Cardinals vs. Rams: TV Info, Spread, Injury Updates, Game Time and More

Week 15 kicks off with a surprisingly interesting Thursday Night Football bout between the Arizona Cardinals and the St. Louis Rams.

Why is this impending contest surprising? Well, four weeks ago, the Cardinals appeared poised to run away with the NFC West and claim home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. Meanwhile, the Rams looked like a team that was dead in the water, winning just three of their first nine games.

Oh, how things have changed.

Cardinals starting quarterback Carson Palmer was lost for the season the last time these teams faced off, and backup Drew Stanton has struggled to get the offense going since, earning a 2-2 record in his last four starts. St. Louis finally got its defense going and has won three of its last four games, pitching shutouts in two consecutive weeks.

We shouldn't expect this contest to go quite like the 31-14 affair that took place in Week 9.

Under Pressure

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Remember in the beginning of the season when everyone was concerned with the Rams' lack of a pass rush despite a bevy of talent along the defensive line? Well, that's no longer in question, as the team has been getting to quarterbacks early and often over the past several weeks.

When the Oakland Raiders came to town in Week 13, the Rams terrorized rookie Derek Carr, sacking him three times and pressuring him into two costly interceptions. In fact, Carr performed so terribly, the Raiders made a swap at the position, sending veteran Matt Schaub into the game—who was promptly sacked three times and picked once.

The following week, St. Louis traveled east to face the Washington Redskins—they were not prepared. Once again, the Rams had a field day, sacking starter Colt McCoy six times and pressuring him into two interceptions. Former starter Robert Griffin III was sent into the game late and was sacked once as well.

ESPN's Adam Caplan tweeted about the torrid pace the team has been on over its past eight games:

Robert Quinn continues to dominate offensive linemen and has racked up 10.5 sacks this season. Complementing him perfectly on the inside is rookie Aaron Donald, who has now tallied seven on the year and one in each of his last four games. Chris Long continues to get healthier, and he'll only add to the versatility of this line.

So, here's the big question: How good is Arizona's pass protection? Well, not so good. The team was given a minus-29.3 rating by Pro Football Focus (subscription required) after allowing 14 sacks, 35 hits and 97 hurries this season. Stanton may be in for a long day.

Running on Fumes

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Adding to Arizona's injury woes, running back Andre Ellington was placed on season-ending injured reserve before Week 14. Head coach Bruce Arians decided to call second-year running back Kerwynn Williams into action, and the ball-carrier didn't disappoint. He rushed 19 times for 100 yards, averaging 5.3 yards per carry against the Kansas City Chiefs.

While the Chiefs aren't exactly known for their stout run defense, Williams' production was encouraging for a team that watched Ellington average just 3.3 yards per carry on the season. Getting the running game going early will be a major key to success for Arizona in Week 15.

NFL analyst Matt Waldman thought Williams was underrated coming out of college and tweeted his thoughts on the running back:

The Rams do own a very stout defense against the run, allowing an average of just 104.8 yards per game; however, they haven't been immovable of late. Before facing the horrid rushing offenses of Oakland and Washington, St. Louis faced the San Diego Chargers and gave up 105 yards and a touchdown to Ryan Mathews on just 12 carries, an average of 8.8 yards per rush.

You may think that would be impossible for a Cardinals team that only averages 79.8 yards per game on the ground. Well, the Chargers aren't any more prolific out of the backfield, averaging just 84.7 yards per contest.

Getting Williams going will help quell that feared St. Louis pass rush, as those defenders won't be able to sell out against the pass. This will also help open up space in the passing game, which is a necessity for Stanton, who is only completing 54.5 percent of his passes this season.

When: Thursday, December 11

Where: Edward Jones Dome in St. Louis, Missouri

Time: 8:25 p.m. ET

Channel: NFL Network

Live Stream: NFL.com

Betting Info (via Odds Shark):

• Over/Under: 40
• Spread: Rams -3.5

Team Injury Reports

Player	Pos.	Injury	Status
Antonio Cromartie	CB	Ankle	Questionable
Andre Ellington	RB	Hernia	Out
Larry Foote	LB	Foot	Probable
Larry Fitzgerald	WR	Knee	Probable

Player	Pos.	Injury	Status
Tavon Austin	WR	Back	Probable
Chris Long	DE	Ankle	Probable

Injury info will be updated once released, via ESPN.com.

Prediction

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The Rams are a team no one wants to play right now. They are absolutely on fire in all phases of the game. We already discussed the team's resurgent defense, but St. Louis has begun to find success on the offensive side of the ball lately as well.

Rookie running back Tre Mason has been a revelation, emerging from a group of lackluster backs to carry the load for this team. With a balanced attack, veteran quarterback Shaun Hill has become increasingly efficient, tossing four touchdown passes and zero interceptions over his last two games.

While St. Louis has finally found its groove, the Cardinals are still searching for theirs. If this team cannot get Williams going out of the backfield, there will be little hope for Stanton to flourish against the Rams' pass rush and secondary. Defensively, Arizona must continue to deal with injuries, notably the recent thumb injury that has sidelined Tyrann Mathieu.

It's just too difficult to trust a battered Cardinals team against a Rams squad that is playing its best football of the season.

Prediction: Rams 24, Cardinals 17