Game Overview ::
By Mike Johnson >>
- 2023 rookie sensation Puka Nacua suffered a knee injury in Week 1 and will miss at least the next four games.
- Cooper Kupp saw an astounding 21 targets and two carries in Week 1 at Detroit.
- Rumors of a split backfield for the Rams proved untrue to start the year as Kyren Williams resumed his workhorse role against the Lions.
- The Rams’ defense effectively took away the middle of the field and shut down Sam LaPorta and Amon-Ra St. Brown in Week 1. However, they were burned repeatedly downfield by Jameson Williams and also beaten by the Lions’ running game.
- Arizona let one slip in Buffalo. After a strong start, their offense sputtered and managed only a kickoff-return touchdown in the second half.
- The Cardinals’ defense opened the season by giving up 34 points and are likely to be one that we target all season.
How LOS ANGELES Will Try To Win ::
The Rams are coming off a heartbreaking loss to the Lions where they did everything they could from a coaching and gameplan standpoint, but a turnover in the red zone and late-game inability to get stops ultimately kept them from getting the victory. The Rams amassed nearly 400 total yards of offense and 26 first downs as they navigated the stout Lions run defense and applied a “death by a million paper cuts” approach that focuses on the short, quick passing game. Williams played nearly every snap, but was held to 50 rushing yards on 18 carries as the Lions once again appeared to have an elite defensive front against the run. The Rams’ offensive line was a little beat up, which made it difficult for them to push the ball downfield even though the Lions’ defense seemed beatable. Once Nacua was knocked out of the game with a knee injury, it became the Cooper Kupp show, as he was the clear engine of their offense.
This week, the Rams have a full week to prepare for the Cardinals and know going in that they will be without Nacua. While this obviously makes Kupp and Williams the centerpieces of their offense, others will have to be more involved this week as well. The Cardinals ranked in the bottom half of the NFL in blitz rate and near the top of the league in zone-coverage rate in 2023. They are a relatively passive defense that encourages their opponents to take their time and matriculate the ball down the field. The Cardinals under Jonathan Gannon have also not been the type of team that drastically alters their game plan for their opponent.
This matchup would seem to fit the Rams’ preferred method of attack perfectly and history would back up that sentiment. These teams met twice last season and the Rams averaged over 400 yards from scrimmage and over 30 points per game in those meetings. Considering the coaching staff on both sides is the same and the personnel is also largely the same (or perhaps worse on the Arizona defensive side), it feels safe to assume the Rams will be able to move the ball well here and red-zone efficiency will end up being the deciding factor in what type of score the Rams put up.
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