Matthew Stafford and the Rams smell blood in the water against a Cardinals defense in free fall

The Playbook

The Arizona Cardinals are headed to Hollywood this week and judging by their last four games, somebody forgot to pack the defense. 

Then again, the Los Angeles Rams might want to check their own luggage at baggage claim because their special teams unit might be better off in another country.

Less than a week after a shocking 37-34 overtime loss to the Buffalo Bills that bordered on criminal negligence, Sean McVay and the Rams (2-3) return to the house that Stan Kroenke built looking to salvage their season against a Cardinals (1-4) team that has lost four straight games.

For the Cardinals, another loss might have fans dreaming at night about Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith and the upcoming 2027 NFL Draft. 

For the Rams, another defeat and it’s time to sound the alarm on a season that once had such high Super Bowl aspirations before it began. 

The Rams had Buffalo on the ropes Monday night and stood on the precipice of delivering the knockout blow. Matthew Stafford was picking apart the Bills’ secondary like it was string cheese, throwing for 383 yards and three touchdowns with a 111 passer rating. Los Angeles scored on all five red zone possessions, put up 34 points and it should have been more. 

Instead of scoring the game-winning touchdown in overtime and walking off into the sunset with a winning record, McVay got conservative, settling for a 48-yard field goal and then watched another special teams disaster unfold right in front of his eyes when Bills defensive end Greg Rousseau blocked the potential game-winner. 

McVay admitted afterward that he might have overthought the situation. That’s putting it kindly. When your quarterback is dropping dimes and looking every bit like the reigning NFL MVP and your opponent is barely hanging on for dear life, you don’t take the ball out his hands and trust the most unreliable unit in all of football. 

The fallout from the gut-wrenching loss was immediate. Harrison Mevis, affectionately known as the “Thiccer Kicker,” was released early Tuesday morning and replaced by Blake Grupe, a 5-foot-7, 150-pound kicker whose arrival represents quite the dramatic change in body type. 

Unfortunately for the Rams, changing kickers doesn’t automatically mean you can fix blocked kicks, blown coverages or three seasons full of special teams headaches. 

“I have a lot of confidence in Bubba Ventrone,” McVay insisted, making it clear his special teams coordinator isn’t going anywhere.

Meanwhile, Stafford has thrown for more than 300 yards in four consecutive games, and the Rams have scored at least 24 points in four straight. Now comes an Arizona defense allowing a league-worst 32.4 points per game, including 31 or more in four consecutive contests.

Arizona’s defense is surrendering an NFL-worst 8.5 yards per passing attempt, and its injury-ravaged secondary could be missing safeties Wydett Williams and Andrew Wingard.

That’s a dangerous combination against Stafford, Puka Nacua and Davante Adams.

The ground game offers another inviting opportunity. Detroit’s Jahmyr Gibbs gashed Arizona for 151 rushing yards and two touchdowns. With the Cardinals allowing 4.4 yards per carry, Kyren Williams and Blake Corum should have room to operate, but the Rams will be without starting left tackle Alaric Jackson, who was suspended for one game for punching Bills’ linebacker Bradley Chubb after the loss.

Defensively, the Rams have their own problems. Josh Allen embarrassed their pass rush with 121 rushing yards, could Jacoby Brissett do the same? Tight end Trey McBride has historically been a headache for Los Angeles, and rookie running back Jeremiyah Love remains dangerous despite an ankle injury.

Aaron Donald is back, but Myles Garrett remains sidelined, leaving the Rams without their most explosive edge rusher.

There’s also a familiar face across the field. Former Rams offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur returns as Arizona’s head coach, hoping his knowledge of McVay’s system can help engineer an upset.

But familiarity only gets you so far when your defense resembles a revolving door.

The Rams should win this game comfortably. The bigger question is whether they can stop finding creative ways to lose.

Marquee matchup

Matthew Stafford vs. Budda Baker

Arizona’s defense is a five-alarm fire, and Baker might be the only firefighter who remembered to bring a hose.

The six-time Pro Bowl safety recorded 11 tackles and a sack against Detroit, but he’ll have his hands full trying to organize a secondary that has surrendered explosive passing plays with alarming regularity.

Stafford is coming off one of his finest performances of the season, throwing for more than 380 yards against Buffalo. With Nacua and Adams attacking downfield, he’ll look to exploit Arizona’s depleted safety group and force Baker to choose between helping over the top and protecting against Williams underneath.

Baker can’t be everywhere and Stafford knows it.

If the Rams establish the run early, play-action could turn this matchup into a long afternoon for Arizona’s defensive captain.

Duarte’s Decision

Rams 34, Cardinals 21

The Cardinals are exactly what the doctor ordered for a Rams team still nursing the emotional wounds of Monday night’s meltdown. Stafford should feast against Arizona’s porous secondary, while Williams and Corum exploit a defense that couldn’t contain Detroit’s running game. To be frank, like Sinatra, Arizona simply doesn’t have the defensive personnel to survive four quarters with the Rams. McVay wins a game against his former offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur and Los Angeles finally wins a game that doesn’t require a blood pressure check.

Key stat

148

That’s how many points Arizona has allowed in their last four games. That’s a whopping 37 points per game. The Cardinals allow the most points per game this season and the most yards per pass attempt in the NFL. That’s a lit fuse for Stafford and the Rams’ explosive receiving corps.

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