The Cardinals flipped the script and rewrote a few chapters on Sunday, dismantling the Rams 41-10 at State Farm Stadium. For context, they hadn’t beaten the Rams in Glendale since 2014, back when their opponent was still based in St. Louis.
“When you play hard, when you play for each other, good things happen,” said Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray.
Marvin Harrison Jr. erased memories of his shaky debut in Buffalo with a dominant first quarter. Arizona’s prized rookie hauled in four catches for 130 yards and two touchdowns in just the opening 15 minutes. His first career touchdown was a toe-tapping masterpiece in the back of the end zone. His second came on a deep pass from a perfectly designed play, allowing Harrison to slice through the defense and finish with an acrobatic leap into the end zone.
The Cardinals’ aggressive use of Harrison Jr. had an immediate impact. Fans couldn’t help but wonder if they were witnessing the emergence of a future Hall of Fame wide receiver.
Then there was Murray. His Houdini-like escape act in the first quarter was electrifying, worth the price of admission alone. His scrambling, fireball touchdown pass to Elijah Higgins evoked memories of his MVP-caliber form in 2021. Murray’s overall performance served as a direct response to anyone doubting his place in Arizona’s future.
“He was lights out today,” said Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon. “He’s a premium player for a reason. You take him against anybody. That’s how I feel.”
No disagreement here. The Cardinals dominated with a 199-13 yardage advantage in the first quarter alone. Their 28-point lead early in the third quarter was the largest since Week 6 of 2020. Every star was shining, and every star was contributing.
The Rams struggled. Injuries left them vulnerable, especially on the offensive line, which had no answer for Dennis Gardeck, who racked up three sacks. But there are no footnotes or excuses in this kind of beatdown—this was one of the Cardinals’ most dominant home performances in recent memory.
Cardinals sideline reporter Paul Calvisi coined a fitting phrase for the 2024 season, dubbing “September the new August.” His point? For teams that keep key players in bubble wrap during the preseason, Week 1 is like a dress rehearsal, not a true indicator of what’s to come.
The Cardinals’ encore performance was far more convincing, filled with victories within the larger victory.
Arizona needed to prove they could beat the Rams. Gannon needed his first NFC West win. The team had to flip the script on recent history and start reclaiming their home-field advantage at State Farm Stadium.
Before Murray can reestablish himself as one of the NFL’s top quarterbacks, he must first conquer his own division, where he had a 5-17 record entering Sunday. He responded with a perfect passer rating (158.3) and an impressive 11.8 yards per rushing attempt.
With Rams legend Aaron Donald now retired, Murray suddenly stands out as the top quarterback in the NFC West.
