The first three games of the NFL regular season is very much a buffer for teams to start to catch their strides into the teams they'll ultimately be. A week 4 matchup against the undefeated Arizona Cardinals will have the Rams in another prove it game after toppling the defending Super Bowl Champs a week ago. Young quarterback Kyler Murray and an explosive, high flying offense will come into SoFi Stadium on Sunday to prove that they're no longer the Rams little brother in the division, as they battle for first place in the fierce NFC West.
Murray has been impressive, too and the Rams will have their hands full. Murray has an arsenal of weapons to throw to, and the nuclear bomb known as DeAndre "Nuk" Hopkins. Hopkins is undoubtedly the best pass catcher in the NFL and Murray knows it. Murray has thrown to the reliable Hopkins and former Bengals star A.J. Green the most of any of his receivers this season with 18 targets. A big story going into the game is Hopkins is battling a rib injury that definitely affected his play last week against the Jags. Hopkins caught 3 passes for 21 yards and was ultimately a non factor.
The Rams and Head Coach Sean McVay have owned the Cardinals over the last 4 seasons with an undefeated 8-0 record. Since Cards Head Coach Kliff Kingsbury has come in 3 years ago, the team has gotten more feisty and interesting in the division race but still haven't gotten over the hump of these divisional matchups against the Rams. Over the last 8 losses to the Rams, the closest loss the Cardinals suffered has been by 7. Most matchups between the two teams aren't close when time runs out and it's really a credit to McVay's preparation against Arizona every single season. The Rams most recent win sent them to the playoffs. A game where backup QB John Wolford was thrown in for his first NFL start as Jared Goff was nursing a broken thumb.
McVay has won these games handedly with Jared Goff at the helm. It's interesting to imagine how this game will go now that he has Matthew Stafford and knowing what he's capable of. The Arizona secondary is currently depleted with substantial injuries. They have some incredible talent at safety with Budda Baker and Cornerback Byron Murphy who's coming off of a NFC Player of the Week honor as he notched 2 interceptions against the Jacksonville Jaguars, one of which being a pick six. The Cardinals defense has been impressive through weeks against the teams that have been put in front of them. Their most impressive 38-13 win coming against the Tennessee Titans, where they held the best running back in the sport to just 58 yards. Also in that W for the Cards, defensive end Chandler Jones was a man possessed with 5, FIVE sacks on quarterback Ryan Tannehill. The Rams stout offensive line will have their hands full on Sunday with Jones and the former multiple time Defensive Player of the Year J.J. Watt.
Going back to Stafford- I just don't see the Cardinals defense impeding the trajectory the Rams offense has been on the last 3 weeks. The Stafford to Cooper Kupp connection has been everything and more that the Rams could've wanted in terms of a new QB and wide receiver connecting to make big plays. Stafford has 942 yards and 9 touchdowns, tying Kurt Warner's 1999 3 game stretch to start the season. A season in which Warner won the league and Super Bowl MVP honors.
Kupp was just announced as the NFC Player of the Month for September. A month where he caught 25 passes for 367 yards and 5 touchdowns. Coop has always been an offense-changing player, but since his new QB has come to town, the young wideout seems to have found a brand new stride in McVay's offense.
Murray has been impressive, too and the Rams will have their hands full. Murray has an arsenal of weapons to throw to, and the nuclear bomb known as DeAndre "Nuk" Hopkins. Hopkins is undoubtedly the best pass catcher in the NFL and Murray knows it. Murray has thrown to the reliable Hopkins and former Bengals star A.J. Green the most of any of his receivers this season with 18 targets. A big story going into the game is Hopkins is battling a rib injury that definitely affected his play last week against the Jags. Hopkins caught 3 passes for 21 yards and was ultimately a non factor.
The Rams defense will have to contain Murray as he is elusive as hell once out of the pocket and trying to gain a quick first down with his legs. The Rams All-World Cornerback Jalen Ramsey will definitely look to keep his eye on Hopkins for a nice 1 on 1 matchup between the league's absolute best. But, the Rams and defensive coordinator Raheem Morris has been using Ramsey in different ways that he hasn't been utilized in his career. Ramsey will line up in the slot as well as wide to cover any teams number one pass catcher. It's a good look to have him all over the field to confuse opposing QBs because you need to know where #5 is at all times if you want to be successful on offense.
With Aaron Donald, who has been terrorizing NFC West quarterbacks his entire career rushing the passer, the Cardinals offense will have to have a damn near flawless game plan to move the ball on this Rams defense. Both the Rams and Cardinals running game has been pretty inconsequential so far this season. That could be the difference for either team's success in this game. Establishing the run isn't nearly as important to McVay in his offensive scheme since he has a QB that can sling it and is just a threat on his own without a run game.
It'll be an incredible divisional battle to watch on Sunday. I see the Cardinals coming into SoFi and not being able to handle the noise and the new found homefield advantage the Rams now have in their brand new stadium. I see the Rams taking this one 31-23 and ultimately not too close between the two teams throughout the game as the Cardinals try to bring it within one score with about 4 minutes left in the game and the Rams ice the final minutes to obtain the win.
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