Rams Remind Cardinals There’s Another Team in the West

“Our goal is to try to build a team that stresses opposing teams and applies pressure to opposing teams,” Snead said in a news conference after acquiring Miller.

Donald, a three-time N.F.L. defensive player of the year, succeeded early for the Rams on Monday night. He credited that to a defensive scheme and blitz packages that created one-on-one matchups allowing him and others to penetrate the backfield. In Ramsey’s absence, Dairus Williams, normally the team’s No. 2 cornerback, also played well, with key pass breakups

“We had a game plan, and we stuck to it,” Donald said.

The score was tied, 13-13, at halftime before the Rams pulled away in the third quarter. Stafford lofted a perfect pass to Van Jefferson for a 52-yard touchdown and also connected with Cooper Kupp, who leads the league in every receiving category, for a four-yard score. Kupp caught 13 of his 15 targets for 123 yards.

But Arizona responded. James Conner, who accounted for 125 yards from scrimmage, scored his second rushing touchdown at the start of the fourth quarter, slicing the Rams’ lead to 27-20. The Rams answered with a field goal that ended a drive that chewed over six minutes of clock. The Cardinals then kicked their own field goal before recovering the onside kick.

Arizona now faces a winnable game against the Lions before playing the Colts, Cowboys and Seahawks — competitive matchups that will impact whether they have home-field advantage for a playoff game.

“This group, we’re frustrated, we’re disappointed, but we’ll get back,” Coach Kliff Kingsbury said.

The Rams are seeking to play at their home venue on Feb. 13, when SoFi Stadium hosts the Super Bowl. Snead’s strategy of forgoing draft picks in trades for Stafford, Ramsey and Miler have heightened their need to win now. But they feel they are on the right path.

“We wanted to go out there and get the job done,” outside linebacker Leonard Floyd said. “We got tired of the noise.”