Even while the Arizona Cardinals immediately allowed big plays early in Sunday’s 45-17 loss to the Los Angeles Rams, it still appeared as if they might be able to keep it a relatively close game for four quarters.No such luck. After two of the first three offensive possessions resulted in points and a 10-10 tie, the game got quickly out of hand when five of the next six possessions were three-and-outs, while the Rams’ first five possessions ended with four touchdowns and a field goal for a 31-10 lead 4:51 into the third quarter. They scored 24 points on four red-zone trips and had 368 yards on 42 scrimmage plays at that point.Head coach Jonathan Gannon said afterward, “The thing that stands out to me were the explosives on mixed downs, which going into the game we talked about that. That’s how they make their hay, and they made their hay today. We didn’t even get it to third down I think in two or three drives. And like I said, give them credit. That’s a good unit, but we have to play better than that.”So, let’s get to all the ugliness of a game where the Rams totaled 534 yards on 64 plays (8.34 per play) prior to three end-of-game kneeldowns.One note: On the virtually empty stat sheet except for tackles, the Cardinals had no sacks, two quarterback hits, no tackles for loss, no takeaways and only two passes defensed.Ah, those explosivesOn a field-goal drive for their first score, the Rams reached third down once (an incomplete pass) and had 18-yard runs by running backs Kyren Williams and Blake Corum.On their first touchdown drive, they traveled 74 yards on a mere six plays, highlighted by a 14-yard run by Corum and successive pass plays of 18 and 32 yards to wide receiver Puka Nacua. They didn’t have a third down.The next possession also never reached third down on 10 plays for 75 yards with Nacua having catches for 10 and 20 yards and Williams having two 9-yard runs.The lead reached 24-10 on a ridiculously easy 92-yard drive (they gained 97 thanks to a false start) on seven plays that started with 1:42 to play in the half and took 1:30 off the clock. There were again no third downs. The possession began with three plays for 48 yards (10 by Williams, 10 to wide receiver Davante Adams (who had only 29 yards on four receptions in the game) and a 28-yarder to Nacua. After the false start, tight end Colby Parkinson had a 14-yard catch and two plays later, Nacua scored on a 28-yard touchdown pass.Finally, on the first possession of the third quarter, the Rams went 62 yards on 10 plays somewhat more methodically with a 17-yard run by Corum. They did face third-and-goal from the 6-yard line and the result was a touchdown by Parkinson.For the finishing touches, the Rams scored on two consecutive plays: a 31-yard Nacua touchdown with 12 seconds remaining in the third quarter after an interception and a 48-yard run by Corum on the Rams’ first play of the fourth quarter.Breaking it down individuallyNacua had seven receptions for 167 yards and five were for 20 yards or more, totaling 139 (20, 28, 28, 31, 32). Four for 111 yards were on first-down plays.Corum rushed for 128 yards on 12 carries and had runs of 14, 17, 18 and 48 (97 yards) with the latter on first down.Williams rushed 13 times for 84 yards with runs of 8, 8, 9, 9, 10, and 18 (62 on six attempts). He also had a 7-yard run to go with runs of nine and 10 on first down.Including a 10-yard catch by Adams, one reception for nine yards by Williams, two for 26 by Parkinson and two for 21 by tight end Davis Allen on first down, six Rams players totaled 260 yards on 16 first-down plays.On explosives of 10 or more for running backs, Williams and Corum combined for 125 yards on six plays and Nacua had his 5-for-139 on plays of 20 yards or more.Heck, even third running back Ronnie Rivers got the Rams to the final kneeldowns with five runs for 27 yards and he averaged 5.1 on eight carries.On balance, and it was balanced, the Rams rushed for 253 yards without the kneeldowns on 33 plays (7.7 average) and passed for 281 on 31 attempts (9.1 per attempt).Meanwhile, the Cardinals continued their pattern of imbalance with 50 called pass plays and 12 called runs.Explaining it allAfter having only five third-down plays the week before in a loss to the Carolina Panthers, thanks to three turnovers, Rams head coach Sean McVay said, “It shows how important it is about the early-down efficiency. Last week was really rare. Obviously, we had some of the turnovers, but it was good to have a clean slate in that regard this week. When you can be efficient on those early downs, you eliminate a lot of those past situations where the defense feels like they can almost get the pen in their hand.“For us to be able to be the offense that we want to be, we have to continue to take steps in that direction. To be able to have the balance in the run and pass (game) like we’ve had in the early-down efficiency – that’s always key and critical.”Gannon on the run defense: “We’re going to look at the tape tonight. It’s going to be fundamentals. We’re putting them in the right spots, but I’m sure it’s going to be a lot of fundamentals and technique that we’re not getting executed at a high enough level.”It also can’t be overlooked that the inside linebackers were rookie Cody Simon and Owen Pappoe, who played his first snaps of the season on defense (nine tackles/five solo) with Akeem Davis-Gaither not on the stat sheet. After 12 games, he was third on the team with 68 tackles (30 solo). Simon had three tackles (one solo).Gannon on Nacua: “There are a couple coverages that they found the stress and they made plays. There’s also a couple coverages that I thought we were in a call that should take away some explosives to them, and we didn’t do it. They kind of beat us right-handed and left-handed. Meaning when we should be taking away something we didn’t, and then the stress of when there’s a tough one-on-one down there winning those too, so (they) just out-executed us.”Somewhat fittingIt’s the way the season has gone for kicker Chad Ryland. He has missed field-goal attempts of 33 and 43 yards wide right in two games that were lost by three points. Then, after the Rams went ahead 24-10 Sunday, the Cardinals got the ball with 12 seconds remaining in the first half and managed to get into position for a 63-yard field-goal attempt. Ryland banged it long enough down the middle, but it was for naught because the Rams called timeout before the kick. On the actual attempt, it went, yes, slightly wide right.Or, as Billy Joel sang, “And so it goes.”Ryland did make a 38-yard attempt.Punter Matt Haack had a good day with five punts for a 54.2-yard average and 45.0 net.With kick returner Greg Dortch placed on injured reserve Saturday, wide receiver Michael Wilson was on punt-return duty, but two were touchbacks and one was downed. Wide receiver Jalen Brooks, who was elevated from the practice squad, returned three kickoffs for 66 yards, including one for 33 yards.Get more Cardinals and NFL coverage from Cards Wire’s Jess Root and others by listening to the latest on the Rise Up, See Red podcast. Subscribe on Spotify, YouTube or Apple podcasts..oembed-frame {width:100%;height:100%;margin:0;border:0;}This article originally appeared on Cards Wire: Rams 45, Cardinals 17: A look at the defensive meltdown