Matthew Stafford threw four touchdown passes, two of them to Colby Parkinson, and the Los Angeles Rams scored the game’s final 21 points to beat the Arizona Cardinals 37-20 at SoFi Stadium on Jan. 4, 2026. The win clinched the No. 5 seed in the NFC and closed the regular season at 12-5.
The finale resisted the tune-up script for three quarters. Jacoby Brissett threw two touchdown passes and Arizona led 20-16 in the third before Stafford, who finished 25 of 40 for 259 yards with no interceptions, found Parkinson, Tyler Higbee and Parkinson again to pull away.
Table of Contents
Game leaders at a glance
| Category | Arizona Cardinals | Los Angeles Rams |
|---|---|---|
| Passing | Jacoby Brissett, 243 yds, 2 TD, 1 INT | Matthew Stafford, 259 yds, 4 TD |
| Rushing | Emari Demercado, 29 yds | Kyren Williams, 60 yds |
| Receiving | Michael Wilson, 99 yds, 1 TD | Tyler Higbee, 91 yds, 1 TD |
| Tackles | Jalen Thompson, 10 | Jaylen McCollough, 7 |
| Sacks | Josh Sweat, 1 | Desjuan Johnson, 2 |
The full player stats from both teams follow, starting with how the points went up.
How the scoring unfolded
| Team | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | Final |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arizona Cardinals | 3 | 3 | 14 | 0 | 20 |
| Los Angeles Rams | 3 | 13 | 7 | 14 | 37 |
The teams traded field goals into the second quarter until Stafford hit Nacua before halftime. Arizona scored 14 points in the third to lead 20-16, then Los Angeles closed the game with the last 21 points.
| Qtr | Time | Team | Play | ARI-LAR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 11:07 | LAR | Harrison Mevis 34-yard field goal | 0-3 |
| 1 | 3:26 | ARI | Chad Ryland 45-yard field goal | 3-3 |
| 2 | 11:45 | LAR | Harrison Mevis 42-yard field goal | 3-6 |
| 2 | 9:35 | ARI | Chad Ryland 56-yard field goal | 6-6 |
| 2 | 1:22 | LAR | Puka Nacua 2-yard pass from Matthew Stafford (Mevis kick) | 6-13 |
| 2 | 0:00 | LAR | Harrison Mevis 40-yard field goal | 6-16 |
| 3 | 10:38 | ARI | Michael Wilson 43-yard pass from Jacoby Brissett (Ryland kick) | 13-16 |
| 3 | 3:51 | ARI | Josiah Deguara 7-yard pass from Jacoby Brissett (Ryland kick) | 20-16 |
| 3 | 0:42 | LAR | Colby Parkinson 21-yard pass from Matthew Stafford (Mevis kick) | 20-23 |
| 4 | 10:39 | LAR | Tyler Higbee 22-yard pass from Matthew Stafford (Mevis kick) | 20-30 |
| 4 | 4:15 | LAR | Colby Parkinson 1-yard pass from Matthew Stafford (Mevis kick) | 20-37 |
Who led each team in passing?
Stafford led all passers with 259 yards and four touchdowns on 25 of 40 throwing, with no interceptions and a 114.5 rating. Brissett went 22 of 31 for 243 yards, two scores and one pick while taking six sacks. Cardinals punter Matt Haack added a 28-yard completion on a third-quarter fake punt.
Arizona Cardinals passing
| Player | C/Att | Yds | TD | INT | Sacks | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jacoby Brissett | 22/31 | 243 | 2 | 1 | 6-33 | 101.9 |
| Matt Haack | 1/1 | 28 | 0 | 0 | 0-0 | 118.8 |
| Team | 23/32 | 238 | 2 | 1 | 6-33 | — |
Team net passing of 238 reflects the 33 yards lost to sacks.
Los Angeles Rams passing
| Player | C/Att | Yds | TD | INT | Sacks | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Matthew Stafford | 25/40 | 259 | 4 | 0 | 1-7 | 114.5 |
Who ran for the most yards?
Kyren Williams led the ground game with 60 yards on 12 carries, and Blake Corum added 59 on 13 as the Rams ran for 143 yards. Arizona managed 79 on 15 attempts, with Emari Demercado averaging 14.5 a carry.
Arizona Cardinals rushing
| Player | Car | Yds | Avg | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Emari Demercado | 2 | 29 | 14.5 | 0 | 18 |
| Jacoby Brissett | 3 | 19 | 6.3 | 0 | 15 |
| Michael Carter | 7 | 18 | 2.6 | 0 | 5 |
| Corey Kiner | 3 | 13 | 4.3 | 0 | 6 |
| Team | 15 | 79 | 5.3 | 0 | 18 |
Los Angeles Rams rushing
| Player | Car | Yds | Avg | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kyren Williams | 12 | 60 | 5.0 | 0 | 22 |
| Blake Corum | 13 | 59 | 4.5 | 0 | 21 |
| Puka Nacua | 2 | 24 | 12.0 | 0 | 13 |
| Matthew Stafford | 1 | 3 | 3.0 | 0 | 3 |
| Jimmy Garoppolo | 3 | -3 | -1.0 | 0 | -1 |
| Team | 31 | 143 | 4.6 | 0 | 22 |
Who led the game in receiving?
Michael Wilson led all receivers with 99 yards on five catches and a touchdown, crossing 1,000 yards for the season. Nacua caught a game-high 10 passes for 76 yards and a score. Higbee returned from a six-game injury absence for 91 yards on five catches, and Parkinson turned four receptions into two touchdowns. Trey McBride caught seven for 65.
Arizona Cardinals receiving
| Player | Rec | Yds | Avg | TD | Long | Tgts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Michael Wilson | 5 | 99 | 19.8 | 1 | 43 | 8 |
| Trey McBride | 7 | 65 | 9.3 | 0 | 29 | 8 |
| Emari Demercado | 1 | 28 | 28.0 | 0 | 28 | 1 |
| Elijah Higgins | 3 | 28 | 9.3 | 0 | 11 | 3 |
| Michael Carter | 3 | 21 | 7.0 | 0 | 11 | 3 |
| Josiah Deguara | 2 | 15 | 7.5 | 1 | 8 | 2 |
| Corey Kiner | 2 | 15 | 7.5 | 0 | 11 | 3 |
| Team | 23 | 271 | 11.8 | 2 | 43 | 28 |
Los Angeles Rams receiving
| Player | Rec | Yds | Avg | TD | Long | Tgts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tyler Higbee | 5 | 91 | 18.2 | 1 | 22 | 6 |
| Puka Nacua | 10 | 76 | 7.6 | 1 | 17 | 11 |
| Colby Parkinson | 4 | 36 | 9.0 | 2 | 21 | 7 |
| Kyren Williams | 3 | 21 | 7.0 | 0 | 9 | 5 |
| Tutu Atwell | 1 | 19 | 19.0 | 0 | 19 | 3 |
| Blake Corum | 1 | 10 | 10.0 | 0 | 10 | 1 |
| Xavier Smith | 1 | 6 | 6.0 | 0 | 6 | 2 |
| Team | 25 | 259 | 10.4 | 4 | 22 | 37 |
Davis Allen and Konata Mumpfield were each targeted once without a catch.
Defense
The Rams sacked Brissett six times and led 12 to 4 in quarterback hits. Desjuan Johnson had two sacks and four hits, with single sacks from Jared Verse, Byron Young, Braden Fiske and Josaiah Stewart. Josh Sweat recorded Arizona’s only sack. Jalen Thompson led the Cardinals with 10 tackles, Jaylen McCollough led the Rams with seven, and Ahkello Witherspoon had the game’s lone interception.
Arizona Cardinals defense
| Player | Tot | Solo | Sacks | TFL | PD | QB hits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jalen Thompson | 10 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Budda Baker | 9 | 7 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Cody Simon | 8 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Denzel Burke | 6 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Akeem Davis-Gaither | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Darius Robinson | 4 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Zachary Carter | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Dante Stills | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Dadrion Taylor-Demerson | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Owen Pappoe | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Elijah Jones | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Josh Sweat | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Calais Campbell | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jalen Brooks | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| L.J. Collier | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Jordan Burch | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Michael Wilson | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jon Gaines II | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jaden Davis | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Elijah Higgins | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Baron Browning | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Zaven Collins | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Darren Hall | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Emari Demercado | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| BJ Ojulari | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Team | 75 | 39 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
Los Angeles Rams defense
| Player | Tot | Solo | Sacks | TFL | PD | QB hits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jaylen McCollough | 7 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Kamren Kinchens | 6 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Omar Speights | 5 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Kam Curl | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Desjuan Johnson | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 4 |
| Jared Verse | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| Nate Landman | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Roger McCreary | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Troy Reeder | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Emmanuel Forbes Jr. | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Byron Young | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Braden Fiske | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
| Josaiah Stewart | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Jack Heflin | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Kobie Turner | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Derion Kendrick | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Tanner Ingle | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Cobie Durant | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Xavier Smith | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jordan Whittington | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Shaun Dolac | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Poona Ford | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Ahkello Witherspoon | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Tyler Davis | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Team | 52 | 40 | 6 | 7 | 3 | 12 |
Witherspoon’s interception and Kobie Turner’s recovery of a Brissett fumble were the two takeaways, both by the Rams.
Special teams
Harrison Mevis made all three field goals and all four extra points for 13 points. Chad Ryland went 2 for 2, including a 56-yarder. Ronnie Rivers averaged 26.8 yards on four kickoff returns, and Ethan Evans averaged 58.5 on two punts.
Kicking
| Player | FG | Long | XP | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chad Ryland (ARI) | 2/2 | 56 | 2/2 | 8 |
| Harrison Mevis (LAR) | 3/3 | 42 | 4/4 | 13 |
Punting
| Player | No | Yds | Avg | In 20 | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Matt Haack (ARI) | 2 | 109 | 54.5 | 1 | 57 |
| Ethan Evans (LAR) | 2 | 117 | 58.5 | 0 | 64 |
Returns
| Player | Type | No | Yds | Avg | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steven Sims (ARI) | Kickoff | 3 | 49 | 16.3 | 21 |
| Ronnie Rivers (LAR) | Kickoff | 4 | 107 | 26.8 | 28 |
| Xavier Smith (LAR) | Kickoff | 1 | 27 | 27.0 | 27 |
| Steven Sims (ARI) | Punt | 2 | 27 | 13.5 | 18 |
| Xavier Smith (LAR) | Punt | 1 | 9 | 9.0 | 9 |
Team stats
Los Angeles outgained Arizona 395 to 317, held the ball for 32:11 and did not commit a turnover. The Cardinals lost a fumble and an interception and drew six penalties for 45 yards. Arizona was sharper on a per-play basis at 6.0 yards to 5.5, but managed only 53 snaps to the Rams’ 72.
| Stat | Arizona | Los Angeles |
|---|---|---|
| First downs | 17 | 25 |
| Passing first downs | 13 | 16 |
| Rushing first downs | 4 | 9 |
| Total plays | 53 | 72 |
| Total yards | 317 | 395 |
| Yards per play | 6.0 | 5.5 |
| Net passing yards | 238 | 252 |
| Comp/Att | 23/32 | 25/40 |
| Yards per pass | 6.3 | 6.1 |
| Rushing yards | 79 | 143 |
| Rushing attempts | 15 | 31 |
| Yards per rush | 5.3 | 4.6 |
| Sacks-yards lost | 6-33 | 1-7 |
| Third down | 4-11 | 9-16 |
| Fourth down | 1-2 | 1-1 |
| Red zone | 1-3 | 2-4 |
| Penalties | 6-45 | 4-20 |
| Turnovers | 2 | 0 |
| Fumbles lost | 1 | 0 |
| Interceptions thrown | 1 | 0 |
| Possession | 27:49 | 32:11 |
Records set in the finale
Stafford passed Dan Marino for seventh on the NFL’s career touchdown list and ended the season as the league leader with 4,707 passing yards and 46 touchdown throws. McBride’s seven catches gave him 126 for the season, the most ever by a tight end. Wilson went over 1,000 receiving yards for the first time in his career. Arizona’s 14th loss was the most in a single season in franchise history, a record dating to the team’s founding in Chicago in 1920.
What the box score showed
Three Mevis field goals and a 2-yard touchdown to Nacua carried the Rams through a quiet first half. The offense found its range after the break, stringing together three straight touchdown drives that turned a 20-16 deficit into a comfortable finish. Stafford ended the afternoon, and the regular season, as the NFL’s leader in passing yards and touchdown throws.
Arizona left with more than the scoreboard suggested. The Cardinals gained 317 yards, sacked Stafford only once and trailed by a single score into the fourth quarter before the Rams pulled clear. At 3-14, it was a hard season with a competitive close. For Los Angeles, it was cleaner. The Rams gained 395 yards, did not turn the ball over and walked off with the No. 5 seed and a return trip to Carolina.
Game information
Played Jan. 4, 2026 at SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, California. Attendance: 72,004. Broadcast: FOX. Referee: Carl Cheffers.
