Rams-Cardinals won’t be broadcast to a large part of the country on Sunday.
After five straight games against non-divisional foes, the Los Angeles Rams are back in action against an NFC West rival in Week 13. They’ll be on the road for the first time since Week 10, too, visiting the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday afternoon.
This game won’t be on national television like the last two Rams games were, which means the audience watching at home will be significantly smaller. It’ll be televised for those in Arizona and Los Angeles, but beyond that, not many areas will get the game.
Check the 506 Sports map below to see if Rams-Cardinals will be on TV near you.
Most of the country won’t get a late-afternoon game on FOX with 49ers-Ravens being on the network at 1 p.m. ET, which is why the Rams-Cardinals game won’t be on TV in very many locations.
Raiders-Chiefs will be the late-afternoon game most fans get on CBS, with part of the country getting Chargers-Broncos instead.
30 years ago, Flipper Anderson set the all-time single-game receiving record with 336 yards.
Only six players in NFL history have eclipsed the 300-yard receiving mark in a single game, with just two of those instances coming this century. Julio Jones and Calvin Johnson had two of the best receiving performances in recent memory, but neither player was able to match Flipper Anderson’s game in 1989.
Against the Saints 30 years ago on November 26, Anderson went off for 336 yards receiving – an NFL record that still stands today. He caught 15 passes that day with his longest reception going for 50 yards, though he only scored one touchdown in the Rams’ 20-17 win.
As favorable as the rules are for passing attacks today, no receiver has been able to break Anderson’s record – though Johnson’s 329 yards against the Cowboys in 2013 came close.
Check out highlights from his performance below.
336 RECEIVING YARDS…
29 years ago today, Willie "Flipper" Anderson set an NFL record that still stands.
Anderson finished that season with 44 catches for 1,146 yards and five touchdowns, leading the league in yards per reception (26). He topped the NFL in that same category the following year, averaging 21.5 yards per catch.
Although he never made the Pro Bowl, Anderson’s career will always be remembered for that 336-yard performance against the Saints.
The Rams will once again face an elite dual-threat quarterback on Sunday after getting torched by Lamar Jackson.
The Rams defense did almost nothing right against Lamar Jackson and the Ravens on Monday night, getting blown out 45-6 on their home field. It was their ugliest performance under Sean McVay, setting them back significantly in the playoff race.
They won’t get a break from facing dynamic quarterbacks anytime soon, either, with Kyler Murray next on their schedule, followed by meetings with Russell Wilson and Dak Prescott.
Murray is an outstanding athlete and has done an excellent job as the Cardinals’ starter this season, making a huge impact as a rookie. He has 14 touchdown passes and only five interceptions, taking great care of the football while also making big plays.
Sean McVay gave the rookie quarterback a lot of credit during Wednesday’s press conference, explaining the similarities and differences between Murray and Jackson.
“There is a similarity in terms of these are elite athletes that are playing the quarterback position that are legitimate threats as runners when they do decide to tuck it,” McVay said. “There’s a little bit different approach schematically that these guys take, but I mean you look at some of the instances when they have utilized Kyler as a runner, it’s been impressive. He gets around the corner quickly, he’s got great acceleration, he’s got great feel for how to manipulate and maneuver through traffic while avoiding taking those hits. And then some of the things you see with his ability to change the launch point, his ability to speed it up, make all those different types of throws – in the pocket, out of the pocket. It’s been really impressive and how good a job he’s done in taking care of the football.
“They’ve truly improved throughout the year on offense and they’ve had some really impressive performances as of late against some top-tier defenses.”
In two games against the 49ers in the last three weeks, Murray had four touchdown passes and zero interceptions with another 101 rushing yards and one touchdown. That was against one of the best defenses in football, making them look very beatable – something few players have been able to do this year.
The Rams will need to be much better on Sunday afternoon against Murray than they were against Jackson, but that’s easier said than done. Both players can make a defense pay with their legs, and Murray has done plenty of that this season.
Samson Ebukam was arguably the Rams’ best defender in Week 12.
Samson Ebukam was somewhat of an afterthought for the Rams early in the season, getting replaced by Clay Matthews as the starting outside linebacker. His role grew after Matthews broke his jaw in Week 5, but he didn’t have much an impact.
On Monday night against the Ravens, though, he was clearly the Rams’ best defender on the field – which admittedly isn’t saying much, since they allowed 45 points and 285 yards rushing. He had 1.5 sacks and a tackle for loss, making seven total tackles. He also hit the quarterback three times, which is the same number he had on the year entering Week 13.
Ebukam played 44 snaps, which was just six fewer than Dante Fowler Jr. and 10 fewer than Matthews. He’s making a push for more playing time as the Rams continue to rotate their edge rushers, putting together one of the better performances in the NFL this past week.
Despite the end result, #LARams Samson Ebukam made lemonade out of lemons on Monday night against the #RavensFlock
Among all defenders in Week 12, Ebukam ranked T-3rd in the league in both defensive stops (6 total) and sacks (2) pic.twitter.com/kvaOSu4f7M
The Rams’ next opponent has a quarterback with similar speed and agility as Lamar Jackson, and on Monday night, Ebukam’s athleticism was apparent against Baltimore’s offense. He’s always been explosive, but that really stood out in Week 12.
The Rams could use that speed on the edge against Kyler Murray, so don’t be surprised if Ebukam gets more playing time after his standout performance in Week 13. He can have an impact on this game, even without playing every snap.
Kliff Kingsbury raved about Sean McVay on Wednesday.
[jwplayer EWg6LERn-ThvAeFxT]
For the first time as NFL head coaches, Sean McVay and Kliff Kingsbury will square off on Sunday. The two are close off the field, but this will be the first time they face each other on opposing sidelines.
Kingsbury nearly joined McVay’s staff last offseason after he was fired by Texas Tech, but instead opted for the Cardinals’ head coaching vacancy after accepting a job as USC’s offensive coordinator.
On Wednesday, Kingsbury said he was “close” to joining the Rams, even after the USC opening came about.
"To learn under Sean would have been huge and just didn't work out," Kingsbury said.
Of course, Kingsbury found himself in a great spot with the Cardinals as their head coach, and he credits his current job to McVay. He told Arizona media members that if not for McVay, he wouldn’t be in this position.
#K2 On if he and Rams Head Coach Sean McVay have talked during the season:
“Even when I got this job in the division, he was really helpful with me. I wouldn’t have this job if it weren’t for him.” pic.twitter.com/nBqdvGS0zs
On a conference call with Rams media, he discussed further how helpful McVay has been during his transition to the NFL.
“Sean was great. Even though we’re in the same division, anything that I needed once I got the job – questions, thoughts, giving real advice – he was great,” Kingsbury said. “That’s just the type of person that he is – those of you that have been around him. We haven’t talked much during the season – both of us have jobs in the same division – but, he knows that I’m always cheering for him 14 out of 16 games and I’m sure he’s doing the same.”
Kingsbury and the Cardinals can play spoiler on Sunday afternoon against the Rams. A win would drop Los Angeles to 6-6 on the year, effectively ending any playoff hopes McVay’s squad had.
Three Rams have knee injuries, while another is recovering from an ankle issue.
After playing on Monday night, the Rams were given both Tuesday and Wednesday off from practice. They’ll be back on the field Thursday ahead of this weekend’s matchup with the Cardinals.
As a result, Wednesday’s injury report was just an estimation for the players listed. There were four players listed as non-participants, two on each side of the ball. Marqui Christian, Gerald Everett and Rob Havenstein have knee injuries, while Darious Williams is still recovering from an ankle injury.
Christian’s injury is the only one not previously disclosed. Sean McVay said Gerald Everett is day-to-day after hyperextending his knee Monday night, while Havenstein could return this week after missing two games.
There are no major concerns on the Cardinals’ side with several players getting veteran days off.
The Rams will practice on Thursday and Friday before their NFC matchup in Arizona. This is a must-win game for Los Angeles, as six losses will surely make it near-impossible for the Rams to make the playoffs.
Aaron Donald has once again been a stud for the Rams this season.
The Rams probably won’t be sending many players to the Pro Bowl this year with Jared Goff, Todd Gurley and Andrew Whitworth having down years, but Aaron Donald is one of the few standouts who hasn’t slowed down.
In an update released by the NFL on Wednesday, Donald leads all defensive tackles in Pro Bowl voting with 128,397 votes. The AFC leader at defensive tackle, Cameron Heyward of the Steelers, has 90,351 votes.
Donald is the only player who leads his position in voting, but another former Ram does, too. Marcus Peters has the most votes of any cornerback in the NFL at 110,949. Peters has been a stud for the Ravens since being traded by the Rams and is deserving of a spot in the Pro Bowl.
Players such as Cory Littleton and Jalen Ramsey still have time to earn votes from fans, but as of now, it’s looking like Donald is the only lock to make the Pro Bowl.
Sean McVay isn’t worried about the incident between Jalen Ramsey and Marcus Peters.
After the Ravens picked apart and dismantled the Rams on Monday night at the Coliseum, Marcus Peters and Jalen Ramsey got into it on the field and exchanged words. Ramsey had to be restrained by a member of the Rams and was held back all the way down to the team’s locker room.
Peters was seen taunting Ramsey during the game and even mocked his usual celebration, which appeared to anger the Rams cornerback. Ramsey refused to answer any questions about the altercation after the game, attempting to move on from the disappointing night.
Sean McVay wasn’t immediately aware of the confrontation between Ramsey and Peters and didn’t see them arguing until they were separated, but on Tuesday, he was asked if he talked to Ramsey about it.
“I have not, I haven’t spoken to him,” McVay said. “I addressed the team, we talked about a couple of things today. We’ve been getting ready for Arizona. (Rams communications director) Artis (Twyman) had mentioned (it) to me before we started here. And then, I saw those guys talking when I was walking off the field, but by the time I had circled back, they were separated and really that’s kind of all I had seen about that.”
Postgame incidents are never something the NFL or its teams want to see, but this one was pretty harmless – especially compared to the fight between the Browns and Steelers a couple weeks ago.
McVay would not compare the Ramsey-Peters spat to the Myles Garrett-Mason Rudolph fight, saying it was just a matter of competitors going back and forth.
“What, just them talking back and forth? I’m not sure,” McVay said when asked if this was in the same category as the Browns-Steelers fight. “Guys have fun, that’s a part of it. What we always talk about is, as long as what goes on doesn’t take away from what we are trying to get done as a team, those are things that competitors (do), they go back and forth, but I think that’s a little bit of a different scenario than kind of what occurred in that game.”
McVay had a strong relationship with Peters while he was with the Rams, and he still does. He said he talked to the cornerback before and after the game, saying he’s playing at a high level for his new team.
“I talked to him before the game – Marcus and I have a great relationship – then I talked with him afterwards. He did a good job. That’s a really good football team and he’s playing at a high level for them,” he said.
McVay clearly wasn’t bothered by the incident after the game, as long as it doesn’t deter from the task at hand: winning games.
The Rams don’t look very smart for signing Jared Goff and Todd Gurley when they did.
Les Snead is widely viewed as one of the better general managers in the NFL. Since joining the Rams, he’s helped turn the franchise around after years of ineptitude and sub-.500 play. He’s done so with an aggressive approach to roster building, opting to acquire proven players via trade rather than adding assets with first- and second-round picks.
It’s paid off with the Rams reaching the Super Bowl last season, but after hitting a rough patch in 2019, one aspect of the Rams’ aggressive philosophy warrants criticism.
Snead and the front office have been more than generous when it comes to paying players before necessary. It’s an approach teams across the NFL have taken, attempting to get ahead of the market by extending their top players before they can field offers from other teams in free agency.
On paper, it’s a smart way to build a roster and secure a team’s future. But for the Rams, they’ve made this mistake too many times.
Two of the most glaring examples happened just a few years ago. Before the 2016 season kicked off, the Rams signed Tavon Austin to a four-year, $42 million extension. He still had two years left on his contract, but the Rams wanted to reward him and his 1,133 career receiving yards with a lucrative new deal.
Austin was traded during the 2018 draft, barely contributing in his one season with Sean McVay at the helm.
They did the same thing one year later with Alec Ogletree, giving him a four-year extension worth $42.75 million. Ogletree was set to hit free agency the following year and was just an average linebacker for the Rams, but the front office saw him as a key piece on defense…
…for about five months.
Ogletree was traded the following March, leaving the Rams to take on $6.4 million in dead money in 2018.
The Rams didn’t learn from those mistakes and continued to hand out contract extensions before necessary in the last couple of years.
In 2018, they signed Todd Gurley to a $60 million extension despite him having two years left on his rookie deal. His new contract hasn’t even kicked in yet, and will run for four more years until 2023.
With the way he’s been used on offense, there’s no doubt signing him to such a massive contract was a mistake, based on the timing of it all. If the Rams had waited a year and evaluated him for another season, they almost certainly would not have given Gurley the deal they did.
Of course, hindsight is 20-20, but giving a running back with a significant knee injury in the past all that money two years early was almost destined to fail.
(Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
Then came Jared Goff’s deal, the granddaddy of them all. After a year of declaring that they were going to be patient with the young quarterback and would eventually give him a huge extension, the Rams faked everyone out and signed him to a contract with the most guaranteed money in NFL history. Goff’s deal is for four years and is worth $134 million with $110 million guaranteed. He will have the largest cap hit in the league in 2020.
Goff has done nothing this season to make the Rams look smart for once again doling out a monster contract two years before they had to; Goff was under contract through 2020 and never threatened to hold out publicly.
Los Angeles’ front office has come under heavy criticism for signing Goff when it did, especially after seeing him regress to near-2016 form with 11 touchdown passes, 12 interceptions and 10 fumbles (five lost) in 11 games this season. And like Gurley, Goff’s contract extension hasn’t even gone on the books yet. It will in 2020 with a cap hit of $36 million.
In addition to those contracts, the Rams also made Rob Havenstein one of the highest-paid tackles in the league last year with a $32.5 million extension. Los Angeles looked smart for that contract after Havenstein improved in 2018, but he experienced a sharp decline in 2019.
Possibly the most surprising of all was the $29 million contract Tyler Higbee got from the Rams this year, despite Gerald Everett being on the roster. Higbee has never been a huge part of the passing game, and this season, he has just 26 catches for 212 yards and one touchdown. The Rams could have easily waited to sign Higbee, or simply let him walk in free agency next offseason and moved forward with Everett.
Brandin Cooks’ contract doesn’t look great right now, either, owning the fourth-highest cap hit on the team in 2020 at $16.8 million. Just with the four highest-paid players on the roster – Goff, Aaron Donald, Cooks and Gurley – the Rams have $95.1 million on the books next season.
They’re not in great shape cap-wise, and that’s before even mentioning the need to re-sign Jalen Ramsey next year, and likely Cooper Kupp, John Johnson and Everett the following year. Signing Gurley, Goff and Higbee when they did was questionable, and it doesn’t shine a very bright light on the front office.
After getting torched by Lamar Jackson, the Rams will face yet another dynamic quarterback in Kyler Murray.
“I kid you not, and I wouldn’t lie to you guys. Half the time, I didn’t know where the ball was.”
That was said by Eric Weddle after the Rams got their “faces peeled off” by the Ravens, as the veteran safety put it. He and his fellow defenders had no idea how to stop MVP frontrunner Lamar Jackson, who torched them for five touchdown passes and 95 yards rushing in only three quarters of play.
The good news is, the Rams won’t have to face Jackson again this season unless they miraculously make it to the Super Bowl. The bad news is, they have to play a quarterback with similar speed and quickness twice in the next five weeks – beginning on Sunday when the Rams visit Kyler Murray and the Cardinals.
It’s the team’s first taste of Murray, who’s in contention for Offensive Rookie of the Year after being drafted No. 1 overall by Arizona. He doesn’t run as much as Jackson, and the Cardinals don’t utilize zone reads the way Baltimore does, but Murray is certainly the second-fastest quarterback in the league.
With as much trouble as Jackson gave the Rams, it’s easy to wonder how Los Angeles will fare against another player like Murray. Sean McVay shared his thoughts on the Cardinals rookie Tuesday, calling him a “dynamic runner” who’s throwing the football well.
“Really impressive. Takes great care of the football. His ability to speed it up and be able to deliver the ball when he sees guys open is really impressive – just how twitchy he is,” McVay said. “He can obviously make throws from a bunch of different platforms. He can make plays in the pocket, out of the pocket. Then, you see just what dynamic runner he is as well. You look at a couple of the plays that he’s made as of late, where they’ve started to utilize him a little bit more as a runner. He’s playing with a lot of confidence and you can see why he was a No. 1 pick.”
Kliff Kingsbury and the Cardinals probably watched Baltimore’s dismantling of the Rams and loved what they saw. Los Angeles had no answer for Jackson, whether it was against the run or pass. When Weddle, one of the smartest players in the NFL, says he didn’t know where the ball was half the time, that’s alarming.
Expect to see plenty of read-options by the Cardinals on Sunday afternoon in an attempt to fool the Rams defense. At the very least, it can slow down the pass rush the way it did in Monday night’s drubbing.
Arizona is only 3-7-1, but this is yet another tough test for the Rams. They failed miserably against Jackson and the Ravens, so perhaps they learned from their mistakes and will be better prepared for yet another former Heisman winner.
