Rams have a legitimate gripe with NFL officials, but their 2-4 record is the bigger problem
The Los Angeles Rams lost 18-16 at home to the Arizona Cardinals, who had entered the game with only one win. A disputed unnecessary roughness penalty helped Arizona set up the winning field goal, giving the Rams reason to question the officiating, but their 2-4 record and broader performance are greater concerns.
Matthew Stafford’s six-yard touchdown pass to Colby Parkinson put the Rams ahead with 47 seconds left, after an 86-yard drive, and punter Ethan Evans made the extra point when injured kicker Blake Grupe could not. Arizona then benefited from a Rams offside penalty and a 21-yard pass before Josh Wallace was penalised for a tackle that broadcast analysts said did not warrant a foul; Chad Ryland kicked his sixth field goal of the day, from 43 yards. The Rams had scored only nine points through 59 minutes, and had allowed Arizona to reach the red zone five times without scoring a touchdown.
- Rams lost 18-16 to Arizona and fell to 2-4.
- A disputed late penalty helped set up the Cardinals’ winning kick.
- Their offensive struggles raise wider concerns than officiating.
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The Los Angeles Rams and Arizona Cardinals are National Football League teams in the same division, so their results affect both their season record and their standing against nearby rivals. The Rams are led by quarterback Matthew Stafford, while the Cardinals’ points in this game came largely from kicker Chad Ryland.
American football officials can award penalties for illegal contact, including unnecessary roughness, which may give a team extra territory and a better chance to score. Such calls can be disputed, but a team’s record also reflects its performance across the season.
A 2-4 record means the Rams had won two of their first six games, leaving little room to lose ground if they hoped to contend for a play-off place. Their low scoring and failure to keep Arizona out of scoring range are part of the wider context for assessing their start.
Both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
The Rams have a reasonable complaint that the late unnecessary roughness call was not justified: broadcast analysts said the tackle did not warrant a foul, and the penalty helped Arizona reach field-goal range for the winning kick. In a close game, a questionable decision at that moment can fairly be seen as having materially affected the result.
The case against
One disputed call does not explain the Rams’ broader difficulties or erase Arizona’s performance. Los Angeles scored only nine points until the final minute and repeatedly allowed Arizona into the red zone, so its 2-4 record points to problems that extend beyond officiating.