Cardinals vs. Rams Point Spread: NFL Week 18 Odds, Prediction
The Rams will look to get out of it at home against the reeling Arizona Cardinals on Sunday at 1:00 pm ET.
Stafford had 269 yards and two touchdowns passing, but also threw three interceptions in the Rams’ 27-24 defeat to the Atlanta Falcons. The loss was Los Angeles’ second straight, and it left the team in third place in the uber-competitive NFC West.
Meanwhile, the shorthanded Cardinals continued their death knell into the offseason with their eighth straight loss, a 37-14 setback against the Cincinnati Bengals. It was the fifth time during this eight-game skid that Arizona allowed at least 37 points.
Los Angeles coach Sean McVay has already stated that “everyone will play,” but the Rams are still missing some key contributors on offence.
NFL Point Spread and Betting Analysis
The Rams are 11-5 against the spread this season, including 10-4 ATS as a favourite. Los Angeles is 15-3 straight up and 13-4-1 ATS in its last 18 games with Arizona. That includes a 45-17 shellacking of the Cardinals in Glendale in December.
The Cardinals are 1-7 against the spread during their losing streak. They have played to the over in eight of their last 12 contests, while the Rams have played to the over in each of their past five games.
Arizona Cardinals
The Cardinals have lost too many players to count this season, especially on the defensive side of the ball. Left tackle Paris Johnson is the latest Arizona player gone for the season after being placed on IR with a knee injury.
Jacoby Brissett has soldiered on under centre. He has thrown for 3,123 yards and 21 touchdowns in place of Kyler Murray, including 212 yards and two touchdowns against the Bengals last week. However, it is often not enough, as one of the league’s worst defences has allowed an average of 28.2 points this season, and has had its bell rung the past eight games.
Two bright spots include Trey McBride, who has set the Cardinals’ franchise record with 119 catches, which is also now the new standard for tight ends. Meanwhile, third-year wide receiver Michael Wilson has a career-high 73 catches and could go over 1,000 yards on Sunday.
Los Angeles Rams
Stafford has a career-high 42 touchdown passes, and he has thrown for 4,448 yards while leading the NFL’s best scoring offence with 30.1 points per game.
However, the team has lost two straight, and Stafford’s three picks against the Falcons give him eight for the year. Was last week an aberration, or will McVay’s squad falter on the road in the playoffs for the third straight year?
That doesn’t matter this week against Arizona. Stafford is expected to play, as is Kyren Williams (1,192 yards rushing, 10 TDs) and Puka Nacua (119 catches, 1,639 yards, 9 TDs), but Davante Adams and starting offensive linemen Alaric Jackson and Kevin Dotson are all questionable after missing last week’s game. Blake Corum, Williams’ backfield running mate, left last week’s loss in the second quarter.
NFL Prediction: Who Will Win Cardinals vs. Rams?
The Rams easily handled Arizona on the road by 28 points a month ago. They’ll produce a similar outcome on Sunday with playoff seeding on the line. Look for Los Angeles to defeat the Cardinals, 45-21.
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