The Arizona Cardinals wrapped up their 2025-2026 campaign at SoFi Stadium with a result that felt all too familiar for the Red Sea. If you were looking for the final az cardinals game score, it was a 37-20 loss to the Los Angeles Rams. It wasn't just another tick in the loss column. This game officially slammed the door on a 3-14 season, marking the fourth consecutive year the team has missed the postseason.
Honestly, it was a weird one. For a brief moment in the third quarter, it actually looked like Arizona might pull off the upset. They climbed back from a 16-6 halftime deficit to take a 20-16 lead. But then the wheels didn't just come off; they basically disintegrated. Matthew Stafford, playing like he’s found a fountain of youth in LA, shredded the secondary with four touchdown passes.
The atmosphere in the stadium was heavy. While Rams fans were celebrating a No. 5 seed in the NFC, Cardinals fans were left staring at a franchise-record 14th loss in a single season. It’s a tough pill to swallow for a team that actually started the year 2-0 before falling into a 1-14 tailspin.
Breaking Down the AZ Cardinals Game Score and Stats
Looking at the box score only tells half the story. The final tally was Rams 37, Cardinals 20, but the efficiency gap was the real killer. Arizona’s offense, led by Jacoby Brissett, struggled to maintain any sort of rhythm against a relentless Rams pass rush. Brissett finished 22-of-31 for 243 yards and two scores, but he was sacked six times. You can’t win in this league when your quarterback is spending half the afternoon on his back.
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The Scoring Timeline
The game started as a kicker’s duel. Harrison Mevis and Chad Ryland traded field goals early on, with Ryland actually nailing a massive 56-yarder in the second quarter.
- First Quarter: Both teams traded field goals (3-3).
- Second Quarter: The Rams pulled away with a Puka Nacua touchdown catch just before the half (16-6).
- Third Quarter: Arizona's best stretch. Michael Wilson caught a 43-yard bomb, followed by a Josiah Deguara touchdown to give the Cards a 20-16 lead.
- The Collapse: The Rams scored 21 unanswered points to finish the game.
Michael Wilson was a lone bright spot for Arizona. He hauled in 5 catches for 99 yards and a touchdown, proving he’s one of the few pieces this roster can actually build around. Trey McBride also showed up, as usual, with 7 catches for 65 yards. He’s been a rock all season, earning first-team All-Pro honors despite the team's abysmal record.
Why the Defense Couldn't Hold the Lead
It’s frustrating. When you take a lead in the third quarter of a divisional game, you expect the defense to get a stop. Instead, Matthew Stafford looked like he was playing 7-on-7 in a park. He found Colby Parkinson for two touchdowns and Tyler Higbee for another. The Cardinals' secondary had no answer for the Rams’ tight ends in the red zone.
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Arizona's defensive stats for the year are pretty grim. They gave up 28.7 points per game on average, which ranks near the bottom of the NFL. Budda Baker did what he could—he's still a Pro Bowler for a reason—but one guy can’t cover the whole field. The Rams finished with 395 total yards compared to Arizona’s 317. More importantly, the Rams had zero turnovers, while Arizona gave it away twice.
Life After Jonathan Gannon
The fallout from this final az cardinals game score was immediate. Shortly after the loss, the team officially fired head coach Jonathan Gannon. It was a move many saw coming after a nine-game losing streak to end the year. Owner Michael Bidwill made it clear that "historically bad" seasons won't be tolerated, but the road ahead looks steep.
Currently, the Cardinals head coaching job is being labeled by some analysts at CBS Sports as the least attractive opening in the league. Why? Because the roster has massive holes and limited cap space—roughly $21 million, which sounds like a lot until you realize they need about 15 new starters. Plus, the Kyler Murray situation remains a giant question mark heading into the 2026 offseason.
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What’s Next for the Cardinals?
The season is over, but the work is just beginning. With a 3-14 record, the Cardinals are looking at a top-three pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. This is where the franchise has to get it right. Whether they look for a new franchise quarterback or trade down to accumulate more "blue-chip" talent like tackle Paris Johnson Jr., the pressure on GM Monti Ossenfort is immense.
If you're looking for actionable steps to stay informed during the offseason, start by tracking the head coaching search. The team needs a leader who can modernize the offense, which averaged only 20.9 points per game this year. Keep an eye on the "Top 30" visits leading up to the draft in April. Those visits are usually the best indicator of which direction the front office is leaning. The draft will be the true turning point for whether the next az cardinals game score we see in September 2026 is a win or another disappointment.