successes in 10 games). In the second round of the play-offs, the Los Angeles Rams will face Tom Brady’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday (9 p.m. French time).
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