NFL
By George Lopez
The Los Angeles Rams head to Arizona to face the Cardinals in an NFC West showdown. The Rams are looking to bounce back following a disappointing 31-28 loss to the Carolina Panthers that ended their 6-game winning streak. It was the type of game that the team called a humbling experience. The Cardinals are looking to end their 4-game losing streak following their 20-17 loss to Tampa Bay. The Rams are looking to remain in first place in the NFC West as they gear up for a playoff push. The Cardinals are looking to play spoiler as they look to hand the Rams a second consecutive defeat.
Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford and an uncharacteristic game in terms of turnovers against the Panthers. Stafford did pass for 243 yards with 2 touchdowns. Going into the game, Stafford had thrown 2 interceptions on the season. Against the Panthers, Stafford matched that number by throwing 2 interceptions, including a pick-6. Stafford has had a fumble on a strip sack as the Rams were driving towards a game-tying field goal or the go-ahead touchdown late in the game. Stafford will look to put that game behind him. Stafford will look to get more receivers involved in the Rams’ passing attack, as only 5 receivers registered a reception. Puka Nacua led the way with 6 receptions for 72 yards. Davante Adams was limited to 4 receptions, though 2 went for touchdowns.
The Rams’ running game was firing on all cylinders against the Panthers as they rushed for 152 yards on 21 carries. Blake Corum led the way with 81 yards on only 7 carries. Kyren Williams contributed 71 yards on 13 carries. With the running game working, Rams head coach Sean McVay can stay with a balanced offensive attack that makes the offense difficult to contain. The Rams are facing a Cardinals defense that is allowing 113 yards a game. Look for Coach McVay to go to his running game early to test the Cardinals’ run defense.
Arizona’s offense is led by quarterback Jacoby Brissett. Since taking over for the injured Kyler Murray, Brissett has passed for 2188 yards with 13 touchdowns. Brissett has done a good job of taking care of the football, as he has only thrown 4 interceptions in his 9 games. Pass protection has been an issue for the Cardinals as Brissett has been sacked 26 times this season. Rams defensive coordinator Chris Shula will look to bring pressure on Brissett and test the Cardinals’ offensive line’s pass protection. Though he is not as big a threat as Kyler Murray, Brissett does have the ability to tuck the ball and run. The Rams’ defensive edge rushers, led by Bryon Young and Jared Verse, will need to maintain outside containment and not give Brissett an escape lane to the outside. The Rams’ defensive line, led by Kobie Turner and Braden Fiske, will look to bring inside pressure and collapse the pocket around Brissett.
Cardinals TE Trey McBride has been the go-to receiver in the Cardinals’ passing attack. On the season, McBride has 88 receptions for 879 yards and 8 touchdowns. The Rams’ pass coverage will need to be mindful of where McBride is lined up in the Cardinals’ offensive sets. WR Marvin Harrison, Jr will be a receiver that Brissett will look to stretch the field and throw outside the numbers. Harrison has 40 receptions on the season. After allowing multiple touchdown passes of over 30 yards to Panthers quarterback Bryce Young, the Cardinals will look to test the Rams’ secondary, particularly Emmanuel Forbes, Jr, as he allowed two of those touchdowns.
The Rams’ run defense was a disappointment against the Panthers, allowing 164 rushing yards. Throughout the game, the Rams’ defense was beating off the ball, and the Panthers were able to open running lanes. The Cardinals will look to attack the run defense early. With RB James Conner out with an injury, the Cardinals have used multiple running backs. Bam Knight leads the team with 255 rushing yards and 4 touchdowns. The Rams’ defense will look to Knight to get a bulk of carries for the Cardinals. RB Emari Demercardo has been limited in practice as he deals with an ankle injury, and his status for the game is uncertain. If Demercardo is not able to play, look for RB Michael Carter to be the primary backup running back. The Rams’ defense will look to shut down the Cardinals’ running game and make the offense one-dimensional.
The team were humbled by the Panthers as they entered the game running high on their six-game winning streak. This type of defeat will get the Rams to lock in as they gear up for a playoff push. The Arizona Cardinals’ season has not gone as the team would have liked. The Cardinals would like nothing better than to play spoiler against the Rams and give them a second consecutive defeat. The Rams will use the loss to the Panthers as a motivator for the remainder of the season. Look for Rams to get back in the win column with a convincing victory over the Cardinals.
Rams 34
Cardinals 13
