Debutant ball for Rams
Wolford steps in for Goff vs. Cards, who need a win, Bears loss to make playoffs
INGLEWOOD, Calif. — Coach Sean McVay spent the last week of the regular season worrying about how to put together an offensive game plan for his slumping Rams without their leading passer, rusher and receiver in a season finale that could keep them out of the playoffs.
Those weighty concerns were lifted just a bit by the excitement of a side result of Jared Goff ’s thumb injury: John Wolford, the young backup quarterback plucked from obscurity and tutored by McVay, will make his NFL debut in Goff ’s place Sunday, when the Rams ( 9- 6) host the Cardinals ( 8- 7).
“That’s what you love about being able to coach in this league, is to get a chance to work with guys who have worked really hard and put themselves in this position,” said McVay, who inherited Goff in 2017. “You want to do everything in your power to help them be successful. I think anybody who’s been around John Wolford, this guy — I mean, if you don’t like him, then something is probably wrong with you.
“John has been waiting on this day. He’s been preparing for this day. We just want him to go out, be comfortable and be John.”
McVay will enjoy seeing what Wolford can do at SoFi Stadium. Cardinals coach Kliff Kingsbury expects to have Kyler Murray under center despite a leg injury, but his team faces even more dramatic stakes in the finale.
While the Rams need a win or a loss by the Bears to clinch a playoff berth that seemed a formality before their ugly two- game skid, the Cardinals must win to get in after blowing last week’s game against the 49ers in discouraging fashion.
“We’ve just talked about making sure we play our style of football and our best game,” Kingsbury said. “As a team, you want to build throughout the season, and then ultimately, regardless of whether you’re playing in the postseason or not, you want that last game to be your best performance. That’s what we’re striving for.”
The Cardinals’ task got fractionally easier with a recent spate of injuries and COVID- 19 problems for the Rams, who had stayed mostly free of major setbacks in those areas. Along with Goff, the Rams could be without wide receiver Cooper Kupp, running backs Darrell Henderson and Cam Akers and defensive- line stalwart Michael Brockers.
But Los Angeles’ top- ranked defense is eager for another showdown with Murray and Kingsbury’s star- studded offense after handling the Cards quite well in a 38- 28 victory in Glendale, Arizona, just four weeks ago.
“We know what they’re going to come at us with is going to be different,” said Pro Bowl defensive tackle Aaron Donald, who enters the final week trailing Pittsburgh’s T. J. Watt by 1 ½ sacks for the NFL lead. “[ Murray is] a mobile quarterback, so we’ve got to try to bottle him up. We know what we’ve got to do on that.”
The Cardinals’ defense has been outstanding at putting pressure on opposing quarterbacks the last three weeks. The group has 17 sacks, 14 tackles for loss, eight forced fumbles and 24 quarterback hits during that span, helping Arizona beat the Giants and Eagles before losing to the 49ers.
Linebacker Haason Reddick has had the best stretch of his four- year career with 7 ½ sacks and six forced fumbles over those three games. Reddick’s production has been crucial after 2019 All- Pro Chandler Jones was lost for the season because of a biceps injury in October.
McVay has never lost to the Cardinals, beating three different coaches in seven games over his four years in Los Angeles. He is 3- 0 against Kingsbury, his friend and fellow offensive guru.