The Arizona Cardinals (0-1) are looking to get their first home win against the Los Angeles Rams (0-1) in nearly a decade Sunday afternoon.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!The last time the Cardinals picked up a win at home against their division foe was way back on Nov. 11, 2014 when Arizona beat the then St. Louis Rams 31-14 which included two defensive touchdowns. In their last 16 meetings both home and away, Arizona is 2-14 with its last win coming in 2022.
On Sunday, the Cardinals have a golden opportunity to break their drought against L.A. following their 34-28 Week 1 loss against the Buffalo Bills. The Rams will be down at least three starting offensive linemen and star wide receiver Puka Nacua, who was placed on IR this week.
Facing a similar injury situation in Week 1, Matthew Stafford (317 yards, 1 touchdown), Cooper Kupp (14 receptions, 110 yards, 1 touchdown) and the Los Angeles defense still nearly carried the Rams to a 14-point comeback victory over the Detroit Lions on Sunday Night Football. However, Detroit ended up winning 26-20 in overtime after hitting a game-tying field goal at the end of regulation.
The Cardinals showed a lot of flashes, especially offensively, against a Super Bowl contender in the Bills, going up 17-3 at one point, but their poor defensive-line performance stuck out like a sore thumb (3.5% pressure rate). Kyler Murray had his moments of brilliance, but Arizona failed to involve Marvin Harrison Jr. in his NFL debut, as he only had one catch for four yards. Still, Arizona was able to take Buffalo down to the wire in their first game following a 3-14 finish last season.
Can the Cardinals’ defensive line take advantage of a depleted Rams o-line tomorrow? How will Arizona respond after being outscored 24-11 in the second half in Week 1 with no offensive touchdowns?
Here are the Burn City Sports team’s predictions for Sunday’s Week 2 matchup:
Brendan Mau (@Brendan_Mau/ X) – Suns and Cardinals Reporter
Cardinals win 23-19
I think this could be a back-and-forth game and a great opportunity for the Cardinals to improve in several areas. For one, they have to involve Harrison Jr. more and can try to find some rhythm with the defensive line against a weakened Rams offensive front. Because of the Rams’ injuries, I predict Stafford to lead a lot of good drives, but with several of them ending in field goals. The same could go for the Cardinals if they don’t find a consistent method offensively that works for them, as we saw in Week 1 with their second-half struggles.
Overall, I think Murray and Stafford will both have great games for their respective teams. James Conner also has a chance to make a big impact after the Rams allowed 163 rushing yards last week. If the Cardinals play like they did in Week 1 and take advantage of Los Angeles’ injuries, they should be able to pull off the victory.
Michael McDermott (@MichaelMcDMLB/ X) – Diamondbacks and Cardinals Reporter
Rams win 27-21
This week presents the perfect opportunity for the Cardinals to pick up an upset win. The Rams have a banged-up offensive line, missing their top two options at left tackle, and two other starters playing through injuries. The player who could benefit the most is rookie Xavier Thomas, since he’ll be rushing from that side.
On offense, the Cardinals will make a more concerted effort to push the ball down the field. They’ll need to utilize their downhill running game more instead of trying to attack the perimeter with James Conner.
It will come down to if the Cardinals can play a physical game against the Rams. If not, it’ll turn into a track meet, which favors Los Angeles.
Alec Cipollini (@AlecCipollini/ X) – Mercury and Arizona State Reporter
Rams win 27-24
The Cardinals’ continuous struggles in Glendale when hosting the Rams have lasted a decade, making this a hard one to predict. While the Cardinals did have a surprising first half against the Buffalo Bills last week, they capitulated in the second half and looked like last year’s 4-13 Cardinals all over again. For the Rams, they battled back from a horrific first half to tie the game and force overtime in the 26-20 loss to the Detroit Lions.
I feel like Arizona will rely on its run game – specifically James Conner – to attack a Rams defense without Aaron Donald and Marvin Harrison Jr will receive more touches. Cooper Kupp is always a dangerous threat whenever he is on the field and will most likely be the main target for Matthew Stafford going forward while Puka Nacua is out. It is going to be a tight matchup and the Cardinals could win the game but with the history against the rest of the NFC West and the fashion of how they crumbled last week vs. Buffalo, I feel more confident that the Rams will find a way to squeeze out a victory in this one.
Jacob Hardin (@JacobHardin/ X)– Diamondbacks and Suns Reporter
Rams win 30-20
After a tough Week 1 loss, a win against the Rams – who have dominated Arizona since head coach Sean McVay took over – would provide a much-needed confidence boost as the Cardinals navigate a grueling first six games of the season. Although the Cardinals might surprisingly be favored in this matchup, it’s hard to imagine their defense containing Matthew Stafford and Cooper Kupp.
What I’d love to see is Kyler Murray connecting with Marvin Harrison Jr. for at least five receptions. If the Cardinals can establish some rhythm on offense, it would be a positive step compared to Week 1, where they struggled to move the ball in the second half. Given how well the Rams played against a strong Lions team last week and considering Arizona’s struggles against Los Angeles, I predict the Rams will leave State Farm Stadium with a 30-20 victory.
Let us know your Week 2 prediction.
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