The Arizona Cardinals and Los Angeles Rams play on Sunday in Week 10 for the second time in the last five weeks. The Cardinals beat the Rams in Week 6 18-16 on the road on a last-second field goal.
Both teams look quite different this week. The Cardinals will have Carson Beck making his NFL debut. Michael Wilson is out for the season. Kendrick Bourne is on injured reserve.
The Rams don't have either receiver Puka Nacua or receiver Davante Adams. Both are on injured reserve. Pass rusher Myles Garrett is back.
With two different-looking teams in Week 10, Rams Wire lead writer Cam DaSilva gives Cardinals fans some insight as he answers some of my questions to take us "behind enemy lines."
The Rams' passing game
What will the Rams’ passing game look like without Davante Adams
or Puka Nacua? Will this be a ground-and-pound game?
It was pretty ugly before they got hurt, and I think it’ll be even worse on Sunday. Matthew Stafford says he has “a ton of trust” in the other guys, but that’s a little hard to believe when he’s targeting Nacua 19 times on his 43 pass attempts the way he did last week. I’d expect Sean McVay to lean on the run and his tight ends, and try to physically wear down Arizona’s defense. The Rams just don’t have the personnel to run three-receiver sets and air it out anymore.
Myles Garrett + Aaron Donald
What did the pairing of Myles Garrett and Aaron Donald look like in their first game together?
They were awesome and lived up to the hype. The Rams rans stunts and games with them up front, which worked to perfection. Donald didn’t have a sack but he helped flush Jayden Daniels into Garrett’s arms more than once, so he deserves an assist or two, at least. Garrett looked like his dominant self against the Commanders, and Donald continues to generate pressure from the interior.
The rematch
What will the Rams likely do differently than in the Week 6 loss to the Cardinals?
I think they’ll be better prepared to handle the blitz, which wrecked the offense last time around. They could do that by running the ball more and utilizing quick passes to tight ends and receivers. Also, McVay has criticized the Rams’ lack of energy in that Week 6 game, so I’d expect them to come out with better effort and excitement this time.
Season expectations
Where are expectations right now for the Rams? Playoffs still in their sights?
I think they still have the playoffs in their sights, even if the NFC West is quickly slipping out of their reach. The NFC North is going to make their path to a wild-card berth even tougher but it’s not as if the NFC East or South are very good, and the Seahawks look beatable right now. If the Rams can get into the playoffs and potentially face an NFC East or South team in the opening round, you never know what can happen.
Prediction
Who wins and how does it happen this week?
I’d be more hesitant to pick the Rams if it wasn’t a rookie quarterback making his first career start. Rookie QBs are 2-9 all-time against the Rams under McVay, so Carson Beck has his work cut out for him. The Rams’ defense will do enough to limit Arizona’s offense, and as long as Los Angeles can run the ball, it should be able to maintain possession. Rams 20, Cardinals 10.
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This article originally appeared on Cards Wire: LA Rams vs. Arizona Cardinals opponent preview, picks, predictions
