Ahkello Witherspoon made a diving interception on a deflected pass in the end zone with 37 seconds to play, and the Los Angeles Rams barely maintained command of the NFC West race with a 13-9 victory over the Arizona Cardinals on Saturday night.
Puka Nacua had 129 yards receiving and Kyren Williams scored the only touchdown for the Rams (10-6), who grinded through a difficult offensive night and survived a hair-raising fourth quarter for their fifth consecutive victory.
The Rams host the Seattle Seahawks (9-7) in their regular-season finale next weekend, but they could already have coach Sean McVay’s fourth division title clinched before then.
If the Buffalo Bills, Cleveland Browns, Minnesota Vikings, Washington Commanders and San Francisco 49ers combine for three wins — or two wins and a tie — over the next two days, the Rams will be NFC West champions based on their strength of schedule, no matter what happens against Seattle.
If the Rams don’t get that strength-of-schedule help this week, they’re still in command of the division race: The Seahawks will have to beat the Rams and get help from multiple teams to claim the West while denying the Rams’ sixth playoff berth in eight seasons under McVay.
The Rams narrowly avoided a winner-take-all finale against Seattle by holding off the Cardinals, who played a tremendous defensive game one week after getting eliminated from playoff contention.
Kyler Murray passed for 321 yards and threw two late interceptions for Arizona (7-9), which managed just three points out of three drives into Rams territory in the fourth quarter.
Arizona drove to the Los Angeles 5 in the final minute, but when Murray’s first-down pass deflected off tight end Trey McBride’s helmet, Witherspoon made a fingertip interception in the end zone that was upheld by video review.
Matthew Stafford, who passed for 189 yards, ran out the clock on the Rams’ ninth win in 11 games since their bye.
McBride made both his 100th reception and his first touchdown catch of the season for Arizona, which has lost five of six. McBride had 12 catches for 123 yards, and Marvin Harrison Jr. had 96 yards receiving.
Williams’ 14th rushing TD of the season 3:23 before halftime opened the scoring and capped the Rams’ first good drive.
Arizona finally scored midway through the third quarter on a 1-yard catch by McBride, who finally scored his first touchdown on his 98th catch of the season. He is the 10th tight end in NFL history to catch 100 passes in a season.
The Cardinals got to 10-9 early in the fourth quarter with Chad Ryland’s short field goal after their second straight impressive drive. Rams rookie Joshua Karty made his second field goal with 6:41 left to cap a seven-and-a-half-minute drive.
Arizona drove to the Rams 40, but the drive stalled before rookie Kam Kinchens intercepted Murray’s heave to the goal line with 3:02 left. But Kinchens cost the Rams 40 yards of field position by returning it to the 11 instead of batting it down, and the Rams offense punted the ball back to the Cards just 1:01 later.
Michael Hoecht blocked Arizona’s extra-point attempt in the third quarter. The linebacker leads the NFL this season with three blocked kicks, the second-most in Rams history.
Cardinals CB Garrett Williams was evaluated for a concussion in the second half. RB James Conner suited up despite a knee injury, but had just four ineffective carries before getting shut down.
Rams RT Rob Havenstein sat out with a shoulder injury incurred during practice this week. The veteran missed his fifth game of the season.
The Rams have won three straight and 11 of their last 15 over Seattle. The Cardinals finish at home against the 49ers.
Reporting by The Associated Press.
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