The NFC West has been tight all season, but finally some separation has occurred with the playoffs on the horizon. The Los Angeles Rams bested the New York Jets in Week 16 to win their fourth straight, securing a division lead with two games to go. The Arizona Cardinals, meanwhile, failed to outlast the Carolina Panthers in overtime of their last contest, resulting in elimination from the postseason altogether.
Now, the two rivals will go head to head in a Saturday night showdown with additional playoff implications. While Arizona is out of the race, Kyler Murray and Co. can still play spoiler — and perhaps audition for 2025 jobs — against a Rams team that is trying to stay ahead of the Seattle Seahawks, who won their game on Thursday night.
How can you tune in? Which matchups are most pivotal? And who’s primed to walk away with the win? Here’s our preview and sports betting prediction:
Rams vs. Cardinals where to watch
Date: Saturday, Dec. 28 | Time: 8:10 p.m. ET
Location: SoFi Stadium (Inglewood, California)
TV: NFL Network | Stream: fubo (try for free)
Follow: CBS Sports App
Odds: Rams -5.5 (SportsLine consensus)
Keys to the game
- Can the Cardinals elevate their aerial attack? Running back James Conner has been effective when healthy, but he’s nursing a knee injury after Arizona’s battle with Carolina, and backup Trey Benson is also hurt. Even if the backfield were at full health, the Cardinals desperately need more from Kyler Murray under center, where the former No. 1 overall pick has thrown six picks in his last five games.
- Can Sean McVay’s offense shift into high gear? The Rams have won four straight, but they’ve scored a combined 31 points over their last two, scraping by the Jets and San Francisco 49ers. The last time they matched up with Arizona, they also mustered just 10 points in a blowout loss. Hosting the rematch on the SoFi turf may help accelerate Matthew Stafford and Kyren Williams‘ production.
- Has the Rams defense truly turned a corner? Los Angeles ranks just 24th in total defense and 17th in scoring defense, but the team has surrendered just 15 points over the last two weeks. Their front, in particular, has a slew of potential difference-makers, from Byron Young (11 tackles for loss) and rookie edge rusher Jared Verse (11 tackles for loss) to interior stud Kobie Turner (7 sacks).
Prediction
It’s wild how much has changed since September, when the Cardinals trounced the Rams, 41-10, and Kyler Murray looked like a potential MVP candidate throwing it up to Marvin Harrison Jr. Arizona has stayed relatively scrappy, but Jonathan Gannon’s squad has lacked a finishing touch, or a reliable passing attack (ranked 21st), leaving the Cardinals especially dependent on a ball-control rushing attack. That bodes poorly for a rematch in L.A., where the Rams haven’t lit the world on fire but are always liable to explode off the arm of Matthew Stafford. Plus, Sean McVay’s team still has January ball ahead.
Pick: Rams 26, Cardinals 16
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Author: Cody Benjamin
December 28, 2024 | 9:05 pm
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