Rams defense keys 24-22 win at Arizona

GLENDALE, Ariz. _ The Rams knocked the Arizona Cardinals from the ranks of the undefeated Sunday, turning in a stellar defensive effort in a 24-22 victory at the University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Ariz.tmpplchld The Rams are 2-2; the NFC West-leading Cardinals fell to 3-1.tmpplchld Rookie Todd Gurley, the 10th overall pick in last spring’s draft, ran for 100-plus yards in the second half Sunday. Less than a year removed from ACL surgery that ended his career at the University of Georgia, finished Sunday with 146 rushing yards on 19 carries.tmpplchld Next up for the Rams is a Sunday showdown with the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field.tmpplchld With the game on the line and holding a 17-15 lead, the Rams responded with a six-play, 80-yard drive capped by a 12-yard scoring pass from Nick Foles to Tavon Austin to make it 24-15 with 8:16 to play. On the play, Foles withstood heavy pressure and double-pumped to allow Austin to get a step on his defender and make the catch.tmpplchld The highlight play of the drive was a 52-yard run from Gurley, in his second NFL game.tmpplchld Arizona came right back, moving 80 yards on eight plays, cutting the Rams’ lead to 24-22 on a 23-yard pass from Carson Palmer to rookie David Johnson with 4:38 left in regulation. The key play of the drive was a fourth-down pass from Palmer to fellow veteran Larry Fitzgerald.tmpplchld The home team managed to get the ball back with less than three minutes to play. The Cardinals moved into St. Louis territory and faced a second-and-two at the Rams’ 43 at the two-minute warning. Robert Quinn batted down a Carson Palmer pass and the veteran quarterback threw high for incomplete passes on third and fourth down.tmpplchld The Rams took over and ran out the clock, thanks to a pair of late Gurley runs.tmpplchld The Cardinals, who entered the game having converted 11 of 12 red-zone chances, were stuffed again on a third-down play from the Rams 11 early in the final quarter. Chandler Catanzaro’s fifth field goal of the day, with 11:57 to play, cut the Rams’ lead to 17-15.tmpplchld ___tmpplchld (c)2015 St. Louis Post-Dispatchtmpplchld Visit the St. Louis Post-Dispatch at www.stltoday.comtmpplchld Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.tmpplchld