Rams running back Kyren Williams left a bad taste in the mouths of the Cardinals defense last season after two performances of 140-plus yards. As the unit prepared for Sunday’s home opener against the Rams, Williams was at the forefront of their minds.

The Rams’ rushing attack couldn’t accomplish much, as Williams and Blake Corum combined for just 53 yards on 20 carries. That’s the fewest yards allowed on the ground under Jonathan Gannon.

“We knew we had to do that to win the game,” Gardeck said. “So, to go out there and execute something that we know we have to do to win the game, it’s cool to see. But we’re taking it step by step (and) you’ve got to stop the run every time they run the ball.”

With the Cardinals being as dominant as they were on defense, and with the Cardinals lead growing as the game went on, Matthew Stafford was forced into familiar passing situations early in the first quarter. Collins and linebacker Krys Barnes were both able to catch Stafford for a sack, Gardeck’s heroics aside.

“I’m glad it wasn’t like last time,” Collins said with a laugh, mocking the penalty officials called on him last week in Buffalo that cost him his first “first sack” of the season.

The Rams’ offensive line also struggled, something Collins said the team had “focused on.”

The Cardinals improve to 1-1 on the season and jump to 1-0 in the division. Last week, safety Budda Baker shared how necessary it is for a team to win division games. The Cardinals won one at home for the first time in a decade against the Rams.

“It was just about driving them out and just getting to the rock, all 11 to the ball on all sides of the court,” Baker said. “It was definitely exciting.”

Like Baker, Gardeck, who joined the Cardinals in 2018, has watched the Cardinals struggle at home against the Rams. As one of the team’s leaders, Gardeck made sure the locker room was reminded of that.

The boys took the message to heart, as did his message to have fun.

“That gave me extra motivation during the week,” Gardeck said. “I just had to be in tune on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, so it meant something to play a division opponent that had your number at home. To go out there and do it, it was fun.”