The Los Angeles Rams will look to get back into the win column as they take on the Arizona Cardinals in Week 13. Last week, the Rams were annihilated by the Baltimore Ravens 45-6 on Monday Night Football.
Taking into account the recent loss, Los Angeles has fallen to 6-5 and their playoff hopes are gradually withering away. The offense has struggled for the majority of the season, just feeding into the narrative that Sean McVay's system was figured out in last year's Super Bowl.
The abysmal play coupled with Jared Goff's poor decision making has caused the young quarterback to regress in his fourth season in the NFL. Through the first 12 weeks, Goff has thrown for 2,995 yards, 11 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions.
To go along with his 12 interceptions, Goff has also lost five fumbles this year. Besides Goff, the entire offense outside of a select few players hasn't been the same since the embarrassing Super Bowl loss in February.
As for the Cardinals, they've had their ups and downs on both sides of the ball in their first year under Kliff Kingsbury. With that being said, Kyler Murray has flashed the potential of being a talented quarterback in the NFL.
Provided that, here are four reasons why the Rams will defeat the Cardinals in Week 13.
4. Jalen Ramsey will shut down whoever he covers
Ever since Los Angeles chose to make a blockbuster trade to acquire Jalen Ramsey, many have questioned the move for the Rams. Despite the mixed reviews of the draft capital it took to land Ramsey. the All-Pro cornerback has played great on his new team.
In his short time in Los Angeles, Ramsey has held the likes of Allen Robinson, Julio Jones, and JuJu Smith-Schuster to only 10 receptions, 138 yards, and zero touchdowns while covering them. This week, Ramsey will likely draw the responsibility of shadowing Christian Kirk.
Regardless of who Ramsey covers, Murray is going to be limited on who he can throw to on Sunday. As a result, the Rams defense should have plenty of success against Arizona's offense.
3. Jared Goff should be able to bounce back against Arizona's hapless secondary
The struggles of Goff have been well-documented this year and they've gotten even worse over the past month. To find Goff's last touchdown pass, you would have to go all the way back to Week 8 against the Cincinnati Bengals.
Furthermore, in his past three starts, the Rams' quarterback has tallied 628 yards, zero touchdowns, and five interceptions. At the least, Goff will have a remarkable chance to bounce back in Week 13 against a below-average secondary of the Cardinals.
The Cardinals own the 32nd ranked pass defense in the NFL, giving up 297.5 passing yards per game. If Goff is unable to produce on Sunday, the crowd that believes he is overpaid isn't going to get any quieter.
2. The Rams will make Kyler Murray uncomfortable in the pocket
Even while the Rams are having their first rough stretch under McVay, Aaron Donald continues to be the best defensive player in the NFL. Yes, Donald has eight sacks, 16 tackles for loss, 16 quarterback hits, and two forced fumbles.
But if you look beyond the box score, Donald is wrecking games by himself. Due to how dominant he truly is, opposing teams have begun to double and even triple-team the reigning two-time Defensive Player of the Year.
With Donald's presence, it allows other pass rushers to have more opportunities to get after the quarterback. In light of that, the Rams will make Murray uncomfortable behind his offensive line that's allowed 36 sacks (eighth-most in the NFL).
1. Sean McVay has never lost to the Cardinals
Since becoming the head coach of the Rams in 2017, McVay has had plenty of success against the Cardinals. In his first four games playing them, Los Angeles has outscored Arizona by a combined score of 130-25.
In addition, the Rams have actually shut out the Cardinals twice in those four games. However, both of the teams are vastly different than they were even from a year ago.
With that being said, McVay has always had Arizona's number and it's hard to imagine that changing in Week 13. This is a perfect week for the Rams to quickly forget about their 39-point loss that was handed to them by the Ravens in Week 12.
Follow Us
Subscribe