The Arizona Cardinals and the St. Louis Rams face off on Sunday, September 12 at 4:15 pm at the Edward Jones Dome in St. Louis. The last time these teams met (in 2009),  Arizona won the game 31-10. This matchup is sure to be one of the more interesting ones rounding out Week 1 of the season, and the NFL spreads show the Cardinals minus-4 over the Rams with a total set at 39 points. 

The Arizona Cardinals are hoping they have enough firepower to remain a force in the NFC West, but that may be a little too much to ask for.

G.M. Rod Graves went into cost-cutting mode upon Warner’s retirement, perhaps conceding defeat and instituting a rebuilding plan. The Cardinals traded receiver Anquan Boldin to Baltimore, released safety Antrel Rolle, and watched defensive captain Karlos Dansby walk. Those are some big losses for a team that finished 10-6 last year and won the NFC West.

Kerry Rhodes will replace Rolle, while second-round rookie Daryl Washington will learn on the job and eventually replace Dansby. Returning receivers Steve Breaston and Early Doucet will combine to fill in for Boldin. But will it be enough?

The offense has been ranked 11th or better in scoring for three straight seasons. With Kurt Warner gone, the question had been surrounding the quarterback role had been in question all summer. But the issue has resolved itself as Derek Anderson has been thrust into the job in light of Matt Leinart’s recent release.

All of that uncertainty with the offense will require an elite defense and special teams, which the Cardinals do not possess. The defense posted just 43 sacks last season after switching to a 3-4 scheme. Defensive ends Darnell Dockett and Calais Campbell were good for seven sacks each. They are quick, but need to be more assertive.

Pass rushing should be a little better this year, as the team added veteran Joey Porter to serve in the rotation. Second-year pro Cody Brown will look to prove he deserves to play after sitting out 2009 with an injury.

Stopping the run will fall on the shoulders of Dockett and Campbell, and will be a major problem since the Cardinals are weak at inside linebacker. First-round nose tackle Dan Williams will be expected to step up right away, while veteran Bryan Robinson was re-signed for insurance.

The Rams are coming off of a dismal 1-15 season, so anything will be an improvement.

The offensive line was at the heart of those struggles, and left tackle Alex Barron was traded to Dallas, leaving the job to last year’s first-round pick Jason Smith. This year’s second-round pick, Rodger Saffold, will start in his rookie year. Right guard Adam Goldberg will return was capable at pass protection.

You can count on a lot of yardage against the Cards defense from running back Steven Jackson who often goes unnoticed, but is nearly as good as Tennessee’s Chris Johnson. Strong as an ox, he is able to keep pushing forward as defenders pile on, adding yardage to his runs and making big plays out of small ones. He is the one of the bright spots on offense, and works hard despite the team’s failures.

The Rams had the number one overall draft pick not long ago, and chose Oklahoma quarterback Sam Bradford. Though his arm is accurate, it was rarely tested under pressure in his collegiate career behind a standout offensive line. In his first taste of pressure in 2009, Bradford injured his shoulder in the very first game of the season, only to re-injure it later, ending his season.

But head coach Spagnuolo feels that his preseason performance and hard work ethic has been enough earning him the starting role in the Rams’ opener on Sunday. He seems to have finally made the full transition to the NFL, learning he needs to move around in the pocket or keep getting hit.

The team’s defense lacks any real pass rush ability and missed the chance to address this need in the draft. Defensive tackle Adam Carriker was traded to Washington, making things worse. Third year pro Chris Long is talented but lacks that burst of speed necessary for the position.

Spagnuolo’s defenses are built on a pass rush rotation of the front four, which is impossible with the Rams depth. The mismatched scheme could humiliate the Rams all season once again.

James Laurinaitis had a great rookie season at middle linebacker and could be an anchor to build around. Bobby Carpenter was acquired from the Dallas Cowboys with strong side linebacker Na’il Diggs. Both are solid, if not a slight improvement.

Safety Craig Dahl is a great Blitzer and the Rams use it to put pressure on but the league is sure to catch up to it this year. Former Giant Fred Robbins is getting long in the tooth, but still finds his way inside often enough to be counted on.


Matt’s Free Prediction: St. Louis Rams plus-4 – Despite some holes on the defense I am going to go out on a limb and putting my money on the Rams in this one. Despite being “just” preseason games, St. Louis is riding a wave after beating New England and Baltimore.  There’s still just too much uncertainty with Arizona, especially offensively.


For more previews on all the Week 1 games, check out our expert NFL picks from the top NFL handicappers in the business.