Rams at Arizona Cardinals: Who has the edge?

RAMS (8-4) VS. CARDINALS (10-2)

When: Monday, 5:15 p.m.

Where: State Farm Stadium, Glendale, Ariz.

TV/radio: ESPN; 710 AM, 93.1 FM, 1330 AM (Spanish)

Line: Cardinals by 2-1/2

Notable wounded designations: Rams: RB Darrell Henderson went connected the COVID-19 reserve database Saturday; CB Robert Rochell (chest) is connected injured reserve; C Brian Allen (knee) is doubtful; OLB Terrell Lewis (back) and CB Dont’e Deayon (ill) are questionable. Cardinals: RB Chase Edmonds (ankle) could travel disconnected IR successful clip for the game; LG Justin Pugh (calf) is questionable.

What’s astatine stake? A triumph would enactment the second-place Rams 1 crippled backmost of the first-place Cardinals successful the NFC West with 4 to play, and each but warrant they’ll beryllium astatine slightest a playoff wildcard. Maybe much important, a triumph would amusement the Rams beryllium successful the playoffs to statesman with. They’re 1-4 against teams presently successful playoff position.

Who’s better? The Cardinals, truthful far. They’re 7-1, the Rams 4-3, against communal opponents (the Cardinals person beaten the 49ers twice). But this has been an unusually up-and-down twelvemonth for NFL contenders, and the Rams anticipation they’re connected the upswing aft snapping their losing streak astatine 3 games past Sunday.

Matchup to watch: Rams CB Jalen Ramsey vs. Cardinals WR DeAndre Hopkins. Ramsey’s versatile relation nary longer locks him successful to covering the opponent’s prima receiver each week. But helium enjoys matching up with Hopkins erstwhile helium can, successful a respectful rivalry that began erstwhile some players were successful the AFC South.

Rams triumph if … If QB Matthew Stafford avoids interceptions, and continues to impact WRs Odell Beckham Jr. and Van Jefferson more, against possibly the champion walk defence helium has faced this season. If the Rams’ walk unreserved and walk defence larn from Week 4 against Cardinals QB Kyler Murray, who leads the league successful passer rating, completion percent and yards per walk attempt. If the Rams’ peculiar teams proceed to amusement life, arsenic successful Brandon Powell’s 65-yard instrumentality of a Jaguars kickoff.

Fantasy pick: Rams K Matt Gay. In his archetypal afloat twelvemonth arsenic the Rams’ kicker, Gay has made 15 tract goals successful a enactment successful the 8 games since helium missed a 46-yarder successful the October crippled against the Cardinals. His 95.8% occurrence complaint leads the league.

Prediction: Cardinals 24, Rams 23. The anticipated duel betwixt 2 apical QBs truly is simply a matchup of defenses. The Rams’ defence (No. 6 successful Football Outsiders analytics) is amended than it was the archetypal clip the teams met, and the summation of OLB Von Miller could help. But Arizona’s defence (No. 3) is the strongest the Rams person faced, and that mightiness marque the quality successful a tense game.