Category: Cardinals vs. Rams

Rams injury report: TuTu Atwell still out, Leonard Floyd returns

Check out which Rams players appeared on Thursday’s injury report for Week 4.

The Los Angeles Rams released their second injury report of the week with mostly good news. After having five players sit out on Wednesday, only two players did not practice and only one was because of injury.

Rookie receiver TuTu Atwell was out for the second day in a row with an illness. The other player, linebacker Terrell Lewis, had the day off for rest.

Defensive tackle Aaron Donald and tackle Andrew Whitworth rested on Wednesday but returned as full participants on Thursday.

Linebacker Leonard Floyd (ankle) sat out on Wednesday but returned to practice Thursday as a full participant.

Rookie cornerback Robert Rochell (illness) was upgraded to limited on Thursday, while running back Darrell Henderson (ribs) was limited for the second day in a row.

Did not participate:

  • WR TuTu Atwell (illness)
  • LB Terrell Lewis (rest)

Limited participation:

  • CB Robert Rochell (illness)
  • RB Darrell Henderson (ribs)

Full participation:

  • LB Leonard Floyd (ankle)

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Cardinals injury report: DeAndre Hopkins returns as full participant on Thursday

The Cardinals still had three offensive linemen out on Thursday but WR DeAndre Hopkins was back at practice as a full participant.

The Arizona Cardinals returned to practice on Thursday and released their second injury report of the week. There one bit of good news, but things still look concerning on the offensive line.

For the second day in a row, three linemen were unable to practice. Tackle Kelvin Beachum (ribs), guard/tackle Justin Murray (back) and guard Justin Pugh (back) were all unable to practice Thursday, putting in doubt their availability on Sunday against the Los Angeles Rams.

Receiver DeAndre Hopkins, who was unable to practice all last week and sat out on Wednesday with a rib injury, was a full participant on Thursday, suggesting he will be at full health this Sunday.

There was a new addition to the list — running back Eno Benjamin. He was limited Thursday with a hamstring injury. He has not been active yet this season for any game.

Everyone who got the day off part of practice off on Wednesday for rest were all full participants on Thursday.

Did not participate:

  • RT Kelvin Beachum (ribs)
  • OL Justin Murray (back)
  • LG Justin Pugh (back)

Limited participation:

  • RB Eno Benjamin (hamstring)

Full participation:

  • WR DeAndre Hopkins (ribs)

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A look at the Cardinals’ last 8 games vs. the Rams

Can the Cardinals break the streak this weekend?

The Arizona Cardinals have an eight-game losing streak currently against the Los Angeles Rams. They have not beaten them while Sean McVay has been their head coach.

Most of the games haven’t been close.

Let’s look back at those games below.

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Kyler Murray unworried about MVP odds, his status as favorite to win award

“It’s a long season and I was raised and taught if you win as a team, the individual accolades will come.”

Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray, after three weeks of the NFL season, is the co-favorite to win the NFL MVP award this season with Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford. He isn’t fazed by the talk and he doesn’t seem to be paying attention.

“I haven’t seen that,” he said when it was brought up on Wednesday at his press conference. “What is it, Week 4?”

He continued.

“It is what it is,” he said. “It’s a long season and I was raised and taught if you win as a team, the individual accolades will come. That’s how I treated it in high school. That’s how I treated it when I won the Heisman. The same thing for now. I’m not really too worried about the MVP or anything like that.”

He is no stranger to awards and accolades.

He was the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2019 and was a Pro Bowler in 2020. He won the Heisman Trophy in 2018 for his play at Oklahoma, and he was Max Prep’s National Player of the Year twice in high school and the National Gatorade Player of the Year.

Murray maintains a firm focus on what is in the present. He wants to win and knows his role in that.

“The team’s expecting me to be my best on Sunday, so that’s how I see it and I’m excited for it,” he said.

Against the 3-0 Rams, a team they have not beaten in their last eight attempts, they will need his best and maybe more.

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Cardinals have not beaten Rams, QB Matthew Stafford in years

While the Cardinals have not beaten the Rams since 2016, they also have not beaten Stafford since 2015.

The Arizona Cardinals will take on the Los Angeles Rams this weekend, pitting two unbeaten teams against one another with two legitimate MVP candidates in the early going of the year. It is well known that the Cardinals have struggled against the Rams, but the struggles don’t end there.

The Cardinals have a significant losing streak against the Rams and a long streak without beating the Rams’ new starting quarterback, Matthew Stafford.

The Cardinals’ struggles against the Rams are well documented. They have not beaten the Rams in their last eight matchups, which spans the entire career of Rams head coach Sean McVay.

The Rams have not only beaten the Cardinals in eight straight games, but they also have almost all been blowouts.

The last time the Cardinals beat the Rams, it was 2016.

The last time they beat Stafford, it was 2015.

It wasn’t always that way. When he was with the Detroit Lions, Stafford went 0-5 in his first five starts against the Cardinals between 2009-2015.

Since then, he beat the Cardinals in 2017, 2018 and 2020. Their 2019 matchup in the season opener and Kyler Murray’s debut ended in a tie.

Stafford is playing as well as he ever has in his career, now in his first year with the Rams. He has led them to a 3-0 start, passing for 942 yards, nine touchdowns and only one interception.

If the Cardinals can somehow pick up a win this weekend, it will get two monkeys off their back and vault them into national prominence.

The Rams are favored to win this weekend.

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Cardinals add OL Zack Johnson to practice squad

He is added to the practice squad after receiver Josh Doctson was placed on the practice squad COVID list.

The Arizona Cardinals announced a number of moves on the practice squad on Wednesday. They made an additional move on Thursday, adding an offensive lineman.

Wednesday’s NFL transaction reports showed that practice squad receiver Josh Doctson was placed on the COVID reserve for the practice squad, which opened a spot on the roster.

They used it to add lineman Zack Johnson, whom they had in for a workout on Tuesday.

Johnson is a 6-6, 315-lb guard who entered the league as an undrafted rookie in 2020 out of North Dakota State.

He spent last season with the Green Bay Packers on their practice squad and was with them in training camp before being cut in August.

He can play both tackle and guard.

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Cardinals QB Kyler Murray now a favorite to win MVP

After 14/1 odds to win the award entering the 2021 season, he now is the favorite, tied with Matthew Stafford, at 6/1.

Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray is havingf a fantastic start to his 2021 season. Entering the season, he was one of the favorites to win the league MVP award. The three favorites then were Patrick Mahomes, Aaron Rodgers and Josh Allen.

Things have changed since the start of the season and now, according to Tipico Sportsbook, Murray is the favorite, tied with Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford.

Back before the season, Murray’s odds to win MVP were +1400 or 14/1 odds. Now, they have dropped all the way to +600 or 6/1.

You can’t argue the numbers. Check out where he stands in a number of statistical categories.

No other quarterback is in the top five in passing yards, completion percentages, yards per attempt, passer rating and touchdown passes. Plus, he is tied for the NFL lead with three rushing touchdowns.

Oh, and the Cardinals are 3-0.

Murray and Stafford, currently co-favorites to win the MVP award, face off this weekend in California.

The Cardinals face the Rams and seek their first win against them since Sean McVay became head coach in 2017. They also have not beaten Stafford since 2015.

It will be a fun weekend. Two MVP favorites battling it out in a divisional game between two unbeaten teams.

It is must-watch football.

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Cardinals protect 4 players on practice squad in Week 4, including rookie S James Wiggins

Among the four players the Cardinals protected, one of is safety James Wiggins, drafted in the seventh round this year.

The Arizona Cardinals have elected to protect four practice squad players in Week 4, according to the NFL transaction report on Tuesday. Not included on this list is recently added cornerback Quinton Dunbar.

His signing did not become official until Wednesday after the Cardinals made their selections.

The four players they are protecting this week, keeping other teams from being able to sign them, are the following:

  • S Chris Banjo
  • T Eric Smith
  • TE Ross Travis
  • S James Wiggins

Banjo has been elevated to the active roster each of the last two weeks and likely will be again this week when the Cardinals take on the Rams. He is a core special teams player, and his presence is more important with the loss of safety Charles Washington, who was placed on injured reserve.

Smith’s protection is surely related to the injury of Kelvin Beachum. His availability is in doubt with a rib injury that kept him out of the last game and a half.

Wiggins might be elevated to replace Washington. Washington is one of the Cardinals’ gunners on the punt team. Wiggins got work as a punt gunner in training camp and in the preseason.

He was one of the Cardinals’ draft picks this year, getting selected in the seventh round out of Cincinnati.

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Rams injury report: 5 players sit out Wednesday practice

Five Rams sat out and one was limited in Wednesday’s practice.

The Los Angeles Rams kicked off their week of practice for their Week 4 matchup at home against the Arizona Cardinals and released their first injury report of the week. Six players were on it and five did not participate.

Two players — tackle Andre Whitworth and defensive tackle Aaron Donald — were given the day off with rest. They did not participate but are not injured.

Rookie receiver Tutu Atwell and rookie cornerback Robert Rochell both sat out with an illness. Linebacker Leonard Floyd sat out with an ankle injury.

Running back Darrell Henderson (ribs) was limited on Wednesday.

Did not participate:

  • WR Tutu Atwell (illness)
  • DT Aaron Donald (rest)
  • T Andre Whitworth (rest)
  • CB Robert Rochell (illness)
  • LB Leonard Floyd (ankle)

Limited participation:

  • RB Darrell Henderson (ribs)

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Cardinals injury report: 7 players do not practice Wednesday

Check out the Cardinals’ first injury report of the week in Week 4.

The Arizona Cardinals began their week of practice to prepare for an NFC West showdown on the road against the Los Angeles Rams. On their first injury report of the week, eight players appeared on the list and seven did not practice.

Three who sat out were not because of injuries. Linebacker Chandler Jones, center Rodney Hudson and defensive tackle Corey Peters all had the day off, as they often do on Wednesdays. Receiver A.J. Green was given a partial day off and was listed as limited for rest.

The four other players on the list had known injuries.

Tackle Kelvin Beachum and receiver DeAndre Hopkins did not practice with rib injuries, while offensive linemen Justin Pugh and Justin Murray both were out with back injuries.

Beachum and Hopkins missed practice all week last week. Beachum did not play but Hopkins did. Pugh and Murray both exited the first half of Sunday’s game.

Head coach Kliff Kingsbury said earlier in the week that they are day-to-day and was not certain whether or not they would be able to play this week.

Did not participate:

  • OT Kelvin Beachum (ribs)
  • WR DeAndre Hopkins (ribs)
  • G Justin Pugh (back)
  • OL Justin Murray (back)
  • C Rodney Hudson (rest)
  • DT Corey Peters (rest)
  • OLB Chandler Jones (rest)

Limited participation:

  • WR A.J. Green (rest)

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