Who would have thought that after their opening night disaster the Los Angeles Rams would be sitting atop the NFC West after three weeks of the season? Though the Rams didn’t score their first touchdown of the year until their third game, that’s exactly where they are. L.A. has already knocked off one of the division favorites and will look to carry the momentum from their offensive outburst into a Week 4 matchup with the Arizona Cardinals.
This matchup in Week 4 of the regular season will take place on Sunday, October 2, 2016, at 4:25 p.m. ET at University of Phoenix Stadium.
NFL Odds at BookMaker.eu
Los Angeles Rams +9
Arizona Cardinals -9
Over/Under 43
Odds Analysis
The 9-point spread is the highest for either team in a game between these clubs since 2009 and the line has been four points or lower nine times in those 12 games. Oddsmakers believe in the Cardinals after opening at Arizona -9.5 but the betting public isn’t so sure. The line was wagered down a half point to its current number. Los Angeles played its last two as an underdog and won both outright while the Cards already lost once at home as 9-point chalk, falling to the Pats in the opener.
Injury Report
Michael Floyd – Arizona’s starting receiver entered the league’s concussion protocol after Sunday’s drubbing in Buffalo. Floyd finished the day with four catches for 65 yards and exited the game to get checked on the sideline. He was cleared to return and later complained of a headache, forcing him into the safety procedure. Floyd has nine catches and is averaging 14.9 yards per reception. He’s likely to be replaced by Jaron Brown in the lineup. Further complicating the offense is a wrist injury to starting tight end Troy Niklas. Not a big factor in the passing game, he has been reliable as a blocker to assist the run game.
Matchup to Watch
Todd Gurley had his best game of the season Sunday in Tampa Bay, running for 85 yards and two touchdowns on 27 carries. He averaged just 3.1 yards per carry, but that was also a best for him through three games. Last year’s offensive rookie of the year got off to a slow start but has seen his rush yards increase each game. He opened with 47 at San Francisco and tallied 51 in a Week 2 win over Seattle. Part of the early struggles could be attributed to a non-existent passing game. However, Case Keenum loosened things up against the Bucs early in the first quarter, connecting on a 44-yard scoring pass for the Rams first touchdown of the year.
The threat of a vertical game opened up running lanes and Gurley was at his best as the game wore on. Now, Gurley and the Rams face a Cardinals defense that was gashed for 208 yards on the ground by the Bills. LeSean McCoy amassed 110 yards and averaged 6.5 yards per carry. Tyrod Taylor averaged 8.4 yards on his nine carries and Buffalo had 6.5 yards every time they ran the football. What might save the Cardinals and their 29th ranked run defense is not having to face a running quarterback. Keenum won’t run leaving the bulk of the ground work to Gurley.
Free ATS Pick
It’s way too early to give up on the Cardinals, even after a dreadful performance that left them shaking their heads at a blown opportunity. Facing a 0-2 Bills team breaking in a new offensive coordinator, playing without its top receiving threat and with a secondary that got abused by Ryan Fitzpatrick the week before, Buffalo should have been there for the taking. Instead, the Cards put forth one of the most dismal performances in recent memory. Football is funny that way, though. Games you think should go one way often don’t.
The Cards better pump up their run defense because they will get a heavy dose of Gurley and if they can’t stop him it could get ugly in a hurry. If the group performs somewhere between the Tampa Bay game and the Buffalo outing, it should be good enough to stop the Rams, who used up their allotment of points last week. And they won’t have to deal with a mobile quarterback since Keenum can’t move. Nine points is a lot against a team that’s feeling good about itself, but winning the game is in the Cards.
NFL Odds: Cardinals 26, Rams 20
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