When Mike LaFleur talked about his belief in the Cardinals defense, it was based on his own experience playing against defensive coordinator Nick Rallis.
Before LaFleur was the Cardinals coach, he was the Rams offensive coordinator. He saw first-hand creativity and confusion that posed challenges for an opposing offense.
Lately, the Cardinals have struggled on that side of the ball. But on Sunday against the Rams -- and both LaFleur and Rallis sharing the same sideline -- LaFleur saw flashes from the past. He also saw a path towards a turnaround.
"It was reminiscent of what I felt like I saw in 2024, maybe even in the early parts of last year in terms of something that did not look fun for the opposing offense," LaFleur said. "I thought their play style was awesome. It looked to me like they had clear minds. I saw 11 as one."
LaFleur wouldn't divulge the conversations that led to specific changes. But aggression was an emphasis. The Cardinals blitzed 13 times, which was a season-high for the unit. Safety Budda Baker and outside linebacker Josh Sweat both got home for a sack.
Before the final offensive drive for the Rams, the Cardinals held Los Angeles to 200 yards of offense.
"The ability for guys to just execute and do our job, whatever the play call is," Baker said. "That was a full team win, but also just a great defensive job, like with the plan, but also just guys executing all the calls."
On top of Baker's Matthew Stafford takedown, he finished with six tackles, two tackles for loss, two quarterback hits, and a pass deflection. After the game, Baker and Wilson received a game ball from LaFleur.
The aggressiveness had been paramount on fourth down. On Sunday, the Cardinals forced two turnover on downs against the Rams, both in the second half. The Cardinals lead the league with seven drives ending on downs.
"Honestly, all week we just preached to be one of 11," cornerback Kei'Trel Clark said. "One play at a time, just focus on the play you are on and doing your job and I think everybody did that. Sometimes plays didn't go our way but we didn't waver and we came out victorious."
An example came on the Rams' final drive, when Rams receiver Puka Nacua had a 42-yard catch-and-run to set up a Colby Parkinson touchdown. Baker was frustrated at the defense missing a chance to close out the game, but the emotion quickly shifted to gratitude after Chad Ryland kicked the game-winning field goal.
"That's why football is the ultimate team spot," Baker said.
More changes could be on the way this week against the Broncos. Defensive lineman Walter Nolen III exited the game with a right ankle injury and while LaFleur did not have much of an update, he said the defensive lineman came out "OK."
But after a week when Rallis and the defense were under fire following four consecutive 30-plus point outings, stepping up against the (then-) top-ranked offense in the NFL mattered.
"We know this is a results-based business, but I knew our defense had more than what we've been putting out there and we just had to unlock it some way somehow," LaFleur said. "This was just one week, but it was a step in the right direction, and I do believe we can grow from this. I believe we can start to build an identity off of this one."
