Rams vs. Cardinals: Full Arizona Game Preview

Can the Arizona Cardinals do it again? Following three straight wins and two consecutive blowouts, the Cardinals will look to extend their dream start when they play the St. Louis Rams Sunday afternoon in Glendale.

Arizona has been unstoppable through three weeks, averaging 42 points per game and outscoring their opponents by 77 points overall. 

In fact, it sounds less like a "dream start" and more like a ludicrous fantasy. Their play has given them a two-game lead over the rest of the NFC West, something they'll hope to maintain, or even extend, against St. Louis.

The Rams enter the game with a 1-2 record, having upset Seattle in Week 1 before sputtering against Washington and Pittsburgh. As has been the case under Jeff Fisher, the offense continues to let them down, failing to keep pace with the team's talented defense.

Click ahead for the full mid-week preview.

Location: University of Phoenix Stadium, Glendale, Arizona

Time: 4:25 p.m. ET

TV: Fox

News and Notes

Rick Scuteri/Associated Press

Who's getting the rock?

We'll have more on the injury situation in the next slide, but Andre Ellington has a shot at returning to action on Sunday. Conventional wisdom would hold that Ellington will slide back in as Arizona's lead back.

As we know, if only from his sartorial choices, Bruce Arians is anything but conventional. 

On Tuesday, Arians told SiriusXM NFL Radio that Chris Johnson would still have a big role, getting somewhere between 15 and 20 touches per game. For perspective, Arizona's running backs have touched the ball just a shade over 29 times per game through three weeks, which means Johnson would be the lead dog in such a scenario.

The veteran turned in an eye-opening performance last Sunday against San Francisco, totaling 150 yards and three touchdowns while showing flashes of the speed that made him a star in Tennessee.  

Ellington's not a lock to suit up, so this could be a moot point for this Sunday, but Arians and Harold Goodwin will have to make wise choices with their backs against the Rams. Pro Football Focus has the Rams ranked as the No. 1 defense against the run this season. 

Finding Michael Floyd

In the same SiriusXM interview, Arians mentioned that he wanted to get Floyd more involved last Sunday, as they look to increase his role in the offense. Floyd did see more targets, but he only managed one reception and was on the field for less than half of the offense's snaps, via Football Outsiders.

It seems clear that not only is Floyd not going to take up the title of lead receiver, but he's also the passing game's third option behind Larry Fitzgerald and John Brown. That in itself is fine, but the Cardinals will need Floyd to start producing as the schedule becomes more difficult, especially without a true receiving threat at tight end.

Latest Injury News

Rick Scuteri/Associated Press

As per usual, Arizona released the below injury report on its official website following Wednesday's practice.

WR John Brown	Shoulder
RB Andre Ellington	Knee
G Mike Iupati	Knee
WR J.J. Nelson	Shoulder
LB Alex Okafor	Shoulder

Nelson, as expected, did not practice today, while the other four players were listed as limited participants.

It's alarming to see Brown appear on the list, although there's no indication that he's a threat to miss Sunday's game. Via Arizona Sports 98.7's Paul Calvisi, Arians said after the 49ers' game that there were no new injuries. 

Ellington and Iupati continue to progress and should return any week at this point. Darren Urban of the team's official website said that Ellington is "50-50" for Sunday, while Iupati is an unknown. We'll learn more as we get closer to Sunday, although they both seemed destined for "game-time decision" status. 

Okafor played through his shoulder injury last week, and there's no reason to believe that that will change against the Rams. Still, it's always a bit worrisome when a linebacker has a shoulder injury, particularly when the linebacker in question is the team's best pass rusher.

Key Matchup

Tom Gannam/Associated Press

DT Aaron Donald vs. Arizona's interior offensive line

The instinct when describing a dominant defensive player is to compare them to altogether more aggressive forms of combat and destruction. Those images are ill-fitting when it comes to Donald. The standard metaphors slide over him and around him like he's in a kind of imagery wind tunnel.

The point is that nothing sticks, which must be sort of what it's like trying to block Donald. It's difficult to get a hold of him off of the ball, and keeping him out of the backfield is impossible.  

Through three weeks, Donald has three and a half sacks and five tackles for loss. He is Pro Football Focus's highest-rated defensive tackle by a wide margin, and no player at any position comes particularly close.

Stopping Donald—or at least slowing him down—will be at the top of Bruce Arians' game plan on Sunday. He can single-handedly disrupt the entire flow of Arizona's offense.

Not only will the interior of the Cardinals' offensive line have to be stout, but those assigned to help double-team Donald will also have to be on point. That won't be particularly easy, as the rest of St. Louis' defense is as formidable as any in the league. 

3 Things to Watch

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Can Arizona protect Carson Palmer?

This flows right from the previous slide. Not only is Aaron Donald a major problem, but the rest of St. Louis' defensive line can also get to the quarterback. As a team, they're tied for first in the league with 13 sacks.

Arizona's offensive line has been better than expected, but Palmer took some shots against San Francisco, and not all of them were necessary in the blowout. Arians kept the 35-year-old in the game long after the outcome had been decided, and those hits added up.

The Cardinals have to do a better job keeping Palmer's jersey clean on Sunday, partly because the Rams are so good at creating pressure, but mostly because they simply can't afford for their quarterback to get injured.

A first look at Todd Gurley

There have been a lot of superlatives thrown around Gurley, the 10th pick in the 2015 Draft, and this will be the first time Arizona's coaches (and fans) get to see what they're up against. 

After suffering a torn ACL last year at Georgia, Gurley made his NFL debut last week against the Steelers. It was a modest performance, thanks in no small part to St. Louis' shaky offensive line, as Gurley managed just nine yards on six carries.

Gurley has the talent to be one of the best backs in the NFL over the next decade, so it's best that the Cardinals introduce themselves quickly.

Patrick Peterson likes to play too, you guys

It's difficult to suggest that Peterson might be lonely, as he's been stuck at the hip with the opposition's best receiver all season, but it's possible he might be just a bit bored.

According to Pro Football Focus, the Saints threw at Peterson five times, while the Bears challenged him with four passes. That's not too bad, but that number dropped to one attempt last Sunday against San Francisco. If not for the occasional stab at returning punts, Peterson wouldn't have a whole lot to do.

It's likely Peterson will line up opposite Kenny Britt on Sunday. Whether Nick Foles involves him in the festivities remains to be seen. 

Prediction: Cardinals 21, Rams 13

Rick Scuteri/Associated Press

Arizona's had a relatively easy time of it in the early stages of the NFL season, but Week 4 should provide a sterner test. The Rams might not be a great football team, but they're well-suited to attack Arizona's biggest weakness.

The Cardinals' offensive line has looked more good than bad through three weeks, but we'll learn a lot more about them on Sunday. It won't be pretty, and it doesn't have to be. They just need to find a way to slow down St. Louis' defensive front.

As long as Arizona can hold up in the trenches, this is a game one would expect them to win. St. Louis has significant issues on offense, with question marks at quarterback, receiver and along the line. The Cardinals defense should feast again.

This won't be a blowout, but Arizona has more than enough firepower to come out on top. Be sure to check back on Friday night for the in-depth game plan.

Final prediction: Cardinals 21, Rams 13