The Arizona Cardinals will face the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday for the first of two matchups this season. This first one is at home at State Farm Stadium with both teams sitting at 0-1, both having suffered six-point losses on the road to start the season.
Getting ready for this first matchup, Rams Wire managing editor Cam DaSilva, who also appeared on the podcast this week, answers a few questions, taking us “behind enemy lines.”
Week 1
In Week 1 , what things went the best and the worst for the Rams in the loss to the Lions?
The defense was surprisingly effective against a loaded Lions offense. Amon-Ra St. Brown was held to three catches for 13 yards and Jameson Williams was the only other wideout to catch a pass (five catches, 121 yards). The pass rush was promising in its first game without Aaron Donald, too, getting fairly consistent pressure from Jared Verse, Byron Young and Cobie Turner. Oh, and that Cooper Kupp guy looks fully back, too.
As for the bad, the offensive line was a mess because of the injuries suffered up front. Matthew Stafford was under constant pressure and the ground game couldn’t get going behind the makeshift line. Stafford still managed to play extremely well given the circumstances, but he needs better protection.
Strengths and weaknesses
What do you think will be the Rams’ greatest strength against the Cardinals and where will they be weakest against them?
I think they should have success running the ball. With a week to prepare with their jumbled O-line, they should be more effective in their game plan against Arizona than they were against the Lions when they had to make in-game adjustments. Kyren Williams had over 300 yards rushing against the Cards last season and while I don’t expect another 150-yard game, he should be effective. They could struggle to stop James Conner and the Cardinals’ rushing attack on defense. The Lions ran the ball down Los Angeles’ throat in Week 1, particularly as the game went on, so that could be a problem.
New Rams players
Which Rams newcomers should Cardinals fans expect to make an impact?
Colby Parkinson is a familiar face in the NFC West and he looks like he’s going to be an impact player at tight end. He had four catches for 47 yards in the opener and played just about every snap, so he’s going to be involved.
On defense, look for Verse to play well in his second NFL game. He ranked sixth among all edge rushers in Week 1 with six pressures and against the Cardinals’ tackles, he could have another sack or two on Sunday.
Biggest threat to the Rams
Which Cardinals players do you believe will be the biggest threat to the Rams in the game?
I’ll go back to Conner for this one. He’s a big, physical back who matches up well against the Rams’ slightly undersized front, particularly when he runs between the tackles. The Rams are susceptible to opposing rushing attacks with the changes that have been made up front and Conner could help the Cards sustain drives and keep the ball away from Stafford.
Picks and predictions
Who wins this game and why? What will the final score be?
Sean McVay seems to have the Cardinals’ number, going 13-2 in 15 career games against Arizona. Obviously, these are two different teams now than the ones we saw in recent years, but I still think the Rams get the job done on the road. As injured as they are, they can now prepare to be without some of their starters rather than needing to adjust in-game to the losses of Avila, Nacua and Noteboom. It could be a slightly lower-scoring game, but I’ll go Rams 24, Cardinals 21.
Get more Cardinals and NFL coverage from Cards Wire’s Jess Root and others by listening to the latest on the Rise Up, See Red podcast. Subscribe on Spotify, YouTube or Apple podcasts.
