Game story
In the Wild Card of the 2021 NFL season on 2022-01-17, the Los Angeles Rams took care of business against the Arizona Cardinals, pulling away with a 34–11 final that controlled the game from start to finish.
The highest-scoring period was Q3 with 15 combined points — the stretch that most shaped the final margin.
K. Murray (Arizona Cardinals) paced the passing game, with -19.26 total EPA, and -15.3% completion percentage over expected.
On the individual side, M. Stafford (Los Angeles Rams) delivered the top overall EPA impact at +12.69 — the clearest player-of-the-game signal on the analytics sheet.
The momentum swing (+5.1% win probability) landed in the opening quarter when Los Angeles Rams changed the game: (3:55) (Shotgun) 9-M.Stafford pass short left to 3-O.Beckham for 4 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
Line score
Final score and points by quarter.
| Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | — | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arizona Cardinals | 0 | 0 | 8 | 3 | 0 | 11 |
| Los Angeles Rams | 7 | 14 | 7 | 6 | 0 | 34 |
Stars of the game
Top performers by total expected points added (EPA) across passing, rushing, and receiving.
- 1 M. Stafford · Los Angeles Rams · Passing · +12.69 total EPA · 24 snaps · +0.53 EPA/play
- 2 O. Beckham · Los Angeles Rams · Receiving · +5.43 total EPA · 4 snaps · +1.36 EPA/play
- 3 C. Kupp · Los Angeles Rams · Receiving · +4.53 total EPA · 7 snaps · +0.65 EPA/play
- 4 T. Higbee · Los Angeles Rams · Receiving · +3.47 total EPA · 4 snaps · +0.87 EPA/play
- 5 V. Jefferson · Los Angeles Rams · Receiving · +3.14 total EPA · 1 snaps · +3.14 EPA/play
- 6 J. Conner · Arizona Cardinals · Rushing · +2.55 total EPA · 4 snaps · +0.64 EPA/play
- 7 O. Beckham · Los Angeles Rams · Passing · +2.28 total EPA · 1 snaps · +2.28 EPA/play
- 8 E. Benjamin · Arizona Cardinals · Receiving · +1.48 total EPA · 2 snaps · +0.74 EPA/play
Player of the game
FantasyHQ analytics player-of-the-game pick based on total EPA and signature plays.
M. Stafford — LA · Passing
M. Stafford posted the highest total EPA (+12.69) in the game, making the biggest overall impact on Los Angeles Rams's efficiency. Across 24 counted snaps, they averaged +0.53 EPA per play.
The signature play (-6.05 EPA) came from Arizona Cardinals: (8:07) (Shotgun) 1-K.Murray pass short right intended for 4-R.Moore INTERCEPTED by 22-D.Long [51-T.Reeder] at ARI 3. 22-D.Long for 3 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
Who scored touchdowns and field goals
Every touchdown and field goal with the player named in official play-by-play.
Touchdowns
- Los Angeles Rams — O. Beckham (M. Stafford pass)
- Los Angeles Rams — M. Stafford
- Los Angeles Rams — D. Long
- Los Angeles Rams — C. Kupp (M. Stafford pass)
- Arizona Cardinals — J. Conner
Field goals
- Los Angeles Rams — M. Gay
- Arizona Cardinals — M. Prater
- Los Angeles Rams — M. Gay
How it unfolded, quarter by quarter
A quarter-by-quarter recap built from live scoring plays and play descriptions.
The opening quarter: Los Angeles Rams won the period 7–0. Los Angeles Rams found the end zone from the ARI 4 (Q1 48:55) — (3:55) (Shotgun) 9-M.Stafford pass short left to 3-O.Beckham for 4 yards, TOUCHDOWN.; Los Angeles Rams added 1 points from the ARI 15 (Q1 48:50) — 8-M.Gay extra point is GOOD, Center-42-M.Orzech, Holder-6-J.Hekker..
The second quarter: Los Angeles Rams won the period 14–0. Los Angeles Rams found the end zone from the ARI 1 (Q2 42:01); Los Angeles Rams added 1 points from the ARI 15 (Q2 41:58) — 8-M.Gay extra point is GOOD, Center-42-M.Orzech, Holder-6-J.Hekker.; Los Angeles Rams found the end zone from the LA 96 (Q2 38:07); Los Angeles Rams added 1 points from the ARI 15 (Q2 37:59) — 8-M.Gay extra point is GOOD, Center-42-M.Orzech, Holder-6-J.Hekker..
The third quarter: Arizona Cardinals won the period 8–7. Los Angeles Rams found the end zone from the ARI 7 (Q3 25:40) — (10:40) (No Huddle, Shotgun) 9-M.Stafford pass short right to 10-C.Kupp for 7 yards, TOUCHDOWN.; Los Angeles Rams added 1 points from the ARI 15 (Q3 25:36) — 8-M.Gay extra point is GOOD, Center-42-M.Orzech, Holder-6-J.Hekker.; Arizona Cardinals found the end zone from the LA 2 (Q3 19:15) — (4:15) (Shotgun) 6-J.Conner up the middle for 2 yards, TOUCHDOWN.; Arizona Cardinals registered a safety from the LA 2 (Q3 19:11).
The fourth quarter: Los Angeles Rams won the period 6–3. Los Angeles Rams connected on a field goal from the ARI 19 (Q4 15:00) — (15:00) 8-M.Gay 37 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-42-M.Orzech, Holder-6-J.Hekker.; Arizona Cardinals connected on a field goal from the LA 37 (Q4 10:17) — (10:17) 5-M.Prater 55 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-46-A.Brewer, Holder-14-A.Lee.; Los Angeles Rams connected on a field goal from the ARI 28 (Q4 4:25) — (4:25) 8-M.Gay 46 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-42-M.Orzech, Holder-6-J.Hekker..
Turning points
Plays that moved win probability the most — the swings that decided the game.
- Los Angeles Rams (Q1 48:55) — (3:55) (Shotgun) 9-M.Stafford pass short left to 3-O.Beckham for 4 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
- Arizona Cardinals (Q1 58:58) — (13:58) (Shotgun) 1-K.Murray pass incomplete deep right to 18-A.Green.
- Los Angeles Rams (Q1 54:55) — (9:55) 9-M.Stafford pass short middle to 3-O.Beckham to ARI 35 for 17 yards (55-C.Jones).
- Los Angeles Rams (Q1 58:44) — (13:44) 25-S.Michel left tackle to ARI 45 for 35 yards (34-J.Thompson). LA-77-A.Whitworth was injured during the play.
- Los Angeles Rams (Q2 43:33) — (13:33) (Shotgun) 9-M.Stafford pass deep left to 3-O.Beckham pushed ob at ARI 2 for 31 yards (34-J.Thompson).
Impact plays
Highest expected-points added snaps that flipped field position and scoring chances.
- Arizona Cardinals (Q2 38:07) — (8:07) (Shotgun) 1-K.Murray pass short right intended for 4-R.Moore INTERCEPTED by 22-D.Long [51-T.Reeder] at ARI 3. 22-D.Long for 3 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
- Arizona Cardinals (Q2 34:53) — (4:53) 1-K.Murray pass short middle intended for 6-J.Conner INTERCEPTED by 93-M.Copeland at LA 49. 93-M.Copeland to LA 49 for no gain (81-D.Daniels).
- Arizona Cardinals (Q3 22:24) — (7:24) (No Huddle, Shotgun) 1-K.Murray scrambles right end to LA 49 for 7 yards (5-J.Ramsey).
- Los Angeles Rams (Q3 18:25) — (3:25) 65-C.Shelton reported in as eligible. 9-M.Stafford pass deep right to 12-V.Jefferson to ARI 24 for 41 yards (20-M.Wilson; 34-J.Thompson).
Quarterback report card
K.Murray led all passers in efficiency for Arizona Cardinals, setting the tone in the passing game according to FantasyHQ analytics.
- K.Murray (Arizona Cardinals) · 39 dropbacks · 48.7% completion · -15.3% CPOE · -0.49 EPA/play · -19.26 total EPA
- M.Stafford (Los Angeles Rams) · 24 dropbacks · 54.2% completion · +11.1% CPOE · +0.53 EPA/play · +12.69 total EPA
Team stats comparison
Side-by-side offensive and defensive efficiency from FantasyHQ analytics.
| Stat | Arizona Cardinals | Los Angeles Rams |
|---|---|---|
| Offensive EPA/play | -0.331 | +0.064 |
| Offensive success rate | 31.0% | 41.8% |
| Pass EPA/play | -0.494 | +0.599 |
| Rush EPA/play | -0.160 | -0.271 |
| Defensive EPA/play | -0.064 | +0.331 |
| Defensive success rate | 58.2% | 69.0% |
By the numbers
Los Angeles Rams held the efficiency edge in offensive EPA per play (+0.06 vs -0.33), even if the scoreboard told a different story.
- Arizona Cardinals: 12 drives, -23.53 total EPA, 3 scoring drives
- Los Angeles Rams: 11 drives, +5.06 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.
- M. Stafford (Los Angeles Rams) is the first name to pull up for highlight reels and prop-retrospective research.
- K. Murray (ARI) finished below expected efficiency — volume may have masked accuracy issues.
- M. Stafford (LA) beat expectation through the air — positive CPOE game for stack builds.
Every scoring play
Chronological scoring with field position and full play-by-play context.
- Los Angeles Rams TD (+6) — Q1 48:55 · ARI 4 · Score 0-6
(3:55) (Shotgun) 9-M.Stafford pass short left to 3-O.Beckham for 4 yards, TOUCHDOWN. - Los Angeles Rams XP (+1) — Q1 48:50 · ARI 15 · Score 0-7
8-M.Gay extra point is GOOD, Center-42-M.Orzech, Holder-6-J.Hekker. - Los Angeles Rams TD (+6) — Q2 42:01 · ARI 1 · Score 0-13
(12:01) 9-M.Stafford up the middle to ARI 1 for no gain (94-Z.Allen; 44-M.Golden). Los Angeles Rams challenged the short of the goal line ruling, and the play w - Los Angeles Rams XP (+1) — Q2 41:58 · ARI 15 · Score 0-14
8-M.Gay extra point is GOOD, Center-42-M.Orzech, Holder-6-J.Hekker. - Los Angeles Rams TD (+6) — Q2 38:07 · LA 96 · Score 0-20
(8:07) (Shotgun) 1-K.Murray pass short right intended for 4-R.Moore INTERCEPTED by 22-D.Long [51-T.Reeder] at ARI 3. 22-D.Long for 3 yards, TOUCHDOWN. - Los Angeles Rams XP (+1) — Q2 37:59 · ARI 15 · Score 0-21
8-M.Gay extra point is GOOD, Center-42-M.Orzech, Holder-6-J.Hekker. - Los Angeles Rams TD (+6) — Q3 25:40 · ARI 7 · Score 0-27
(10:40) (No Huddle, Shotgun) 9-M.Stafford pass short right to 10-C.Kupp for 7 yards, TOUCHDOWN. - Los Angeles Rams XP (+1) — Q3 25:36 · ARI 15 · Score 0-28
8-M.Gay extra point is GOOD, Center-42-M.Orzech, Holder-6-J.Hekker. - Arizona Cardinals TD (+6) — Q3 19:15 · LA 2 · Score 6-28
(4:15) (Shotgun) 6-J.Conner up the middle for 2 yards, TOUCHDOWN. - Arizona Cardinals Safety (+2) — Q3 19:11 · LA 2 · Score 8-28
(Pass formation) TWO-POINT CONVERSION ATTEMPT. 1-K.Murray pass to 85-A.Wesley is complete. ATTEMPT SUCCEEDS. PENALTY on ARI-68-K.Beachum, Unnecessary Roughness, - Los Angeles Rams FG (+3) — Q4 15:00 · ARI 19 · Score 8-31
(15:00) 8-M.Gay 37 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-42-M.Orzech, Holder-6-J.Hekker. - Arizona Cardinals FG (+3) — Q4 10:17 · LA 37 · Score 11-31
(10:17) 5-M.Prater 55 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-46-A.Brewer, Holder-14-A.Lee. - Los Angeles Rams FG (+3) — Q4 4:25 · ARI 28 · Score 11-34
(4:25) 8-M.Gay 46 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-42-M.Orzech, Holder-6-J.Hekker.
Frequently asked questions
Who won Arizona Cardinals vs Los Angeles Rams?
The Los Angeles Rams beat the Arizona Cardinals 34-11 in Wild Card, 2021 on 2022-01-17.
What was the final score of Arizona Cardinals vs Los Angeles Rams?
The final score was Arizona Cardinals 11, Los Angeles Rams 34 (ARI 11-34 LA) in Wild Card, 2021 on 2022-01-17.
What was the score by quarter in Arizona Cardinals vs Los Angeles Rams?
Q1: Arizona Cardinals 0, Los Angeles Rams 7; Q2: Arizona Cardinals 0, Los Angeles Rams 14; Q3: Arizona Cardinals 8, Los Angeles Rams 7; Q4: Arizona Cardinals 3, Los Angeles Rams 6; Final: Arizona Cardinals 11, Los Angeles Rams 34.
Who scored touchdowns and field goals in Arizona Cardinals vs Los Angeles Rams?
Los Angeles Rams touchdown — O. Beckham (M. Stafford pass) (Q1 48:55) Los Angeles Rams touchdown — M. Stafford (Q2 42:01) Los Angeles Rams touchdown — D. Long (Q2 38:07) Los Angeles Rams touchdown — C. Kupp (M. Stafford pass) (Q3 25:40) Arizona Cardinals touchdown — J. Conner (Q3 19:15) Los Angeles Rams field goal — M. Gay (Q4 15:00, 3 pts) Arizona Cardinals field goal — M. Prater (Q4 10:17, 3 pts) Los Angeles Rams field goal — M. Gay (Q4 4:25, 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?
K. Murray (Arizona Cardinals), 48.7% completion, -15.3% CPOE, -0.49 EPA per dropback, -19.26 total passing EPA. M. Stafford (Los Angeles Rams), 54.2% completion, +11.1% CPOE, +0.53 EPA per dropback, +12.69 total passing EPA.
Who was the most impactful player in Arizona Cardinals vs Los Angeles Rams?
M. Stafford (Los Angeles Rams) led the game in total EPA with +12.69 on passing plays. across 24 snaps. The top single-play swing was (-6.05 EPA): (8:07) (Shotgun) 1-K.Murray pass short right intended for 4-R.Moore INTERCEPTED by 22-D.Long [51-T.Reeder] at ARI 3. 22-D.Long for 3 yards, TOUCHDOWN.. The biggest win-probability swing was +5.1%.
Season records after this game
Arizona Cardinals
Entered 11-6 Now 11-7 L
Los Angeles Rams
Entered 12-5 Now 13-5 W
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