Rams at Cardinals Picks, Predictions & Betting Odds
- Odds: Rams -3
- Over/Under: 47
- Kickoff: 4:05 p.m. ET
- TV Channel: FOX
Odds as of Friday afternoon.
The public is fading the Los Angeles Rams as 3-point road favorites with 60% of tickets backing the Arizona Cardinals to cover.
Our experts analyze every angle of this matchup from a betting perspective below, featuring mismatches and more
Rams-Cardinals Injury Report
Which team is healthier? Cardinals
Coming off the bye week the Cardinals are in good shape. Chase Edmonds (hamstring) and defensive lineman Jonathan Bullard (foot) are the only guys on the report, but Edmonds was upgraded to full practice on Thursday.
The Rams are also decently healthy, but they could be down Gerald Everett (knee) as he has yet to practice this week. Tyler Higbee would be inline for an increased role if Everett is ruled out. — Justin Bailey
Note: Info as of Friday. See our Injury Report for daily practice participation and game statuses up until kickoff.
Biggest Mismatch
Rams Pass Offense vs. Cardinals Pass Defense
The Rams have incredibly underwhelmed in 2019, dropping from 32.9 points per game last year to 22.6 this year. Much of the fault lies with their passing offense, which has been sabotaged by rapidly regressing quarterback Jared Goff, who has averaged just one touchdown per game this year.
But he’s in a get-right spot against the Cardinals, who are No. 32 in Pro Football Focus coverage grade. For at least this week, the Rams might rediscover their former glory.
The matchup for the Rams wide receivers is especially enticing.
Last year, No. 1 cornerback Patrick Peterson shadowed Brandin Cooks on 80.8% of his routes and held him to just 18 yards on one target. But Peterson is a different guy this year.
Since returning from suspension, he has allowed a 73.3% catch rate, 315 yards and two touchdowns in five games. I expect that Peterson will shadow Cooks once again this week, but Cooks has the speed to get by Peterson for some big plays.
Opposite Cooks on the perimeter, Robert Woods is slated to face rookie cornerback Byron Murphy, who could develop into a shutdown defender but right now is incredibly raw. Murphy is the No. 103 PFF corner out of 121 qualified players, and he’s allowed an NFL-high seven receiving touchdowns.
Since the Week 9 bye, Woods has averaged 96 yards on 10 targets and 6.5 receptions per game. Against Murphy, Woods has 100-yard, multi-touchdown potential.
And slot receiver Cooper Kupp might have the best matchup of them all. The Cardinals have been rotating cornerbacks Tramaine Brock and Kevin Peterson in the slot, and both of them are exploitable. Brock has allowed 9.8 yards per target this year, and Peterson is a career special-teamer with a 73.7% catch rate allowed with the Cardinals.
The Rams also have a pass-game edge with running back Todd Gurley and tight end Tyler Higbee. The Cardinals are No. 31 in pass defense against backs and No. 32 against tight ends (per Football Outsiders’ DVOA metric). When targeted, Gurley and Higbee should be able to produce.
Goff has disappointed this year, and he tends not to do his best on the road, but he has 300-yard, multi-touchdown potential against the flaccid Cardinals pass defense. — Matthew Freedman
Sean Koerner's Projected Odds
- Projected Spread: Rams -2.5
- Projected Total: 49
PRO System Match
Since 2003, the under is 825-732-29 (53.0%) in division games. Unders have been a smart play in division games as increased familiarity between teams creates a lower-scoring environment.
It may seem obvious to some bettors, but it’s been more profitable to take the under in division games with high totals (more than 44 points). It’s just easier for unders to cash when more points are expected to be scored.
Following this Pro System, bettors have gone 183-112-3 (62%) since 2003. A $100 bettor would have returned a profit of $6,193 following this strategy.
A majority of tickets are on this over, but history suggests the under is a smart play. — John Ewing
PRO Systems are data-driven betting strategies that turn winning long-term trends into easy-to-follow picks, all handpicked and monitored by our team of analysts. Try Action PRO now and instantly access real-time game matches for every PRO System.
Expert Picks
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