With the Chicago Bears unable to defeat the Seattle Seahawks in 2024’s final edition of ‘Thursday Night Football,’ the NFC West race keeps going. If the Los Angeles Rams win this week, they could clinch the division on a Strength of Victory tiebreaker. In order to pull this off, the team needs over three and a half wins from the Bengals, Bills, Browns, Vikings, Commanders, or 49ers.
But that’s if head coach Sean McVay’s squad adds another win to the record. Their opponent, the 7-8 Arizona Cardinals.
Despite their elimination from playoff contention following their Week 16 loss to the Carolina Panthers, the Cardinals can still play spoiler. Coaches and players still need to perform to keep their jobs, particularly players on contract years like wide receiver Greg Dortch and edge rusher Kyzir White.
The Rams aren’t expecting an easy win, and neither should we.
Rams vs. Cardinals Week 17 Preview
The last time these two clubs faced each other in September, the Cardinals dominated in 41-10 fashion. They nearly doubled the Rams’ yards, outgaining them 489-245, punting just once.
September’s contest was also a breakout game for Cardinals rookie wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. The son of the 2016 Hall of Fame inductee by the same name, caught a pair of touchdowns in the first quarter, including a 60-yard bomb from quarterback Kyler Murray.
With the Rams’ secondary not in the best shape this season, the team will need to find a way to limit chunk plays to Harrison and tight end Trey McBride. With Murray’s game-ending interception last week, he will surely look to make those big plays to his top two targets and silence the doubters.
Another player to watch is running back James Conner. After leaving last week’s contest early and seeing limited practice time, Conner is expected to play on Saturday. He is currently ninth in the NFL with 1,090 rushing yards.
The Rams currently have the 25th-ranked rushing defense, allowing 131.4 yards per game on the ground. Conner is one of the most versatile runners in the league, and the Rams defense as a whole will have their hands full against a talented offensive unit.
The Rams Offense
While the Cardinals do have a stacked offense, the Rams are certainly no slouch. Los Angeles currently boasts one of the best wide receiver duos in the league with Puka Nacua and Cooper Kupp. Both players did not play full games against Arizona this year, with Nacua missing the game entirely and Kupp exiting midway with an ankle injury.
With both wide receivers at full speed in the final stretch of the season, Arizona’s 15th-ranked passing defense will have their hands full.
Rams tight end Tyler Higbee is also set to make an appearance. In his first game in eleven months last week, Higbee’s sole catch came with a touchdown.
Running back Kyren Williams, also one of the league’s best, will play a key role in both the run and pass. He ranks third with 1,243 rushing yards and ties for third with 13 rushing touchdowns. Williams could have a career year against the NFL’s 22nd-ranked run defense.
The Rams vs. Cardinals game in Week 17 features talented offensive cores with some average defensive units. Saturday’s game has the potential to be a high-scoring barn-burner, but with the Rams at home and on a four-game win streak, they’ll come out on top.
Main Photo: Vincent Carchietta – USA Today Sports
