The Los Angeles Rams and Arizona Cardinals both got much-needed wins on Sunday afternoon, avoiding the dreaded 0-2 start to the year. The Rams held on to beat the Falcons after nearly blowing a lead, while the Cardinals won in very different fashion: They erased a 23-7 deficit to beat the Raiders in overtime.
Now, the Rams and Cardinals will meet for the first time in Week 3, a pivotal NFC West showdown in Arizona. Neither team has played up to its potential yet, but the oddsmakers seem to be favoring the Rams in this one.
According to Tipico Sportsbook, the Rams are 4.5-point favorites over the Cardinals despite being on the road. The over/under has been set at 50.5 points, which is tied for the second-highest total of Week 3.
After two games, the Rams and Cardinals have both been outscored by 17 points and neither team has played a divisional game, unlike the Seahawks and 49ers. Everyone in the division is tied at 1-1, so this is an important early-season matchup.
Since 2017, the Rams are 10-1 against the Cardinals, with their only loss coming last October. They covered the spread in all but one of those games, too.