Rams vs. Cardinals Prediction: NFC West Clash in Week 2

The Los Angeles Rams come to Glendale for an NFC West showdown with the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday. Both teams lost by 6 points in week one, the Rams coming out on the wrong end of a really good OT game with the Lions, 26-20. Arizona, meanwhile, hung in there against the Bills on Sunday, coming up short, 34-28. Can the Cardinals come up with their first win against their divisional rival Rams in nearly two years? Or will the Rams serve notice with their first win?

Issues this Week for the Rams

Losing Puka Nacua to IR really hurts for the Rams, as he set all kinds of rookie receiving records last season. One of the strengths of their offense is that big one-two punch at wide receiver with Nacua and Cooper Kupp. After those two, it’s quite a falloff on that list of available ball-catchers for the Rams, with a lot of guys whose skills ring of a 4th or 5th receiver on a team. They have some things to fall back on, with Matthew Stafford still a steely competitor and RB Kyren Williams a guy who knows what it’s like to lay it on heavy against the Cardinals.

What the Cardinals Need to Overcome

A lot of the Cardinals’ matchups against the Rams have been characterized by a meandering offense. While on the surface, their 28-point output in week one against the Bills looks good, they scored two TDs, got another one on a kickoff return, and had a few field goals. QB Kyler Murray was accurate and didn’t make many mistakes, while James Conner showed his normal nose for the end zone, along with productivity as a pass-catcher. But they were often times flat, with vaunted first-round rookie receiver Marvin Harrison, Jr. really quiet on the afternoon. Continued flatness like that will cost them and maybe they can get something cooking in their home opener.

We saw this surface to some degree in week one, but Arizona can struggle against the run. Josh Allen was able to get the big play against this defense when he needed it, with James Cook getting involved last week. Now, they face a back in the Rams’ Kyren Williams, a guy who twice torched them last season to the tune of nearly 300 yards in two games. If the Rams can get this part of their game going, it will make the loss of Nacua less jarring, and you know they’re going to make it a big part of their plan. And it’s not like Cooper Kupp hasn’t thrived in this matchup before, so this defense has a lot on their plates. To their credit, they were able to get a little pass rush going against Allen while preventing the Bills from having too big of a day aerially and on the ground. It was a tough week one spot, and they kept it from getting out of hand.

What We Can Expect from the Rams

We saw a pretty serviceable defense in week one from the Rams, the late final drive of the game and the overtime TD drive notwithstanding. They were facing one of the more-ballyhooed offenses in the conference on the road and held them to 17 points for almost the entire game. Even with Nacua going out early, Stafford still went for over 300 yards. Kyren Williams didn’t have a very good game, despite a TD run, but again, has to be considered a factor in this game. I’d expect a big dose of him, with Stafford airing it out plenty, as well.

Major Questions this Week

Say what you will about Kyler Murray, but we’ve seen him play well before, and he might have more weapons now. I’d expect a more concerted effort to get Harrison, Jr. involved, and they have nice pieces in place with Conner and TE Trey McBride. Did this offense work off some rust in a tough spot against Buffalo and are ready to show their wares this week? And while it’s early in the season, will it get rough for the Rams late in this game, their second road spot to open the season, on the heels of a physically and emotionally draining overtime game on Sunday Night Football?

If the Rams start to feel the absence of Nacua, while the Cardinals start to feel the presence of Harrison, Jr., could it throw a different light on things? We saw a couple offensive lineman go down for the Rams if they have to resort to having to go three-deep at left tackle in game two, we could see some problem arise. You hate to see injuries starting to take hold when the Rams had such high expectations this season. With those issues up-front and Stafford more vulnerable, will we see the better pass-catching depth of the Cardinals shine, or will it be the more impactful and playmaking Rams’ defense that has more of a say?

Take the Small Road Dog

The Rams are already in a position of needing to win. They don’t want to have their home opener next week already in a 0-2 hole. The Cardinals are trying to avoid a similar fate this week at home, facing their longtime divisional tormentor. With the Rams already a little banged-up and compromised, this has the feel of a game where either team could win by three touchdowns and no one would be all that shocked. The Cardinals have it in them to jump up here and there and put together that kind of out-of-whack performance that leaves you scrambling for answers. I think, in the end, Kyren Williams will help the Rams maintain the upper hand on offense as they get the cover in Arizona this week. I’ll take the Rams.