The Los Angeles Rams got things back on track in Week 13 by crushing the Jacksonville Jaguars to snap their three-game losing streak. As impressive as the win was, it came against arguably the worst team in the NFL.
On Monday night, they’ll face the team with the best record in football: the Arizona Cardinals.
It’s as big a test as the Rams have had all season, desperately needing a win over the Cardinals to keep their NFC West hopes alive. A loss will put them three games back in the division, and with the Cardinals facing the Lions next week, they can clinch the West with a win over Detroit.
The Rams have beat up on weaker teams throughout the year, but they lack a true statement win outside of their victory over the Buccaneers in Week 3. But that was more than two months ago. Since then, they’ve gone just 5-4 with wins over the Seahawks, Giants, Lions, Texans and Jaguars.
Beating the Cardinals will be no easy task, especially given the COVID-19 hurdles the Rams will have to overcome. Darrell Henderson Jr., Dont’e Deayon and Rob Havenstein all landed on the COVID-19 reserve list over the weekend and are in danger of missing the game.
All three have been starters for the Rams, so replacements will need to step up. At running back, Sony Michel has proved capable of carrying the load in place of Henderson, but right tackle and cornerback have suddenly become weak spots for the Rams against a team with excellent pass rushers and a dynamic group of receivers.
That’s a dangerous proposition for Los Angeles and could have a significant impact on the game.
The Cardinals rank second in pass DVOA, per Football Outsiders, and third in total defense DVOA. They’re a very well-rounded team, especially now with Kyler Murray and DeAndre Hopkins back healthy.
They were both in the lineup the first time the Rams and Cardinals squared off, and Arizona won easily in Los Angeles, 37-20. The Rams turned the ball over twice, struggled on offense and had no answer for the Cardinals offense. It was their first legitimate speedbump of the season and it’s reasonable to think they could have even more trouble tonight on the road against the 10-2 Cardinals.
Even with Henderson, Deayon and Havenstein potentially all missing this game, the Rams should be able to keep it close. They need to avoid turnovers, run the ball the way they did against the Jaguars and make stops on third down against a team that converts 44% of the time.
It might just be too much to overcome for a shorthanded Rams team that’s still searching for its identity.
Final score prediction: Cardinals 27, Rams 24
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