A key NFC West matchup will take place in Arizona on Sunday when the Cardinals (6-5) host the Los Angeles Rams (7-4) as small home underdogs at sportsbooks monitored by Odds Shark. These teams play each other twice in the last five weeks of the season, and they are fighting for two of the three wild-card playoff spots in addition to the division title.
- Date/Time: December 6, 4:05 p.m. ET
- Stadium: State Farm Stadium
- TV Coverage: Fox
- Sportsbook Odds: Rams -1.5 | O/U 48.5 (Line History)
- Rams vs Cardinals Matchup Report
Sportsbook Odds Analysis
Los Angeles has risen as high as -3 in early betting while the total has stayed the same. That is understandable considering the Rams have the superior defense and have not lost consecutive games this season. While Arizona has looked good at times, the team’s last two wins have been decided by a combined five points. Plus, the Cardinals have failed to cover in four straight games, according to the Odds Shark NFL Database.
Los Angeles News & Notes
The San Francisco 49ers have been a bad matchup for Los Angeles over the years, so Sunday’s 23-20 home loss as a 5-point favorite should not be shocking.
The Rams ended up getting swept by the 49ers in the two meetings this year, as they could not find a way to score more than 20 points in either of them. In fact, Los Angeles has scored 20 or less in three of its four losses in 2020, but that should not be an issue here.
The Cardinals do not pose the same kind of defensive challenge, as they have surrendered 28 or more in four of their last five games. That would help explain why Arizona has lost three of four since putting together a three-game winning streak.
Arizona News & Notes
The Cardinals go as quarterback Kyler Murray goes, and he has been struggling lately. Murray has thrown for less than 270 yards in each of the last three games, totaling three touchdown passes and two interceptions during that stretch.
In the last two, he has also ran the ball just 10 times combined for 46 yards, after totaling 61 or more yards on the ground in each of the previous four. He has seemed tentative and will not have an easy task now against one of the best defenses in the NFL, led by All-Pro defensive tackle Aaron Donald.
Last year, the Rams won both meetings, including the first one 34-7 as 2.5-point road favorites, also in Week 13. Murray threw for just 163 yards in that game and also tossed an interception returned for a touchdown by Los Angeles safety Taylor Rapp.
Betting Pick: UNDER 48.5
The Rams played good defensively but not good enough in last week’s home loss, and they know holding Murray in check is the key to their success at Arizona. The question is, will this be more like the first meeting in 2019 or the second (a 31-24 win for Los Angeles)? The trends point to a lower-scoring affair, so bet on the UNDER to cash.
- The UNDER is 5-2 in Arizona’s last 7 games vs NFC teams.
- The UNDER is 7-1 in Los Angeles’ last 8 games.
- The Cardinals are 0-4 ATS in their last 4 games.
