The Los Angeles Rams (7-4) and the Arizona Cardinals (6-5) will both be looking to start their final stretch of the season with a win. These teams both call the NFC West home, where they sit side by side in the standings. The Rams are second in the division and just one win away from first place, while the Cardinals are right on their tail in third. The Cards also have to worry about the fourth-place team just one win behind them, though. The last time these teams played was in December of last year, where the Rams beat the Cards 31-24.
Rams Have Sights Set On Top Spot
The Rams will need to dig in their heels for the final stretch of the season, but they could have a chance at the top spot in their division. With only one win separating them from the number one team in the division, the Seahawks, a victory over the Cardinals could be what puts them over. However, with how close the NFC West is (only three victories separate the bottom team from the top team), they’ll have to be careful not to go the other way. They have one thing in their favor. So far this season, they haven’t lost more than one game in a row. This hasn’t happened since 2017. The Rams’ main strength lies in their defense- they’re in the top five in the league in total yards, passing yards, rushing yards, and points allowed per game.
The Rams last took the field on Sunday afternoon, where they took on the San Francisco 49ers. They lost the game, putting an end to the brief two-game win streak they were on before with a final score of 23-20. The Rams had 308 total yards, with 182 passing and 126 rushing. They had 14 first downs and a third-down efficiency of 4-13. The team allowed four turnovers, two interceptions, and two fumbles. The pair of interceptions thrown made ten that quarterback Jarad Goff has thrown over the past four games. Goff completed 19 of 31 passes and threw no touchdowns. Leading the team in rushing yards and having one of their two touchdowns was Cam Akers with 84 yards, while Robert Woods led the team with 80 receiving yards.
Cardinals Hope To Overtake Rams
With a victory on Sunday, the Cardinals could get their foot in the door of the second-place spot in their division. However, they might be facing a big problem when it comes to that. Starting quarterback Kyler Murray has been dealing with a shoulder injury since the Cardinals’ game against the Seahawks two weeks ago. In last week’s game, Murray only threw for 170 yards, well under his usual number that has brought him to the 13th most passing yards in the league this season. Since his injury, the Cardinals have lost both of their games. Arizona is second in the league in total yards per game (403.7) and is fourth in rushing yards (155.9). Though they’re 15th in passing yards, wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins has the fourth-most receiving yards in the league.
The Cardinals’ most recent loss was to the New England Patriots. After a strong first quarter that would see the Cards up by ten points, they would fail to generate any more points until the fourth quarter. The final score was 20-17, as the Patriots would kick a 50-yard field goal as time ran out to put them over. The Cardinals had just 298 total yards, 160 passing, and 138 rushing. They had 23 first downs, a third-down efficiency of 6-14, and a fourth-down efficiency of 0-1. Kyler Murray completed 23 of 34 passes and threw one interception while also rushing for 34 yards. Leading the team in rushing yards was Kenyan Drake with 78 yards and a pair of
Notable Trends
- The Cardinals are 0-4 ATS in their last 4 games overall.
- The Cardinals are 2-6 ATS in their last 8 home games vs. a team with a winning road record.
- The Rams are 9-1 ATS in their last 10 games following an ATS loss.
- The Rams are 5-1 ATS vs. a team with a winning record.
