The Los Angeles Rams (0-1) and Arizona Cardinals (0-1) will kick off the Sunday afternoon slate of NFL Week 2. Kickoff is set for 4:05 p.m. ET from State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Ariz., on FOX, and the game can be streamed live on YouTube TV.
The Rams are consensus 1-point favorites (Rams -1) over the Cardinals as we get closer to kickoff, as the spread keeps flipping back and forth between either side being favored by a point. Essentially, this one is a coin flip, which you can also see on the moneyline, where both teams are -110 to win outright. The over/under is currently 47.5 points scored.
The Rams came up just short of a Week 1 upset in a 26-20 loss against the Lions despite Matthew Stafford and Cooper Kupp reestablishing their elite connection. Kyler Murray looked like his old electric self, but the Arizona defense couldn't stop Josh Allen in a 34-28 loss to Buffalo.
Let's get into my Rams vs. Cardinals prediction and my NFL picks and predictions for Week 2 on Sunday.
Rams vs. Cardinals Odds, Picks, Prediction
| Rams Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-1 -105 | 47.5 -102o / -118u | -112 |
| Cardinals Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+1 -115 | 47.5 -102o / -118u | -108 |
- Rams vs. Cardinals Spread: Rams -1
- Rams vs. Cardinals Over/Under: 47.5 points
- Rams vs. Cardinals Moneyline: Rams -110, Cardinals -110
- Rams vs. Cardinals Pick: Rams +1.5 | Bet to +1
My Cardinals vs. Rams best bet is on the Rams to cover the spread, although I'm betting on Los Angeles as an underdog. At this very moment, you can get Rams +1 at bet365, despite the market having the Rams at -1. Keep an eye on this one with our live NFL odds page and make sure to get the best number, as the lines will likely keep changing before kickoff.
Spread
I'm taking the points with the Rams on the road in Week 2, but keep an eye on how the spread is moving. The Cardinals are now the underdogs at most books, but as I mentioned above, you can find Rams +1 at bet365.
Moneyline
Despite me liking the underdog here, I'm focusing my bet on the spread and passing on the moneyline.
Total
I'm in line with the over/under.
Los Angeles Rams vs. Arizona Cardinals NFL Week 2 Preview
The Rams not only lost the game against the Lions, but they lost a few key players on offense, as well. Wide receiver Puka Nacua is the big loss, but offensive linemen Steve Avila and Joe Notebloom joined him on the injured reserve, meaning both will miss at least the next four games.
Despite the injuries, I still think the Rams are the better squad here. I don't think this Cardinals team is as good as I thought it was going to be. There are still a lot of issues on defense, and there's another issue that I didn't quite foresee continuing in Kyler Murray throwing the ball down the football field.
In the past with DeAndre Hopkins there, Murray was able to thrive down the field. In his first NFL game, though, Marvin Harrison Jr. didn't look great. I know it's just one game, but Harrison looked slow and wasn't a downfield threat. Against the Bills, Murray was 1-of-7 on passes 10 or more yards down the field. Just 10 yards is an intermediate area of the field. Essentially, anytime you need a first down, got to have it in a third-and-long situation, the Cardinals have historically struggled and it didn't look like things were better in Week 1.
Harrison wasn't getting open and Murray wasn't looking at him. It could be a combination of Murray having no confidence in going down the field, where Harrison was running most of his routes, among other factors.
I'm not as worried about the Rams defense against this Arizona offense. The Cardinals are going to run the ball on them, but I think the Rams can do the same on Arizona's defense while also being efficient in the air. In place of Nacua, Tyler Johnson had five catches for 79 yards on seven targets. Demarcus Robinson is a reliable target for Stafford and has another year in the offense, while rookie Jordan Whittington and Tutu Atwell offer depth at receiver. Colby Parkinson also finished as the TE7 in fantasy in Week 1 with four catches for 47 yards.
Oh, and that's not even mentioning the vintage Cooper Kupp performance we got.
This Cardinals defense was a bottom-of-the-barrel unit last year and let Josh Allen complete 80% of his passes for 10 yards per attempt last week. I have concerns about the Rams' run game and run defense, but I have more concerns about the Cardinals on everything else but their run offense.
Best Bet for Rams vs. Cardinals
Murray has historically struggled against the Rams, and he's 4-10 against the spread in divisional home games. I also trust Rams head coach Sean McVay, who tends to get the Rams to show up in these kinds of spots when they need a win.
This is a tough spot for the Rams coming off a tough Week 1 loss with all of the injuries they suffered. Despite that, I still believe they're the better team. Los Angeles can outperform the Cardinals' weak defense.
I'm taking the 1.5 points and betting the Rams.
Pick: Rams +1.5
Betting Trends
- 27% of bets and 92% of the money are on the Rams to cover the spread.
- 60% of bets and 50% of the money are on the over.
- 66% of bets and 70% of the money on the moneyline are the Rams.
How to Watch: Time, Channel, Streaming
| Location: | State Farm Stadium |
| Date: | Sunday, Sept. 15 |
| Kickoff Time: | 4:05 p.m. ET |
| TV / Streaming: | FOX / YouTube TV, FOX Sports App |
Los Angeles vs. Arizona is scheduled for 4:05 p.m. ET live State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Ariz., on Sunday afternoon. The game is live on FOX and can be streamed on YouTube TV, the FOX Sports App and other streaming platforms.
NFL Week 2 Weather
