Monday Night Football: Rams vs. Cardinals Odds, Preview, Picks, and Prediction
NFL Week 14 concludes in the desert with a marquee matchup between two NFC West rivals. Follow along as Nick Galaida breaks down Rams vs. Cardinals odds and gives you his Monday Night Football picks and prediction. If you live in Arizona, make sure to check out our Arizona Sports Betting page!
MNF Odds: Rams vs. Cardinals Line
| Rams Odds | +2.5 |
| Cardinals Odds | -2.5 |
| Over/Under | 51.5 |
| Date | Monday, Dec 13. |
| Time | 8:20 p.m. ET |
| TV | ESPN |
Tonight, the Los Angeles Rams and the Arizona Cardinals will battle in a highly-anticipated divisional showdown at State Farm Stadium. Los Angeles went winless during November, but a 37-7 victory in Week 13 against the Jacksonville Jaguars could be exactly what this team needs to get back on track. Arizona returned Kyler Murray and DeAndre Hopkins to the field last Sunday in a 33-22 win over the Chicago Bears and are even healthier down the roster heading into this Week 14 matchup.
As for the odds, sportsbooks are expecting a close contest between these two elite teams on Monday Night Football, pricing the Cardinals as a 2.5-point favorite on the spread with an over/under of 51.5 points.
Rams Preview
The Rams have stumbled after an outstanding start to the fall campaign, but there is still plenty of reason to believe that this is one of the best teams in the NFL. Los Angeles boasts one of the best offensive lines in the league, with Andrew Whitworth, David Edwards, Austin Corbett, and Rob Havenstein up front. Even with Brian Allen likely to miss this game with a knee injury, the Rams should have strong run blocking and pass protection.
On the defensive side of the ball, Los Angeles is loaded with talent. Jalen Ramsey and Aaron Donald are both in the conversation for the best defensive player in the NFC. Donald, Von Miller, Greg Gaines, A’Shawn Robinson, and Leonard Floyd combine to form arguably the most feared pass rush in the league. Donte’ Deayon is listed as questionable heading into Monday, and seems unlikely to suit up after not practicing on Saturday. If he is unable to go, Darius Williams could absorb some of the lost snaps as the slot cornerback–which would be a significant downgrade in talent. Nonetheless, this is a unit that is capable of slowing down any offense in the NFL, even if they are down a man or two.
Cardinals Preview
In Murray’s return to the field in Week 13, he displayed some rust–missing a handful of throws and primarily finding success near the line of scrimmage. Per Pro Football Focus, Murray’s average depth of target was only 4.3 yards and he completed only two passes beyond 10 yards. Still, the star quarterback was effective in a winning effort, and even added 59 rushing yards with his legs. Though Murray succeeded in avoiding the Rams pass rush when these two teams met in Week 4, he could find life more difficult in this one. For one, the Rams have upgraded their defensive line and Arizona’s offensive line remains mediocre in pass protection. Additionally, the potential absence of Justin Pugh could make an already suspect offensive line even more vulnerable.
Defensively, Arizona remains one of the better units in the league. Opposing signal callers have totaled only 16 touchdowns against 12 interceptions and an 83.3 passer rating against the Cardinals this fall. Arizona is extremely vulnerable on the ground, where they are allowing 4.7 yards-per-carry this season, but the absence of Darrell Henderson in the Rams backfield certainly makes it less likely that Los Angeles is going to run the ball 25 times in this matchup. Byron Murphy Jr. figures to shadow Cooper Kupp in the slot for the majority of this contest, which is going to force Odell Beckham and Van Jefferson to make plays on the outside. The Cardinals should deliver a strong defensive performance on prime-time television.
Rams vs. Cardinals Pick & Prediction
When these two teams met in Week 4, the final game total was 57 points. Since then, the Rams have lost Robert Woods, which has hurt this group’s offensive efficiency tremendously. The Cardinals have quarterback Kyler Murray and wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins still working their way back into game shape after missing extensive time. Moreover, the Rams have added Von Miller to their defense since their last meeting. Arizona played at a very slow pace in Murray’s return to action last week. The Rams have been forced to slow down their pace as well with Beckham and Jefferson seeing more action, necessitating more huddles between plays. Expect a slower-pace in the rematch, and consequently–less points on the board. Take the under.
PICK: Under 51.5 (-110)
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