St. Louis Rams vs. Arizona Cardinals: Complete Week 10 Preview for St. Louis
The St. Louis Rams (3-5) will take on the Arizona Cardinals (7-1) for the first matchup of the season between these two NFC West rivals. This article will be the official preview for the upcoming game.
The Cardinals may hold the best record in the NFL, but the Rams have knocked off both the Seattle Seahawks and San Francisco 49ers over the last three weeks. So this is hardly a game the Redbirds can afford to overlook.
In 2012, the Cardinals were 4-0 entering their first meeting of the season with the Rams. The Rams tallied nine sacks and sent the demoralized Cardinals home with a loss. Arizona was not the same after that game and won just one game the rest of the season.
Although seven wins is much more telling than four, Arizona could still experience a similar implosion if it enters this game—or any game—with the same blind overconfidence.
We never really know which Rams team we're going to see on any given Sunday, but the St. Louis pass rush is waking up in a big way. If the Rams' defensive line enters this game energized and ready to play, it will give the Arizona offense a test unlike any it has seen this year.
If the same Rams team we saw in San Francisco this past week shows up in Arizona, this will truly be one of the can't-miss games of the Week 10 lineup.
For more insight, click through the slides for the complete preview. We'll analyze the latest headlines and the key matchups, while also providing predictions and more.
Week 9 Recap
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The Week 9 showdown between the Rams and 49ers was an intense defensive battle and probably the wildest ride out of all the games last week.
Both offenses were held to just one touchdown. The leading rusher in the game—rookie St. Louis back Tre Mason—was held to a mere 65 yards on the ground. Additionally, the game featured only three receptions for 20 or more yards between both teams.
Rams quarterback Austin Davis—a fourth-stringer at one point in training camp—coughed up two first-half interceptions thanks to San Francisco's pressure and top-notch coverage in the secondary. It was shaping up to be a rough afternoon for Davis, so St. Louis was forced to downgrade his role to "game manager."
Colin Kaepernick, however, had it much worse. The 49ers' offensive line was totally manhandled by the St. Louis front four. The Rams tallied a season-high eight sacks—more than doubling the team's season sack total entering the game.
The overwhelming pressure created by St. Louis' defensive line threw the 49ers offense off its axis. The front four also dominated the San Francisco run game, limiting Frank Gore to a mere 49 yards rushing and holding Kaepernick to just 14 yards on five carries.
The 49ers offense marched the ball to the St. Louis one-yard line in the final seconds of the game. Down by only three with no time left for St. Louis to answer back, all San Francisco had to do was punch it in from the one. On their final chance, the 49ers called a quarterback sneak up the gut. Kaepernick fumbled the snap, and the Rams recovered.
Given the nature of the game, it was fitting that the St. Louis defense ultimately won the game.
It was such an encouraging victory for Rams fans. It appeared that a 49ers' victory was imminent, with a goal-line stand and game-tying field goal to force overtime being the best-case scenario.
But for the Rams to recover the fumble and pull off the win in such an unlikely and dramatic fashion was simply an exhilarating experience for a St. Louis fanbase that has been through a lot in recent years.
A late-season playoff run is still mathematically possible, but the Rams understand that's incredibly unlikely. However, it's not too late to use this victory to spark a late-season surge, which could send St. Louis into the 2015 season with plenty of confidence and momentum.
Regardless of what happens next, this was a huge win for the Rams and easily St. Louis' best win of the year.
News and Notes
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Zac Stacy's Absence Not Due to a Lack of Faith
With the arrival of Mason and his exceptional play on the field, it's getting increasingly difficult for the other Rams backs to find carries.
Zac Stacy emerged as the No. 1 back in 2013 and produced over 1,000 yards from scrimmage as a rookie fifth-round draft pick. Due to his production, he was expected to retain his role as St. Louis' go-to-guy in the backfield. But the second-year back has carried the ball just five total times in the last three games.
According to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch's Joe Lyons, head coach Jeff Fisher has made it clear that the lack of carries has more to do with Mason and not Stacy's play.
“We’ve not lost faith or confidence in him,’’ said Fisher. “We’ve got good backs—just can’t play them all.’’
Stacy is averaging a mediocre 3.9 yards per carry and has lacked the same tenacity we saw from him a year ago. It's likely too early to give up on the young back, but it's certainly been a step backward for him.
Rams Hoping to Get Janoris Jenkins Back From Injury
Third-year pro Janoris Jenkins—St. Louis' top cornerback—injured his knee during the first half against the Seahawks in Week 7, per Fox Sports. He finished the second half of that game, but he has missed the last two games as a result.
According to Nick Wagoner of ESPN, Jenkins missed Thursday's workout, but the Rams are hopeful that he'll be on the field this week.
Trumaine Johnson, who was injured during the preseason, made his 2014 debut against San Francisco this past week and has been totally removed from St. Louis' injury report.
If Jenkins can take the field this Sunday, the Rams will have both starting cornerbacks on the field for the first time this season.
Injury Report
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This injury report is from the official website of the Rams. Be sure to check the report closer to kickoff for a more up-to-date list:
Injury Report
S Cody Davis (Concussion): Limited Participation
LB Jo-Lonn Dunbar (Toe): Did Not Participate
CB E.J. Gaines (Knee): Did Not Participate
DE William Hayes (Fibula): Did Not Participate
TE Cory Harkey (Knee): Did Not Participate
CB Janoris Jenkins (Knee): Did Not Participate
S Rodney McLeod (Knee): Did Not Participate
CB Marcus Roberson (Ankle): Did Not Participate
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X-Factors and Matchups
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Carson Palmer vs. St. Louis Pass Rush
The Cardinals have allowed just 13 total sacks this season—tied for fifth fewest in the league—and starting quarterback Carson Palmer has been sacked just six times.
Additionally, Palmer has been sacked more than once in just two of his five starts, and he has yet to be sacked more than twice in a single game this season.
Clearly, Palmer and Arizona's offensive line have yet to be put to the test. In fact, three of the five teams Palmer has faced this year rank in the bottom 10 in sacks (Dallas Cowboys, Oakland Raiders and San Diego Chargers).
St. Louis came alive last week and hammered San Francisco for eight sacks. If the Rams can play with the same intensity, their defensive line will be unlike any Arizona has seen this year.
Arizona is a pass-happy team. If the Rams can continue to create pressure and rack up sacks, it will throw off the aerial rhythm of the Cardinals offense and make points hard to come by.
Is Arizona's Horrendous Pass Defense a Mirage?
The Arizona secondary has allowed 286.8 passing yards per game this season, which ranks last in the NFL.
However, with such a talented secondary that features household names like Patrick Peterson and Tyrann Mathieu, is Arizona's last-place pass defense a mirage or a true weakness?
Turns out, it's probably a little of both.
Clearly, the group is better than what the numbers show. The Arizona defense has faced 320 pass attempts this season—the eighth most in the NFL—and the team has led after halftime in five of its eight games. So opponents have likely been forced to go airborne to keep up.
The Cardinals also have 12 interceptions this year—tied for most in the NFL.
But even though Arizona does not truly own the worst pass defense in the league, it's still the weak point of the defense.
The Cardinals have allowed 33 receptions of 20 or more yards (fifth most in the NFL) and seven receptions of 40 or more yards (tied for sixth most).
As long as Davis can avoid dangerous throws and get in sync with his receivers, there's no reason why he can't have a productive day. Arizona can create turnovers, but the Cardinals also give up big plays through the air.
Can St. Louis Overcome Another Top-Five Run Defense?
Arizona will be the fourth team with a top-five run defense that St. Louis has faced in its last five games.
The brutal schedule has not helped the St. Louis run game, but the Rams have managed to run the ball despite facing elite run defenses week after week.
Mason's 65 yards against San Francisco last week were well-earned and just enough to keep the Rams offense afloat. His 85-yard day against Seattle was another impressive showing against a team great at defending the run.
Arizona's front seven has likely intimidated opposing teams all season. For the Rams, this is nothing remotely new. Facing relentless run defenses has become part of the weekly routine, so the team will not fold against Arizona.
If Mason can have another productive game on the ground, it will allow the St. Louis offense to be two-dimensional, which will be a major advantage for the Rams.
Prediction
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It would be an incredible feel-good moment for Rams fans if St. Louis can somehow escape Arizona with its third NFC West victory of the year. But that's unlikely.
Yes, the Rams are coming off an incredible victory against a tough 49ers team, and that could ignite some confidence and spark a run. However, the Rams have been nothing but inconsistent this season, which makes it hard to buy into the team's victory in San Francisco as a season-changing omen.
The St. Louis offense was completely rudderless against San Francisco, and Davis was dreadful for most of the game. If the offense appears helpless once again against the Cardinals, it'll be unlikely that the St. Louis defense can single-handedly win the game for a second week in a row.
The Rams are a different team against NFC West rivals, so expect this to be a close, hard-fought game. But in the end, the Rams are too inconsistent, and Arizona is currently the best team in football. So that's not a great recipe for St. Louis.
If St. Louis pulls off the win, then it'll be a telltale sign the Rams team we expected to see in 2014 has finally arrived. Although, you probably shouldn't count on that happening.
Prediction: Cardinals 33, Rams 20
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