Game story
In Week 2 of the 2018 NFL season on 2018-09-16, the Los Angeles Rams took care of business against the Arizona Cardinals, pulling away with a 34–0 final that controlled the game from start to finish.
The highest-scoring period was Q2 with 19 combined points — the stretch that most shaped the final margin.
J. Goff (Los Angeles Rams) paced the passing game, with +16.71 total EPA, and +13.3% completion percentage over expected.
On the individual side, J. Goff (Los Angeles Rams) delivered the top overall EPA impact at +16.71 — the clearest player-of-the-game signal on the analytics sheet.
The momentum swing (+6.7% win probability) landed in the opening quarter when Los Angeles Rams changed the game: (5:57) (Shotgun) 16-J.Goff pass short left to 12-B.Cooks to LA 24 for 13 yards (28-J.Taylor).
Line score
Final score and points by quarter.
| Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | — | — | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arizona Cardinals | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Los Angeles Rams | 19 | 8 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 34 |
Stars of the game
Top performers by total expected points added (EPA) across passing, rushing, and receiving.
- 1 J. Goff · Los Angeles Rams · Passing · +16.71 total EPA · 36 snaps · +0.46 EPA/play
- 2 B. Cooks · Los Angeles Rams · Receiving · +8.21 total EPA · 9 snaps · +0.91 EPA/play
- 3 C. Kupp · Los Angeles Rams · Receiving · +5.45 total EPA · 6 snaps · +0.91 EPA/play
- 4 R. Woods · Los Angeles Rams · Receiving · +4.23 total EPA · 9 snaps · +0.47 EPA/play
- 5 L. Fitzgerald · Arizona Cardinals · Receiving · +2.14 total EPA · 5 snaps · +0.43 EPA/play
- 6 T. Gurley · Los Angeles Rams · Rushing · +1.83 total EPA · 21 snaps · +0.09 EPA/play
- 7 T. Gurley · Los Angeles Rams · Receiving · +1.63 total EPA · 3 snaps · +0.54 EPA/play
- 8 G. Everett · Los Angeles Rams · Receiving · +1.50 total EPA · 1 snaps · +1.50 EPA/play
Player of the game
FantasyHQ analytics player-of-the-game pick based on total EPA and signature plays.
J. Goff — LA · Passing
J. Goff posted the highest total EPA (+16.71) in the game, making the biggest overall impact on Los Angeles Rams's efficiency. Across 36 counted snaps, they averaged +0.46 EPA per play.
The signature play (-5.01 EPA) came from Arizona Cardinals: (7:13) (Shotgun) 9-S.Bradford pass deep middle intended for 10-C.Williams INTERCEPTED by 37-S.Shields at ARI 47. 37-S.Shields to ARI 25 for 22 yards (86-R.Seals-Jones).
Who scored touchdowns and field goals
Every touchdown and field goal with the player named in official play-by-play.
Touchdowns
- Los Angeles Rams — T. Gurley
- Los Angeles Rams — T. Gurley
- Los Angeles Rams — T. Gurley
- Los Angeles Rams — T. Higbee (J. Goff pass)
Field goals
- Los Angeles Rams — J. Hekker
How it unfolded, quarter by quarter
A quarter-by-quarter recap built from live scoring plays and play descriptions.
The second quarter: Los Angeles Rams won the period 19–0. Los Angeles Rams found the end zone from the ARI 11 (Q2 44:37) — (14:37) (No Huddle) 30-T.Gurley right end for 11 yards, TOUCHDOWN.; Los Angeles Rams registered a safety from the ARI 1 (Q2 44:29) — TWO-POINT CONVERSION ATTEMPT. 30-T.Gurley rushes up the middle. ATTEMPT SUCCEEDS.; Los Angeles Rams connected on a field goal from the ARI 2 (Q2 38:11) — (8:11) 6-J.Hekker 20 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-44-J.McQuaide, Holder-18-C.Kupp.; Los Angeles Rams found the end zone from the ARI 1 (Q2 30:03) — (:03) 30-T.Gurley up the middle for 1 yard, TOUCHDOWN.; Los Angeles Rams registered a safety from the ARI 2 (Q2 30:00) — TWO-POINT CONVERSION ATTEMPT. 30-T.Gurley rushes up the middle. ATTEMPT SUCCEEDS..
The third quarter: Los Angeles Rams won the period 8–0. Los Angeles Rams found the end zone from the ARI 2 (Q3 18:44) — (3:44) (No Huddle) 30-T.Gurley up the middle for 2 yards, TOUCHDOWN.; Los Angeles Rams registered a safety from the ARI 2 (Q3 18:39) — (Pass formation) TWO-POINT CONVERSION ATTEMPT. 16-J.Goff pass to 34-M.Brown is complete. ATTEMPT SUCCEEDS..
The fourth quarter: Los Angeles Rams won the period 7–0. Los Angeles Rams found the end zone from the ARI 3 (Q4 3:21) — (3:21) (Shotgun) 16-J.Goff pass short left to 89-T.Higbee for 3 yards, TOUCHDOWN.; Los Angeles Rams added 1 points from the ARI 15 (Q4 3:17) — 6-J.Hekker extra point is GOOD, Center-44-J.McQuaide, Holder-18-C.Kupp..
Turning points
Plays that moved win probability the most — the swings that decided the game.
- Los Angeles Rams (Q1 50:57) — (5:57) (Shotgun) 16-J.Goff pass short left to 12-B.Cooks to LA 24 for 13 yards (28-J.Taylor).
- Arizona Cardinals (Q1 55:02) — (10:02) (Shotgun) 9-S.Bradford pass short middle to 13-C.Kirk to ARI 38 for 10 yards (43-J.Johnson).
- Los Angeles Rams (Q1 48:33) — (3:33) (Shotgun) 30-T.Gurley right guard to ARI 45 for 1 yard (57-J.Bynes).
- Los Angeles Rams (Q1 45:12) — (:12) (No Huddle) 16-J.Goff pass short left to 12-B.Cooks to ARI 20 for 20 yards (33-T.Boston).
- Los Angeles Rams (Q2 44:29) — TWO-POINT CONVERSION ATTEMPT. 30-T.Gurley rushes up the middle. ATTEMPT SUCCEEDS.
Impact plays
Highest expected-points added snaps that flipped field position and scoring chances.
- Arizona Cardinals (Q4 7:13) — (7:13) (Shotgun) 9-S.Bradford pass deep middle intended for 10-C.Williams INTERCEPTED by 37-S.Shields at ARI 47. 37-S.Shields to ARI 25 for 22 yards (86-R.Seals-Jones).
- Los Angeles Rams (Q4 13:26) — (13:26) 16-J.Goff up the middle to ARI 15 for no gain (90-R.Nkemdiche; 43-H.Reddick). Los Angeles Rams challenged the short of the line to gain ruling, and the play was Upheld. The ruling on the field
- Los Angeles Rams (Q3 27:39) — (12:39) 16-J.Goff pass deep middle to 12-B.Cooks to ARI 22 for 57 yards (28-J.Taylor).
- Los Angeles Rams (Q2 30:03) — (:03) 30-T.Gurley up the middle for 1 yard, TOUCHDOWN.
Quarterback report card
J.Goff led all passers in efficiency for Los Angeles Rams, setting the tone in the passing game according to FantasyHQ analytics.
- J.Goff (Los Angeles Rams) · 36 dropbacks · 66.7% completion · +13.3% CPOE · +0.46 EPA/play · +16.71 total EPA
- S.Bradford (Arizona Cardinals) · 30 dropbacks · 56.7% completion · -6.9% CPOE · -0.50 EPA/play · -15.07 total EPA
Team stats comparison
Side-by-side offensive and defensive efficiency from FantasyHQ analytics.
| Stat | Arizona Cardinals | Los Angeles Rams |
|---|---|---|
| Offensive EPA/play | -0.410 | +0.144 |
| Offensive success rate | 23.0% | 53.7% |
| Pass EPA/play | -0.502 | +0.464 |
| Rush EPA/play | -0.245 | -0.104 |
| Defensive EPA/play | -0.144 | +0.410 |
| Defensive success rate | 46.3% | 77.0% |
By the numbers
Los Angeles Rams held the efficiency edge in offensive EPA per play (+0.14 vs -0.41), even if the scoreboard told a different story.
- Arizona Cardinals: 10 drives, -25.01 total EPA, 0 scoring drives
- Los Angeles Rams: 10 drives, +11.83 total EPA, 5 scoring drives
Key takeaways
What to remember for fantasy research, film review, and follow-up box score digging.
- Los Angeles Rams leaves with the win and the better postgame narrative for Week-to-week momentum.
- J. Goff (Los Angeles Rams) is the first name to pull up for highlight reels and prop-retrospective research.
- J. Goff (LA) beat expectation through the air — positive CPOE game for stack builds.
- S. Bradford (ARI) finished below expected efficiency — volume may have masked accuracy issues.
Every scoring play
Chronological scoring with field position and full play-by-play context.
- Los Angeles Rams TD (+6) — Q2 44:37 · ARI 11 · Score 0-6
(14:37) (No Huddle) 30-T.Gurley right end for 11 yards, TOUCHDOWN. - Los Angeles Rams Safety (+2) — Q2 44:29 · ARI 1 · Score 0-8
TWO-POINT CONVERSION ATTEMPT. 30-T.Gurley rushes up the middle. ATTEMPT SUCCEEDS. - Los Angeles Rams FG (+3) — Q2 38:11 · ARI 2 · Score 0-11
(8:11) 6-J.Hekker 20 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-44-J.McQuaide, Holder-18-C.Kupp. - Los Angeles Rams TD (+6) — Q2 30:03 · ARI 1 · Score 0-17
(:03) 30-T.Gurley up the middle for 1 yard, TOUCHDOWN. - Los Angeles Rams Safety (+2) — Q2 30:00 · ARI 2 · Score 0-19
TWO-POINT CONVERSION ATTEMPT. 30-T.Gurley rushes up the middle. ATTEMPT SUCCEEDS. - Los Angeles Rams TD (+6) — Q3 18:44 · ARI 2 · Score 0-25
(3:44) (No Huddle) 30-T.Gurley up the middle for 2 yards, TOUCHDOWN. - Los Angeles Rams Safety (+2) — Q3 18:39 · ARI 2 · Score 0-27
(Pass formation) TWO-POINT CONVERSION ATTEMPT. 16-J.Goff pass to 34-M.Brown is complete. ATTEMPT SUCCEEDS. - Los Angeles Rams TD (+6) — Q4 3:21 · ARI 3 · Score 0-33
(3:21) (Shotgun) 16-J.Goff pass short left to 89-T.Higbee for 3 yards, TOUCHDOWN. - Los Angeles Rams XP (+1) — Q4 3:17 · ARI 15 · Score 0-34
6-J.Hekker extra point is GOOD, Center-44-J.McQuaide, Holder-18-C.Kupp.
Frequently asked questions
Who won Arizona Cardinals vs Los Angeles Rams?
The Los Angeles Rams beat the Arizona Cardinals 34-0 in Week 2, 2018 on 2018-09-16.
What was the final score of Arizona Cardinals vs Los Angeles Rams?
The final score was Arizona Cardinals 0, Los Angeles Rams 34 (ARI 0-34 LA) in Week 2, 2018 on 2018-09-16.
What was the score by quarter in Arizona Cardinals vs Los Angeles Rams?
Q2: Arizona Cardinals 0, Los Angeles Rams 19; Q3: Arizona Cardinals 0, Los Angeles Rams 8; Q4: Arizona Cardinals 0, Los Angeles Rams 7; Final: Arizona Cardinals 0, Los Angeles Rams 34.
Who scored touchdowns and field goals in Arizona Cardinals vs Los Angeles Rams?
Los Angeles Rams touchdown — T. Gurley (Q2 44:37) Los Angeles Rams touchdown — T. Gurley (Q2 30:03) Los Angeles Rams touchdown — T. Gurley (Q3 18:44) Los Angeles Rams touchdown — T. Higbee (J. Goff pass) (Q4 3:21) Los Angeles Rams field goal — J. Hekker (Q2 38:11, 3 pts) Extra points followed each touchdown unless noted in the play-by-play.
How did the quarterbacks play in Arizona Cardinals vs Los Angeles Rams?
J. Goff (Los Angeles Rams), 66.7% completion, +13.3% CPOE, +0.46 EPA per dropback, +16.71 total passing EPA. S. Bradford (Arizona Cardinals), 56.7% completion, -6.9% CPOE, -0.50 EPA per dropback, -15.07 total passing EPA.
Who was the most impactful player in Arizona Cardinals vs Los Angeles Rams?
J. Goff (Los Angeles Rams) led the game in total EPA with +16.71 on passing plays. across 36 snaps. The top single-play swing was (-5.01 EPA): (7:13) (Shotgun) 9-S.Bradford pass deep middle intended for 10-C.Williams INTERCEPTED by 37-S.Shields at ARI 47. 37-S.Shields to ARI 25 for 22 yards (86-R.Seals-Jones).. The biggest win-probability swing was +6.7%.
Season records after this game
Arizona Cardinals
Entered 0-1 Now 0-2 L
Los Angeles Rams
Entered 1-0 Now 2-0 W
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