Category: Cardinals vs. Rams

‘Madden’ simulation predicts 37-3 Cardinals win over Rams

The Cardinals rattle off 37 unanswered points and sack Matthew Stafford eight times in this simulation of Sunday’s big game in the NFC West.

The Arizona Cardinals have a huge game Sunday afternoon, facing the Los Angeles Rams on the road. The Rams are the Cardinals’ toughest opponent thus far.

Most expect a highly contested game, but a simulation of the game on Madden NFL 22 gave a very different result.

The Cardinals defense harrassed Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford, sacking him eight times and intercepting him once, and the Cardinals won the simulation 37-3.

The Rams scored the first points of the game with a 45-yard field goal on the first drive of the game, and the defense forced the Cardinals to go three-and-out but Stafford was picked off by cornerback Robert Alford, who returned it to the three-yard line.

Kyler Murray scored on a one-yard run to take the lead and then the Cardinals would score 37 unanswered points.

Murray had 200 passing yards and a touchdown to go with his rushing score.

The running backs were productive. Chase Edmonds had 16 carries for 56 yards and a touchdown and also caught three passes for 67 yards. James Conner had 68 rushing yards and two scores.

A.J. Green had six catches for 44 yards and a touchdown and DeAndre Hopkins caught three for 55 yards.

J.J. Watt had four sacks, Chandler Jones added 1.5 with Byron Murphy picking up a half sacks, while Zach Allen and Isaiah Simmons both added one.

Stafford  was limited to 162 passing yards.

It seems unlikely this will happen in the actual game, but if it does, it will be fun for Cardinals fans.

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Keys to a Week 4 Cardinals’ win over the Rams

The Cardinals and Rams battle it out in Week 4 with both unbeaten. Here is how the Cardinals can win the game.

The 3-0 Arizona Cardinals will take on the 3-0 Los Angeles Rams on the road in a matchup that will determine the early favorite to win the NFC West. The Cardinals have not beaten the Rams in their last eight attempts, so it will not come easy.

If they are to somehow defeat the Rams, this is what they will have to do.

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Cardinals activate Dennis Gardeck from IR, elevate 2 from practice squad

Gardeck will play in his first game since tearing his ACL in December.

Linebacker Dennis Gardeck is back! After the release of cornerback Luq Barcoo earlier in the week, there was a vacancy on the Arizona Cardinals’ 53-man roster. The Cardinals filled that vacancy, officially activating Gardeck from injured reserve.

Gardeck was placed on IR in Week 1 after suffering a hand injury. He was also recovering from a torn ACL he suffered in December of last season.

His return will be a boost to special teams and to the pass rush. He is a high-level special teams player and, last year, developed into an effective pass rusher. He was second on the team with seven sacks in only 93 defensive snaps.

The team also elevated two players from the practice squad. One is safety Chris Banjo. The other is tackle Eric Smith.

The addition of Smith to the roster suggests that the Cardinals will be without at least one offensive lineman on Sunday when they take on the Los Angeles Rams. Tackle Kelvin Beachum, guard Justin Pugh and versatile lineman Justin Murray are all questionable for the game.

This is the final standard elevation the Cardinals can do with Banjo without him having to clear waivers to rejoin the practice squad.

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Behind enemy lines: Cardinals-Rams Q&A preview

Rams Wire managing editor Cameron DaSilva give Cardinals fans some insight about Arizona’s next opponent.

The Arizona Cardinals and Los Angeles Rams will face one another Saturday afternoon in a battle of two 3-0 teams. It is the first of two divisional matchups between the two teams. The winner takes the early lead in the NFC West.

They are familiar foes, of course, but being the first time they face each other in the 2021 season, to help give us some insight to the Cardinals’ opponent, Rams Wire managing editor Cameron DaSilva answered some questions and gives us a peek behind enemy line.

My questions and his answers are below.

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Dueling expert picks for Cardinals vs. Rams

The managing editors for both Cards Wire and Rams Wire make their picks and scoring predictions for the Week 4 battle between the Rams and Cardinals.

The Arizona Cardinals and Los Angeles Rams meet Sunday afternoon in a battle of unbeaten NFC West rivals. The Rams have beaten the Cardinals in their last eight matchups and, this year, look like the best team in the NFC.

The Cardinals are 3-0 themselves and have what appears to be an unstoppable offense so far this season.

The Rams defense, as dominant as it has been in years past, is not at that point yet this season.

How will this game play out?

Rams Wire managing editor Cameron DaSilva and I give our dueling expert picks for the game this weekend.

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Rams injury report: RB Darrell Henderson, WR TuTu Atwell officially questionable

The Rams are close to completely healthy as they get ready to host the Cardinals in Week 4.

The Los Angeles Rams released their final injury report for Week 4 and they will have pretty close to a completely healthy roster when they take on the Arizona Cardinals.

No player was ruled out and only two are officially questionable.

Running back Darrell Henderson (ribs), who was limited Wednesday and Thursday, was a full participant in practice on Friday. He is officially questionable, although head coach Sean McVay indicated Henderson would play on Sunday.

Rookie receiver TuTu Atwell, who also returns punts for the Rams, returned to practice on Friday after dealing with an illness. He did not practice Wednesday or Thursday but was a full participant on Friday.

He is also listed as questionable. If he can’t go on Sunday, veteran receiver DeSean Jackson could return punts.

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3 Cardinals O-linemen to be game-day decisions vs. Rams

Kelvin Beachum, Justin Pugh and Justin Murray will all be questionable for the game on Sunday. Beachum did not practice all week.

The Arizona Cardinals have not yet released their final injury report of the week but eyes are on their offensive line. Two starters — tackle Kelvin Beachum and guard Justin Pugh — and their top backup, Justin Murray all are injured.

All are game-day decisions when they take on the Los Angeles Rams, said head coach Kliff Kingsbury, according to AZCardinals.com’s Darren Urban.

Beachum missed the last game with a rib injury. Pugh and Murray left the game last week with back injuries.

The Cardinals finished the game against the Jaguars with Max Garcia and Sean Harlow at guard. Josh Jones started at right tackle.

None of the three practiced at all Wednesday or Thursday this week and, according to Urban as well, Beachum was not on the field during the open portion of Friday’s practice. Murray and Pugh were.

With Beachum apparently not practicing at all this week, Josh Jone is likely to start at right tackle.

It will be more of a question of whether either Pugh or Murray can play.

Getting at least one back would be big. Jones can man tackle and then only one of the two positions would be manned by someone other than a regular.

If both can return, they will be in good shape to compete against a talented Rams defensive line.

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Cardinals release CB Luq Barcoo, suggesting potential return of LB Dennis Gardeck

Gardeck was designated to return from IR this week and could possibly be activated for the game against the Rams.

On the NFL transaction report Thursday, a roster move by the Arizona Cardinals appeared, one that was not announced. They released cornerback Luq Barcoo.

Barcoo thus far this season had not been active in three games. The team signed Antonio Hamilton from the practice squad to the active roster.

However, his release actually suggests a different roster move.

Linebacker Dennis Gardeck was designated for return from injured reserve this week. The Cardinals would need to open a roster spot to activate him this week.

Gardeck tore his ACL in December and then suffered a hand injury in practice in Week 1. His potential return could add a little oomph to the pass rush. He had seven sacks last season in only 93 defensive snaps.

The Cardinals might announce roster moves Friday or might wait until Saturday when they make decisions about what players on the practice squad to elevate to the active roster, but one to watch for is the potential return of Gardeck, who will impact play on special teams and also give some help on defense.

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Cardinals can’t afford to allow return TDs against Rams

In three of the last four games against the Rams, the Cardinals have thrown a pick-six and have allowed two return touchdowns the least 2 weeks.

The Arizona Cardinals have started the season 3-0 for the first time since 2015, when they last made the playoffs. They have won the last two games despite allowing return touchdowns.

Minnesota Vikings linebacker Nick Vigil intercepted Kyler Murray and returned it for a touchdown. It gave the Vikings the lead early in the second half. The Cardinals went on to win 34-33.

Against the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 3, they had a missed field goal returned 109 yards for a touchdown. It gave them a lead before halftime, but the Cardinals came back to win 31-19.

That won’t work against the Rams. They can’t let any unit score touchdowns other than the offense.

In three of the last four games against the Rams, Cardinals quarterbacks have thrown a pick-six.

In the Cardinals’ Week 17 loss to the Rams last season, the pick-six thrown by Chris Streveler before halftime turned the tide.

Kyler Murray threw a pick-six in their matchup in Arizona last season.

In 2019, Murray threw a pick-six against the Rams coming out of the bye.

The Rams offense is tough enough on its own without allowing the defense to score or having a kick returned for a touchdown.

If there is one thing that the Cardinals can do to give themselves a better chance of winning on Sunday, it would be to only allow the Rams offense to get into the end zone.

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Cardinals will make a statement in Week 4, no matter what result is vs. Rams

The Cardinals will either be viewed as a contender or as a tier below the Rams and other top teams in the NFC.

The Arizona Cardinals head to California this weekend to take on the 3-0 Los Angeles Rams. The Cardinals, of course, are also 3-0.

It is a matchup of the two top teams in the NFC West, arguably the top division in the NFL.

The Rams are favored in the game and are considered perhaps the best team in the NFC and the NFL.

The Cardinals, after one impressive win and a pair of shaky ones, look good but there are still questions about this team.

This weekend, no matter what happens against the Rams, a statement will be made about the Cardinals.

If they win, they snap an eight-game losing streak against the Rams and send a message to the rest of the NFL that they are for real. They are legitimate contenders in the NFC.

If they lose, but in a competitive game that comes down to the end, they establish that they are a team to worry about.

If they are beaten handily like most of the last eight games against the Rams, they will continue to be viewed as a tier below the Rams in the NFC and in the division. Questions will linger about their start.

Quarterback Kyler Murray has been great. The defense has been great at times. The team is overcoming mistakes and adversity.

It is undeniably a better team than last year’s 8-8 squad, but we will find out a little more about this team on Sunday.

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