The call – three plays into the game -- worked to perfection, Budda Baker hanging out on the strong side of Lions QB Jared Goff, only to race inside for an A gap blitz at the shotgun snap.

Sack.

"Whatever the play called is called, that's my job," Baker said. "I was surprised we called that early in the game (Sunday) and once we made that call, I was like, 'Oh yeah this might have a chance to get a sack.'"

The takedown boosted Baker's sack total to 2½ this season, already a career-best in a season despite only playing five games. It isn't as if Baker is rushing the passer a ton, just 12 times in 296 defensive snaps, according to TruMedia.

But that 4 percent is still a small jump from last year's 3.5 percent (38 in 1,084 snaps). And when Baker is getting there, it's helpful for a pass rush that doesn't always generate a lot of heat.

"Budda is a phenomenal blitzer," defensive coordinator Nick Rallis said. "It's something we want to make sure we have in our arsenal all the time."

Setting sack marks don't exactly hit with Baker; he'd prefer the Cardinals just win more often. If the sacks come, they come.

But for whatever reason, the blitzes are getting home this season, and Baker (who is officially questionable for Sunday with a groin injury) knows that helps the cause.

"When I get the call to pressure I've had the opportunity to get there," Baker said. "For the most part, I'm just trying to do my job.

"But anytime my name gets called on those pressures, I get excited."

-- No Jeremiyah Love this week. Not a surprise, with the ankle and the need to get right. The Cardinals I do think have the running backs to make it work without Love – I think Bam Knight is underrated. But the running game hasn't been consistent with Love and finding that consistency against a stacked Rams defensive line will be difficult.

Nevertheless, the hope is that a week off puts Love in a much better place. Because they need that guy to pop.

-- Davante Adams is off to a great start for the Rams (his next TD catch will allow him to break a tie with Larry Fitzgerald for sixth all-time.) But as good as Adams has been, he did a lot of his big damage when Puka Nacua was sidelined, and now that Nacua is back, he is a beast in the Rams' passing game.

Nacua was targeted 24 times against the Bills on "Monday Night Football," making 17 receptions and dominating. That's what the Cardinals secondary will contend with. In his career, Nacua has averaged 96.3 receiving yards per game.

"He's very physical and great at the catch point," cornerback Max Melton said. "He's got an MVP as a quarterback who will put it on the money consistently. Hell of an opportunity, I am happy as hell, and I can't wait for it."

Melton said he is relishing the chance because a cornerback better get excited for such a matchup.

"If you see it as tough, it's going to be a long day before you even start," Melton said. "Puka had what, 24 targets last week? I've never heard of that. It's a hell of an opportunity, a lot of money to be made."

-- Melton is "playing the best ball he has played," defensive coordinator Nick Rallis said this week, important for the one-time second-round pick who hadn't found consistency his first two seasons. Rallis said in a team meeting this week, there was a five-play stretch of Melton snaps shown to the group to highlight Melton's efforts and the way he was attacking the ball.

Melton, who has been frustrated the past two seasons, said he is approaching things mostly the same – but acknowledged some change was needed.

"It's really just staying down until it's your time, and I guess it's my time," Melton said. "The ball is starting to bounce my way more. I kept my trust in the game plan. Like I've said before, even if you have things we don't agree with on the back end, you still have to buy in. Even if you don't agree with it. It's more of that as well."

-- Twenty years ago today, I was sitting a few feet from Cardinals coach Dennis Green after a heart-wrenching 24-23 Monday Night loss to the Bears at home. Perhaps you have heard that the Bears were who the Cardinals thought they were? That's why they took the damn field.

What a night. Helped us win an Emmy after all that though.

-- With the game at SoFi Stadium on Sunday, the Cardinals will have played as many games this season there as they have at State Farm Stadium: two each. Quirks of the schedule.

-- Rookie Jayden Williams remains as the starter at left tackle, and LaFleur praised him from what Williams did against the Lions.

"He did some really good things against a really good front, and his demeanor never changes," LaFleur said. "He's made of the right stuff."

According to Next Gen Stats, the Rams have the fourth-highest QB pressure rate this season, harassing passers at a 42.5 percent clip. Tall task for Williams. Tall task for the whole offensive line.

-- The reality is the Cardinals need to not only get Trey McBride and Michael Wilson loose, but loose for some yards. The other reality, not only are both under six yards per target this season, the Rams are second in the league as a pass defense, allowing a mere 5.4 yards per passing attempt.

-- Jalen Brooks was targeted seven times last week as he slides into the role vacated by Marvin Harrison Jr. Brooks had an outstanding preseason – he was the pass-catching star of Carson Beck's excellent Hall of Fame game – and believes he can help at receiver. He had already honed in on his duties as a kickoff return man, and now he just wants to get more reps with Brissett to work on that connection.

"They let me rock out during OTAs, during training camp, they let me rock out in the preseason games," Brooks said. "I wouldn't say (this chance) is totally surprising. Me and Jacoby just have to get our timing together."

-- Carson Beck is expected to be the emergency third QB again Sunday, and to this point it does not feel like time in the starting lineup for the rookie is imminent. LaFleur continues to praise Beck's work in the meantime.

"I've seen a lot of these guys improve and I particularly think over the last few weeks he's continued to get better and he's enjoying his process of improving," LaFleur said. "Sometimes the best learning you can do is watching what's going on Sundays. The smart ones can pick up on stuff and he's certainly one of them. He's very smart."

-- McBride leads the NFL with 42 catches. Way early, but the last tight end to lead the NFL in receptions was Tony Gonzalez back in 2004. He's the only NFL player with at least seven catches in every game this year, and if he can do it again, he will tie Travis Kelce for the longest streak of 7+ games (eight) by a tight end in NFL history.

-- McBride is an emotional sort, but in the calm of the midweek, he reiterated how important it is to him to be in Arizona when a turnaround happens. It came in the form of a question about his wins and losses. He had more than he'd like in college at Colorado State, and a winning record has thus far eluded him in the NFL.

"It sucks," McBride said. "We sucked in college … and we haven't been very successful here. But the tide is going to turn. It's fun, because I want to be part of the dog days, the times when we weren't good, and then we turned it around and we're good now. We're close … for me, be the best version of yourself, control what you can control.

"(But) we can't keep saying we're going to get better. We have to prove it."

See you Sunday.