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."