It was ugly. If you turned off the TV at halftime during the Week 18 matchup at SoFi Stadium, nobody would’ve blamed you. The final Arizona Cardinals game score against the Los Angeles Rams—a lopsided 37-20 loss—was a fitting, if painful, exclamation point on a season that felt like a slow-motion car crash for the Desert Birds.
Honestly, by the time the fourth quarter rolled around on January 4, 2026, most fans weren't even looking at the scoreboard anymore. They were looking at mock drafts.
The Breakdown of the Final Score
The Rams essentially took the soul out of this game early. Matthew Stafford looked like he was playing against air, tossing four touchdown passes and carving up a secondary that has spent the better part of three months searching for answers. The Cardinals actually kept it interesting for a minute, heading into the locker room down 16-6, but the third quarter was a disaster. Arizona tried to fight back with two scores in that period, but the Rams slammed the door with 14 unanswered points in the fourth.
Jacoby Brissett, who has been the ultimate "good soldier" since Kyler Murray went down with a season-ending injury, finished 22-of-31 for 243 yards. He’s tough. You have to give him that. But a 101.9 passer rating doesn’t mean much when your defense allows 37 points and the opposing quarterback is playing catch with Colby Parkinson in the end zone.
Why Arizona Cardinals Game Score Trends Fell Off a Cliff
If you look at the Arizona Cardinals game score from the first two weeks of the 2025 season, you’d think you were looking at a completely different team. They started 2-0. They beat the Saints. They edged out the Panthers. There was legitimate hope in Glendale.
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Then the injuries started.
It wasn't just Kyler. It was everyone. James Conner? Done. Trey Benson? Gone. Even the first-round pick, Walter Nolen III, only managed to suit up for six games. When you lose your starting backfield and your franchise quarterback, the math just stops working. Arizona ended the season on a brutal nine-game losing streak. That is a franchise record for losses in a single season (14), and their .176 winning percentage is the worst the team has seen since they were playing in Chicago back in 1959.
The Lone Bright Spots
It wasn't all garbage time and sadness, though.
Trey McBride is basically a superstar at this point. Even in a decimated offense, he finished as a First-Team All-Pro and a Pro Bowler. Watching him haul in 127 yards against Seattle in Week 10 was a masterclass in tight end play. He was being double-teamed by almost every defensive coordinator in the league, and he still produced.
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Then there’s Michael Wilson. "WR1K" as the local reporters are calling him. He surpassed 1,000 yards receiving this year, which is insane when you realize he had less than 200 yards through the first two months of the season. He became the safety valve Brissett needed.
Breaking Down the 2025 Regular Season Results
Let’s look at the actual trajectory of these scores. It’s a wild ride that starts with a mountain and ends in a valley.
- The Hopeful Start: A 20-13 win over New Orleans followed by a 27-22 victory against Carolina. The defense looked scrappy. The offense had rhythm.
- The Heartbreakers: A 16-15 loss to the Niners and a 23-20 loss to Seattle. These were games Arizona should have won. If a couple of kicks go the other way, the narrative of this season is entirely different.
- The Freefall: Starting in November, the wheels didn't just come off; they evaporated. A 44-22 drubbing by the Seahawks and a 45-17 blowout by the Rams in early December showed just how wide the gap had become between Arizona and the rest of the NFC West.
The Coaching Question
Jonathan Gannon is in a tough spot. You can't coach around a roster that belongs in the ICU. However, the lack of defensive adjustment in the second half of games has been a major talking point among the Arizona faithful. Most experts are already speculating that the Cardinals will be searching for a new head coach before the month is out. When you set a franchise record for losses, someone usually pays the price with their job.
What to Watch During the Offseason
Now that the final Arizona Cardinals game score is in the books, the focus shifts to the front office. Monti Ossenfort has a massive task ahead. With the 3-14 record, Arizona is locked into a top-three draft pick.
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Do they stick with Kyler Murray and trade down for a haul of picks to fix the defense? Or do they hit the reset button entirely?
The defense needs a complete overhaul. Josh Sweat was a bright spot with 12 sacks, and Budda Baker is still Budda Baker, but the secondary is a sieve. They allowed over 30 points in four of their last five games. You can't win in the NFL if you're giving up 37 points to a Cincinnati team that was struggling or 40 to Houston.
Final Takeaways for Fans
If you're a Cardinals fan, don't just look at the 20-37 score from the Rams game and despair. Look at the development of Michael Wilson. Look at the fact that Trey McBride is arguably the best tight end in the league right now.
Next Steps for the Cardinals:
- Evaluate the Medical Staff: This many season-ending injuries isn't just bad luck; it's a trend that needs investigating.
- Solidify the O-Line: Whoever is under center in 2026 needs more than two seconds to find McBride.
- Draft Defense: High-end edge rushers and a lockdown corner are non-negotiable.
The 2025 season is over. It was historic for all the wrong reasons, but in the NFL, the bottom of the standings is often the only place where you can find the foundation for the next big leap.