The Arizona Cardinals may only be 3-7-1, but they’re a far better team than their record indicates. They nearly upset the 10-1 49ers twice in the last month and Kyler Murray is finding his footing under center.
Sunday’s game won’t be an easy one for the Los Angeles Rams, especially when analyzing the individual matchups that are set to take place on the field.
Here are the five most important matchups for the Rams against the Cardinals.
Bobby Evans vs. Chandler Jones
Evans was protected by the Rams against the Bears with a lot of help from the tight ends, but he was left alone more often against Baltimore. He held his own, but none of the Ravens’ pass rushers are as good as Chandler Jones. In fact, very few edge rushers in the NFL are. He’ll have his work cut out for him against Jones, who has 12.5 sacks this season and is someone the Rams have to account for on every snap.
Robert Woods vs. Patrick Peterson
Peterson may match up with Woods throughout this one, though it remains to be seen how the Cardinals will use the All-Pro corner. Woods has had a relatively quiet season and has yet to score a touchdown, but he’s bound to break through at some point. This is a tough matchup for him, and Jared Goff will probably shy away from Peterson’s coverage at times, but if Woods has a big game, it’ll be a great sign for the Rams offense as a whole.
Jalen Ramsey vs. Christian Kirk
Ramsey has shadowed No. 1 receivers when necessary, but that may not be the case this week. Kirk is a smaller, quicker receiver who often lines up on the right side of the offense, which is where Ramsey typically plays. Larry Fitzgerald will be in the slot the majority of the time, so Nickell Robey-Coleman will likely cover him, but Kirk is the Cardinals’ most dangerous weapon. His quickness could be a challenge for Ramsey.
Aaron Donald vs. Justin Pugh and A.Q. Shipley
The Ravens shut down Donald on Monday night with frequent double- and triple-teams. The Cardinals will probably do the same with their left guard Pugh and center Shipley. Donald has 9.5 career sacks against the Cardinals, including three in Week 16 last season alone, so he knows how to get in the backfield against their line. However, he’ll be chasing Kyler Murray this time, who is far more difficult to get on the ground.
Cory Littleton vs. Kyler Murray
Murray isn’t going to run nearly as much as Lamar Jackson did, but Littleton will have to defend him when he takes off, nonetheless. It’s not going to be easy and Littleton will need to use not only his speed but his instincts to cut down Murray’s running lanes. When Littleton is asked to spy Murray, he can’t get too aggressive and must keep him at bay in the pocket.
