Rams season hits new low after stunning last-second Cardinals loss

For a few glorious moments Sunday afternoon, the Los Angeles Rams thought Matthew Stafford had saved their season.The veteran quarterback had engineered a remarkable fourth-quarter comeback, punter Ethan Evans had somehow converted the go-ahead extra point, and over 73,000 fans at SoFi Stadium were ready to celebrate an improbable escape from another afternoon of self-inflicted misery.There was just one problem.The Rams left too much time on the clock.And because apparently no Los Angeles football disaster is complete without one final twist of the knife, Arizona Cardinals kicker Chad Ryland drilled a 43-yard field goal as time expired, delivering a stunning 18-16 victory that sent the Rams tumbling into last place in the NFC West.For the second consecutive week, Los Angeles watched an opponent celebrate a walk-off victory while Stafford and his teammates were left wondering how another winnable game had slipped through their fingers.The Rams are 2-4, and the wheels haven’t just fallen off their Super Bowl bandwagon.They’re scattered somewhere along the 405 freeway near LAX.What began as a season overflowing with championship expectations has deteriorated into an increasingly embarrassing collection of penalties, turnovers, special teams disasters and questionable decisions.Sunday offered the entire miserable assortment.The afternoon began promisingly when safety Quentin Lake intercepted Jacoby Brissett on Arizona’s opening possession, perfectly undercutting a route intended for tight end Trey McBride.But the Rams couldn’t turn the takeaway into a touchdown, settling for a 44-yard field goal from newly signed kicker Blake Grupe.Seconds later, the nightmare began.On the ensuing kickoff, Arizona returner Devin Duvernay broke through Los Angeles’ coverage, leaving the 5-foot-7, 150-pound Grupe as the last defender between him and the end zone.Grupe made the touchdown-saving tackle but injured his knee, leaving the Rams without their kicker for the remainder ...