The Setup
The week before, the Rams allowed SF to stage a late comeback and succumbed to the heroics of Colin Kaepernick and a 2-pt conversion on the final Niner TD to lose a squeaker to SF 22 - 21. Meanwhile in Seattle, the Cards built a 14 - 0 lead on the road over the division-leading Seahawks and held them at bay just enough for Catanzaro to kick a game-winning FG as time ran out. The Cards have to be feeling pretty good about themselves despite the lack of playoff significance. Ram fans have to be shaking their heads. Rams are still trying to establish themselves in LA and recently fired long-time HC Jeff Fisher. It's hard to say whether Rams would "play for pride" or mail it in. The same could be said about the Cardinals (hough at least they did't have to face the continued uncertainty of settling into a new city under the leadership of a young QB & under the supervision of a new head coach).

The Lede
Cards Put Exclamation Point on Meh Season

The Bottom Line:
Cards posted 44 points, Larry got his League leadership in receptions, Card defense sacked Goff 7 times and held the Rams to zero TD's and the Cards wound up 4 - 1 - within their division, but fans, coaches and management left the Coloseum with the sour taste in their mouths that you get when you're supposed to make the playoffs....but you don't.

• Cards received again! (have they ever kicked off to start a game this year?). TB on the KO. Palmer led a 10-play drive that stalled at the Ram 14. Catanzaro "good" from 32. Cards 3 - Rams 0.

• TB on the KO. Three & out. Six-yd sack by Golden. Peterson's return (net fair catch penalty) gave Cards the ball on thei rown 27. Three & out. Austin muffed (but recovered) the punt at the Ram 25. An interception by Swearinger was nullified by a roughing flag on Minter, but Rams couldn't capitalize on the break and punted 4 plays later. Fair catch; Cards 17. A short pass to D Johnson for +17 helped move the Cards to their own 38 where their drive sputtered and Wile's 54 yd punt was returned to the LA 26. (Two plays after Johnson's 17-yd reception, he was injured on a run around LE - severity of injury is unknown but could be serious). After Golden sacked Goff for minus-10, and invalid downfield kick penalty on a trick play was offset by another fair catch infraction by Peterson. Two plays later, Hekker punted 73 yards to Peterson who returned it 14-yds to the Card 27.

• Cards reached their own 30 as the first quarter ended.

• 1st Quarter Score: Cards 3 - Rams 0.

• Starting out the second quarter, the two teams exchanged interceptions - Alexander's interception of a pass for Nelson was followed by a pick - at the Card 13 - by Harlan Miller who ran it back 52 yards to the Ram 35. Card drive fizzled at the R where Catanzaro was "good" from 34. Cards 6 - Rams 0.

  KO returned to the Ram 9. Card hold them to 3 & Out. Punt fair caught (wthout penalty) by Peterson at the Card 35. A 16-yd pass to Brown, a 21-yd run around LE by K Williams and a 20-yard completion to Nelson set up s 4-yd TD pass: Palmer to Ross. Cards 13 - Rams 0.

  TB on the KO. Goff moved his team to the Card 18 where on the 9th play of the possession. 38-yd TD on another trick play (featuring Austin on a direct snap) was called back because Goff went in motion but didn't stop to get set). Zuerlein was good from 37-yds. . Cards 13 - Rams 3.

  2:34 till halftime. TB on the KO. Cards held to 3 & out. Just before the Card punt, I knew the punt would be blocked...and it was. Ram ball on the Card 19 (This point in the game is where the Cards have lost momentum in the past). Fortunately, an offensive holding call forced Zuerlein to boot a 36-yarder to make it a one TD game. Cards 13 - Rams 6.

  0:48 on the clock. TB on the KO. Palmer led the Cards to the Ram 48 in 5 plays with 0:07 on the clock. Ellington picked up 4 yds on a pass from Palmer . A roughness flag on LA moved the ball to the Ram 29 where - with one second left on the clock - Catanzaro was good from 47. (Note - Answering that Ram FG with one of our own to end the half was a momentum-killer for LA). Cards 16 - Rams 6.

  First Half Score: Cards 16 - Rams 6.

• (First drives of the second half often determine who wins football games). Rams received. KO returned to the LA 24. Cards held Rams to 3 & out. Instrumental play - split sack between Campbell and C Jones. Punt returned to the Ram 37. On the first play from scrimmage, Palmer hit Fells deep left for a 37-yard TD. Cards 23 - Rams 6.

  KO returned to the Ram 18. Ten-yd sack by C Jones instrumental in holding LA to 3 & out. Punt muffed (but recovered by Peterson) at Card 43. After K Williams ran for +15 yds, an acrobatic catch by JJ Nelson at the LA 4 set up a 1-yd TD run up the middle by K Williams. Cards 30 - Rams 6.

  KO returned to the LA 19. The Rams managed to survive an 8-yd sack by Campbell to reach their own 45, where an 8-yd sack (split by Gunter and Golden) forced Hekker to punt from his own 37. Punt fair caught at the Card 20. Cards reached their own 41 to end the 3rd quarter.

  Third Quarter Score: Cards 30 - Rams 6.

• A holding call on Watford forced the Cards to punt from their own 31. Returned for no gain to the Ram 22. On the first play from scrimmage, Swearinger sacked Goff for minus-13 yds. On the next play, Austin caught a 10-yd pass but Sio Moore forced a fumble. Bethel recovered. Card ball on the LA 19. Cards went 3 & out. But a 34-yd FG by Catanzaro was nullified and 3 pts taken off the board when C Davis was flagged for "leverage." Three plays later, Plamer hit Fitz for a 5-yd TD. Cards 37 - Rams 6.

  TB on the KO. (Mannion in for Goff). Rams made it to the Card 34 in five plays but Bethel then stepped in front of a short-right pass for P Cooper and ran back interception 66-yards for the final Card TD. Cards 44 - Rams 6.

  8:06 left. Rams ran 5 consecutive times and turned the ball over on downs. (Stanton in for Palmer). On the sixth play of the possession, Stanton's throw for Golden was intercepted. Rams ran 3 plays before time ran out.

  Cards 44 - Rams 6.

Last Word:
The last two games were what we had expected them to be. It gives every player the opportunity to see how good we can be when we apply ourselves on every assignment of every play of every game.