L.A. Rams (7-4 6-5 ATS) at Arizona Cardinals (6-5 5-6 ATS)
The L.A. Rams are coming off a loss and head to the desert to play the Arizona Cardinals, who have hit the skids as of late. The visiting Rams are a 2.5 point favorite in this NFC West matchup with a total of 48,5.
Even coming off a loss to a sub .500 teams the public has heavily backed the Rams, as this game opened as a Pick and now L.A. is the 3-point favorite.
The Rams fell to the San Francisco 49ers 23-20 in their last game after winning two in a row. L.A. had won two in a row against very good teams before their four-turnover performance in the loss to the 49ers. They have covered the spread in their last two road games and have a defense that is one of the league’s best only giving up an average of 19.5 ppg.
The Cardinals have lost two in a row and three of their last four games. Kyler Murray has hit a slump, as teams have blitzed him often in the last four games. You can be sure Aaron Donald (10 sacks) and the Rams, who are among the league leaders with 24 sacks, will bring the pressure in this key division game.
Murray guides an Arizona offense that had averaged 33.6 ppg over five games but in the last two games have only averaged 19 ppg.
This is the first game of the season between these division rivals and they meet in La La Land in the season finale.
Not only are the Rams 5-0-1 ATS in their last six games facing the Cardinals but have covered in their last five road games against them.
Goff Needs to Get on Track
Jared Goff leads the Rams’ offense and has six INT, against four TD, in his last four games and two each in his last two games. In the 23-20 loss to the 49ers, he passed for 198 yards with no TD and two picks and also lost a fumble.
The Rams did rush for 126 yards in the loss to the 49ers but 61 of those yards came on one run. Darrell Henderson Jr. leads the team with 510 rushing yards but only has 24 in the last two games on 18 carries. Cam Akers reeled off the 61-yard TD run in the San Fran game but for his other eight carries only gained 23 yards.
Arizona’s defense gave up 115 rushing yards to the 49ers on a 3.5 per carry average. However, they allowed backup QB Nick Mullins to pass for 252 yards.
Murray Has to Deal With Pressure
It was mentioned that teams have blitzed Murray more in the last few games and for his career against the blitz, he has more INT (7) than (TD). He has to figure out the pressure that the Rams will surely bring. He has also not been a dynamic runner as of late, as for the season is averaging just over 65 rushing yards per game but only has 46 in the last two games.
In the Cardinals’ last game they only gave up 179 yards and forced two turnovers and still lost. Murray passed for 170 yards with no TD and a pick. Kenyon Drake rushed for 78 yards and two TD but only averaged 3.5 yards per carry.
Murray also has to get star WR DeAndre Hopkins the rock more. In the last two wins for Arizona, he has averaged 12 targets and 115 receiving yards while in the last three losses he has averaged six targets for 45.3 receiving yards.
Prediction
The Rams had turnovers issues in their last game and Goff played poorly but the team only lost on a late field goal. Their defense will pressure Murray all game long and I look for them to have success doing it. L.A, will win and cover in this game sending the reeling Cardinals to their third straight loss.
PICK: Rams -2.5