Rams blown out at home by Cardinals for fifth straight loss

Defensive end Chris Long has been a part of more than a few losses during his eight-year tenure with the St. Louis Rams.

After the Rams were hammered 27-3 by the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday and endured their fifth straight defeat, the frustration of Long and his teammates couldn’t have been any more obvious.

“It doesn’t matter if I’ve been here for eight years, it hurts the same for everybody that’s losing in embarrassing fashion five games in a row” Long said. “Guys in here are not happy, I can guarantee you that, but that doesn’t make it OK. That doesn’t make it OK at all.”

The Rams (4-8) suffered their first NFC West defeat in 2015, gashed for a season-high 524 yards by a first-place Arizona Cardinals team that got 356 yards passing and two TDs from quarterback Carson Palmer.

Arizona also got 99 yards and a touchdown reception from a rookie running back making his first NFL start, David Johnson, as well as a 35-yard TD run by Kerwynn Williams. The first-place Cardinals (10-2) have won six in a row and got little in the way of opposition from the Rams.

After the game, a stadium worker was using a machine to remove the Rams’ throwback-colored helmet painted at midfield.

That seemed ironic since Sunday’s loss guaranteed the 12th straight non-winning season by the Rams since a 12-4 record in 2003. It also marked the fourth straight non-winning season under current coach Jeff Fisher.

“Coming into this game everybody was focused,” said Arizona cornerback Patrick Peterson, whose team had lost 24-22 at home to the Rams earlier this season. “We knew that this team couldn’t beat us straight up, running the ball or dropping back and just throwing the ball. For the most part, everybody was dialed in.”

RAMS’ VANISHING OFFENSE

Arizona (10-2) won its sixth in a row and seventh in eight games since losing to the Rams.

The Rams, who lost their final three games in 2014, now head into the final four games of 2015 having won only five of their previous 16 contests.

The Rams’ offensive drought continued in a big way. The rushing “attack” netted just 66 yards on 15 carries, including 41 yards on nine carries from Todd Gurley while quarterback Nick Foles completed less than half his passes (15-of-35) for 146 yards and no TDs with one interception.

Foles has only one TD pass in his last six games, during which time he’s thrown five interceptions.

“The coach is almost out of answers,” Rams coach Jeff Fisher said when asked about the lack of offensive production. “My responsibility is to say ‘Hey, I’m going to get this thing fixed. We’re not efficient on offense. We have too many good players...we have an outstanding running back and we have a dynamic receiver.

“We’re starting to get a little bit better (healthy) on the offensive line and so we’ll keep working. But it has to get better. It’s not good.”

Arizona outgained the Rams 524-212, ran 29 more plays and had 29 first downs compared to only nine by the Rams. And oh, by the the way, the Rams converted only one of 12 third-down opportunities.

“We’re getting what we deserve,” Long said. “We’re not playing well enough to win on either side of the ball and w’ere getting what we deserve. There’s no need to be shocked, we’re all grown men in here.”

How embarrassing is it?

“Really embarrassing,” Long said. “You go out on Sunday and you play your (butt) off. Any time you’re out there in a uniform it doesn’t matter what’s on the line, you should play your (butt) off. We’ve put in too much work to fold, but we’ve got to be better. It’s just not good enough.”

FRUSTRATION BOILING OVER

The Rams announced tickets distributed at a season-low 51,115, but the actual attendance was obviously much lower.

After watching the Rams fall behind early and struggle on offense once again, booing by Rams fans became increasingly louder as the game wore on.

During a timeout early in the second half, a young boy won a Rams helmet autographed by Foles - and was promptly booed by fans after Foles’ name was mentioned.

Foles was targeted for heavy boos late in the third quarter after badly overthrowing Rams receiver Wes Welker on a third-down play. When Rams punter Johnny Hekker boomed a 68-yard punt that tied his career high a few minutes later, Hekker was cheered.

“Everybody’s definitely frustrated, embarrassed,” Gurley said. “We work hard every week and then just come to the game and it just doesn’t show up.”

The Cardinals struck first on a 22-yard TD pass from Palmer to J.J. Nelson that saw Nelson get behind Rams’ safety Maurice Alexander.

Despite missing injured defensive end Robert Quinn and injured cornerback Trumaine Johnson, the Rams’ defense still managed to hold the NFL’s most productive offense to only 10 points in the first ha;f.

Arizona kicker Chandler Catanzaro provided the 10-0 lead when he booted a 33-yard field goal with six seconds remaining in the second quarter.

A 10-yard TD pass from Palmer to Johnson helped stretch the lead to 17-3. Rams cornerback Janoris Jenkins suffered a concussion on the play after colliding with teammate Mark Barron.

Earlier in the game, Jenkins was hit by Rams safety T.J. McDonald on a similar play and was evaluated for a concussion before returning to the game.

Arizona reserve back Williams put things out of reach with 1:30 remaining in the third quarter on a 35-yard TD run straight up the middle of the field . It was his first career TD.

This story was originally published December 6, 2015 at 5:56 PM with the headline "Rams blown out at home by Cardinals for fifth straight loss."