The Los Angeles Rams and Arizona Cardinals are each coming off disappointing losses last week, and are now each looking up at the Seattle Seahawks in the standings as a result. Both teams will look to end tough stretches as the Rams have lost two of their last four games while Arizona has lost three of four. The Rams and Cardinals would both be playoff teams as wild cards in the NFC if the season ended today, and this game is sure to have huge implications on the NFC playoff race going forward. Can Arizona change the outlook on their future and avoid their fourth loss in the last five games, or will the Rams keep the pressure on the Seahawks and stay on their tails in hopes of winning the NFC West?
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Details
- Opening Lines: DraftKings had the odds open as Rams -2.5; O/U 48.5
- Location: State Farm Stadium, Glendale, AZ
- Start Time: 4:05 pm ET
- Television: FOX
- Last Meeting: December 29, 2019 - Rams 31, Cardinals 24
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LAR
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-3
-103
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o48.5
-110
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-157
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ARI
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+3
-120
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u48.5
-110
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+138
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View consensus odds, picks, and matchup notes from top betting experts for the Rams vs. Cardinals >>
Overview
Before being quick to jump off the Los Angeles Rams’ bandwagon after last week’s loss, bettors should re-examine if Kyle Shanahan and the 49ers are merely kryptonite for them. The Rams are 0-2 against San Francisco, but 7-2 against all other opponents. In addition, their two losses are quality losses against the two teams atop the AFC East in Buffalo and Miami. One thing that has plagued Los Angeles lately is an inconsistent offense. The Rams have not topped 27 points in any of the last six weeks and continue to be plagued by costly turnovers, many of which have led directly to opponents’ points. Los Angeles ranks 27th in the league with 19 total giveaways, and have been relying on their second-ranked total defense to bail them out and keep them in games.
If not for a miraculous Hail Mary to beat the Buffalo Bills, the Arizona Cardinals would enter this game on a four-game losing streak. It is fair to wonder if quarterback Kyler Murray is 100% healthy after injuring his right shoulder two weeks ago against Seattle. Though his status for Sunday does not appear in doubt, he was still limited at practice this week, which is a sign the team is being cautious with him. Either way, it seems teams have figured out somewhat of a blueprint to slow down Murray and this offense over the last few weeks. After facing a blitz on 17% of his dropbacks when Arizona went 5-2, he has now been blitzed on 39% on his dropbacks over the last four weeks. Perhaps not coincidentally, the Cardinals are 1-3 in those games.
Trends
- The Rams are 6-0 SU in their last six games against the Cardinals.
- The under is 6-0 in the last six games the Rams have played on Sundays.
- The Cardinals are 1-5 ATS in their last six day games.
Prop Bet (odds courtesy of FanDuel)
To Score First and Lose: Arizona Cardinals (+340), Los Angeles Rams (+380)
There is risk involved with a wager like this, as your bet is dead if you incorrectly identify the team that scores first. However, it happens often that the team that scores first in an NFL game does not go on to win. For example, the New York Jets have scored first each of the last three weeks, and we know how their season is going. Therefore, these odds are much more enticing than a standard moneyline bet. Look for Arizona to score first early before ultimately the better team prevails.
Pick: Arizona Cardinals (+340)
Bottom Line
At first glance, it may puzzle some bettors as to why the 7-4 Rams are definitive road favorites over the 6-5 Cardinals. However, it is hard to ignore Los Angeles’s dominance over Arizona since Sean McVay took over as head coach. Granted, just two of those meetings have been with Kyler Murray under center, but I still trust McVay more than Kliff Kingsbury at this point in their career. The Rams are at a good buy-low spot at this point considering their puzzling home loss to San Francisco. However, it is hard to ignore how well the Rams match up with the Cardinals.
First and foremost, the Rams possess a shutdown cornerback that can negate the big play ability of Arizona’s DeAndre Hopkins. Jalen Ramsey held Seahawks wide receiver D.K. Metcalf well below his season averages in their lone meeting this year, as Metcalf went for just 28 yards on two receptions. If Hopkins is negated, that puts more emphasis on receivers like Christian Kirk and Andy Isabella who are not used to being the alpha males of an offense. In addition, Arizona’s running game has struggled of late, as Kenyan Drake has averaged just 2.6 and 3.5 YPC respectively over his last two games.
If Kyler Murray is still not 100% and continues to show signs of being hampered by a shoulder injury, this Rams defensive front will have a field day. So long as Rams quarterback Jared Goff takes care of the football, they should be balanced enough on offense to keep Arizona’s defense honest, in what will likely be a lower-scoring game than oddsmakers predict.
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Mike Spector is a featured writer at BettingPros. For more from Mike, check out his archive and follow him @MikeSpector01.