Cardinals contain Rams, but QB Drew Stanton hurt

ST. LOUIS – To beat the Rams on Thursday night, the Cardinals knew they would have to win a slugfest. They didn't know they would have to do it without one arm, their best arm, in the locker room for most of the second half.

But win they did, 12-6, all but securing a playoff spot. That will happen this weekend, as long as the Eagles-Cowboys game doesn't end in a tie.

If the Cardinals beat the Seahawks on Dec. 21, they will clinch their first NFC West title since 2009.

"I think that was one of the best wins I've ever been around, been a part of in my coaching career," Cardinals coach Bruce Arians said.

Few expected the Cardinals (11-3) to win, even though they had a much better record than the Rams (6-8).

The Rams had shut out consecutive opponents, but they did not have the best defense on the field Thursday.

"I think they saw a good defense tonight," Arians said. "It was in red and white."

Arians was just warming up, likely reprising part of his pregame speech in his postgame press conference.

"I love it when nobody says you're going to have a chance to win," Arians said. "There's an 11-3 team and a team that's always 8-8. You figure it out.'

With 10 days before their next game, the Cardinals have time to savor the victory. Eleven wins are the Cardinals' most since 1975, 13 years before they moved to Arizona.

The future doesn't look as bright for the Cardinals, who lost quarterback Drew Stanton with a knee injury in the third quarter. Just over a month ago, they lost starting quarterback Carson Palmer to a knee injury, suffered in the second half against the Rams.

Stanton suffered the injury while being sacked and immediately hopped all the way to the sideline. A short time later, he took a cart to the locker room and didn't return.

"We have no idea what the extent of it is," Arians said. "We'll see how it goes once we get the MRI and all that information."

Thursday night was different in one major way from the early game this season against the Rams: The Cardinals trailed when Palmer was hurt. On Thursday, they led 9-3 when Stanton left and no heroics were required of Ryan Lindley who replaced him.

Logan Thomas has been the team's third quarterback, but in a tight game on the road, Arians went with Lindley.

"Went with Ryan because of his experience," Arians said. "He's been in this stadium, played against these guys. It was not a time to put Logan out there. He's going to be a good player someday, but he's not ready for this year. Ryan was more than ready."

But Lindley was shaky to start and was fortunate that an interception was overturned upon review. He completed 4 of 10 for 30 yards.

Luckily for the Cardinals, the defense shut down the Rams throughout much of the evening. The Rams got nothing on the ground, in the air or from special teams.

They did manage one impressive drive, moving to the Cardinals' 7 midway through the fourth quarter. But the Cardinals held, and the Rams kicked a field goal to trail 12-6 with 6:07 remaining.

The Cardinals offense wasn't a lot better, but they were able to run the ball efficiently, gaining 143 yards on 33 carries.

"They don't blink," Arians said of his players. "They're so used to it. Some people might say it's ugly football; I love it. We're going to hit you in the mouth."

Arians thought his offense played "pretty solid." That's debatable, but it was good enough to get kicker Chandler Catanzaro into field-goal position four times. The rookie was slumping entering game, having missed four of his last nine attempts.

But he banged all four attempts through the uprights on Thursday night and it was enough.

The Cardinals' offense made three big plays but could only get two field goals out of them.

They gained 49 yards on one pass play in the first half but settled for a field.

Early in the second half, Ted Ginn Jr., returned a punt 42 yards, but the Cardinals gained just two yards and had to punt. On the next possession, a 36-yard pass interference call on the Rams took the Cardinals to the 28.

Somers also writes for the Arizona Republic.