The Arizona Cardinals are on the road in Week 6 taking on the Los Angeles Rams. It is their second NFC West road game in 3 weeks and the first time they face the Rams this season under head coach Jonathan Gannon.
The Cardinals are 1-4 and the Rams are 2-3.
While the Rams are a familiar opponent, they are a different-looking team than in times past.
To get some insight on this version of the Rams, Rams Wire managing editor Cam DaSilva answers some of my questions and takes us “behind enemy lines” this week.
My questions and his answers are below.
Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Spotify.
The 2-3 Rams
What sort of 2-3 team are the Rams so far this season? Are they better, the same or worse than what their record looks like and why?
That’s a great question because it’s hard to answer. On one hand, they barely beat the Colts after blowing a 23-point lead, so they could be 1-4. On the other hand, their only three losses were to three teams in the conference championship games last year, and they had a chance to win all three of those games – despite what the scoreboard says. I think they’re better than their record indicates and now they have Cooper Kupp back, so I wouldn’t be the least bit surprised to see them go on a little bit of a run.
Surprises and disappointments
What has been most surprising and most disappointing about the season so far?
The most surprising part of this season has been the emergence of Puka Nacua and Tutu Atwell. Before the year began, the Rams were looking at having one of the worst receiving corps in the NFL. But with Nacua breaking out as a rookie and Atwell finally looking like a complete receiver, they were able to overcome the absence of Kupp.
What’s been most disappointing is some of Sean McVay’s game planning. He hasn’t adjusted at halftime, which has caused the offense to go ice cold, and against the Bengals, he abandoned the run far too quickly despite the score being close throughout. He just hasn’t had the best game plans thus far.
Puka and Tutu
How has Puka Nacua been able to be so productive, even after Cooper Kupp’s return, and what can we expect to see from Tutu Atwell now that Kupp is back?
Nacua does a lot of similar things as Kupp, being a bigger slot receiver who is also elusive and shifty after the catch. He picks up hidden yardage by carrying defenders forward and gaining yards after contact, but he also does a great job getting open against zones where he shows a great feel for when to sit down in a hole or when to continue his route. With Atwell, his role shrunk a little bit after Kupp returned but he’s still a key part of this offense and a legitimate deep threat. He and Matthew Stafford haven’t connected on a real deep shot yet, but he uses his speed to create separation over the middle, which is huge for his offense, too.
Against the Cardinals
What should the Rams be able to do well or easily against the Cardinals and what might they struggle with?
I would think they’d be able to throw the ball relatively easily against this secondary. With a receiving corps of Nacua, Kupp and Atwell, they certainly have the edge against Arizona’s corners. What they might struggle with is tackling the Cardinals’ ball carriers in the open field. Tackling has been an issue all year and while the Cardinals aren’t littered with playmakers, Rondale Moore and Josh Dobbs could be problems for Los Angeles.
Prediction!
What is your prediction for this game?
I’m going with the Rams in this one, and I don’t think it should be a very close game. As long as they can apply even the slightest bit of pressure on Dobbs and stop the run (without James Conner), they should be in great shape because I don’t think Arizona has the offensive firepower to keep up. The Rams have been an awful second-half team, so the Cardinals have a shot to keep it close in the third and fourth quarters, but I still like the Rams to win and cover. Rams 27, Cardinals 17
