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November 30, 2017 at 8:11 pm #78165
znModeratorPractice Report: What’s Changed for the Cardinals since Week 7?
Kristen Lago
The Rams were back to work on Wednesday for their first session of the week at Cal Lutheran.
Los Angeles will face off against the Cardinals for the second time this season on Sunday at University of Phoenix Stadium.Here are the top three observations from Wednesday:
Who’s Practicing, Who’s Not
Returning to the field were running backs Malcolm Brown (knee) and Lance Dunbar (knee), as well as cornerback Nickell Robey-Coleman (thigh) who participated in a limited capacity.
Outside linebacker Connor Barwin (arm) was also a non-participant. Barwin had surgery for a broken forearm on Monday morning and will be absent from the practice field for the next couple of weeks.
Tight end Tyler Higbee (illness), wide receiver Josh Reynolds (ankle), cornerback Kayvon Webster(ankle), and wide receiver Robert Woods (shoulder) rounded out the Rams injury report as non-participants in Wednesday’s practice.
Andrew Whitworth, linebacker Mark Barron, and center John Sullivan were given their weekly rest day and did not participate in the session.
What’s changed since Week 7?
On Sunday afternoon, the Rams will face an NFC West division rival in Arizona for the second time this year. Last time around, Los Angeles handedly defeated the Cardinals, shutting them out 33-0. But this time around the matchup should look a little different.
Arizona’s starting quarterback Carson Palmer is out with a season-ending arm injury — one he sustained in the Week 7 matchup with the Rams. Drew Stanton, Palmer’s primary backup is also out after sustaining a knee injury in Arizona’s Week 9 matchup with the Seahawks. With both sidelined, quarterback Blaine Gabbert has stepped in as the primary signal-caller.
Last week, Gabbert led the Cardinals to a win over the Jaguars, throwing for 241 yards, two touchdowns and one interception.
“He’s definitely more athletic than the other two,” middle linebacker Alec Ogletree said. “He’s able to get out of the pocket and extend plays a lot more.”
And though Ogletree said the offense still runs similarly with Gabbert at the helm, he and cornerback Nickell-Robey Coleman both acknowledged that the defense will have to adjust to “the different nuances” that come along with a new quarterback.
“Blaine is a really good quarterback. He does a lot of good things in the pocket, can step up and throw,” Robey-Coleman said. “He’s a good quarterback and we can’t sleep on him.”
On defense, head coach Bruce Arians has named a new starting strong safety — rookie Budda Baker. Baker took over the full-time role in Week 10 after Tyvon Branch went down with a season-ending injury.
The Washington product made a splash in his first start, recording 13 tackles, one sack, two forced fumbles, a fumble recovery, and a pass breakups — catching the attention of several Rams players and coaches.
“He’s actually pretty good [and] he’s doing a lot of special things,” wide receiver Sammy Watkins said. “That’s a guy that coach kind of highlighted during the meetings. So we just have to play fast and know he’s there — him and Patrick Peterson, Tyrann Mathieu — a lot of guys they have that are special on defense.”
In all, Sunday’s matchup between the Cardinals and Rams should be more competitive than the last. As outside linebacker Samson Ebukam put it, “even though we have faced the Cardinals, I know that they are going to come back with something different because what they did the first time obviously didn’t work.”
“They are going to come up with a different game plan,” he continued, “so we have to be ready for anything.
My Cause, My Cleats
At the end of every practice report this week, theRams.com will highlight one Rams player participating in the NFL’s My Cause, My Cleats campaign. The initiative is the culmination of collaborative work between the NFL and players across the league — allowing them to showcase personal causes on field in Week 13.
One of the 28 Rams participating in Sunday’s campaign is Robey-Coleman.
The USC product has chosen to support the American Heart Association as a tribute to his late mother, Maxine, who lost her life to heart failure while he was still in high school.
“She had a heart attack back in 2010, right after I signed at USC,” he said. “So I just try to live by her memory and keep it going. I know she’s looking down on me and all that good stuff, but that’s why I did it, just in remembrance of her.”
Robey-Coleman says that by wearing the personalized cleats he will be “doing what I do every game — playing for her.” But he did express his excitement at getting to showcase his cause in a tangible way.
“This time it’s on my cleats,” he said. “When I’m playing, I’m [always] playing for my family, I’m playing for my mom, so, that’s just in my mind. But to have it on my cleats and not get fined? That’s awesome.”
December 1, 2017 at 12:32 am #78170znModeratorWhat They’re Saying: The Arizona Cardinals
Kristen Lago
Each week TheRams.com will be taking a look at what Los Angeles’ opponents have to say about facing the Rams. Heading into Week 13 of the regular season, check out what the Arizona Cardinals’ coaches and players had to say about their upcoming matchup against the Los Angeles Rams at the University of Phoenix Stadium in Arizona:
On what kind of impact he thinks DT Aaron Donald has on the game:
“I think he’s the most dynamic inside player in the NFL – he and (Seahawks DE) Michael Bennett. Michael is playing a lot more outside this year, but I think (Donald) has been the most destructive inside guy for a couple years now. He gets those outside guys a lot of sacks because if they stay outside, the quarterback is just getting flushed out to them it goes over there and yeah, he can wreck the game in a heartbeat.”
– Cardinals’ HC Bruce Arians
On the challenges that the Rams defense presents:
“They have a great defense. You know everybody is talented in the NFL, it’s a week to week thing. Everybody has great players. They have a great front seven, their secondary is playing hard, they are forcing turnovers, they’re playing fast. We’re going to have our hands full, but at the end of the day we’re going to focus on what we can control — going out there and executing each and every play, not getting ahead of ourselves and just playing good football.”
– Cardinals’ QB Blaine Gabbert
On what has looked different about the Rams this season:
“They were a really, really good defense before Wade Phillips came in last year. What he’s been able to do, and these guys obviously they are elite pass rushers, they’re able to do some things in the back end to confuse the quarterback from time to time. But they are still the same physically imposing, aggressive, get after you defense that we’ve always faced. The only difference now is on the offensive side, they are putting up a lot of points. There’s just no room for error at all.”
– Cardinals’ WR Larry Fitzgerald
On what he has seen as the biggest improvement with QB Jared Goff this season:
“The protection has helped him so much. Last year he hardly had a chance to stand in there and throw it. But, the running game and then his pocket presence – he knows exactly where he’s going with the football and he’s got that great arm and if you let him sit still in that pocket he’s going to kill you. I’ve seen him being able to sit still in the pocket and being more comfortable than he has been.”
– Cardinals’ HC Bruce Arians
On the difference of RB Todd Gurley II from last year to this year:
“They’re blocking a whole lot better for him. He’s one of the three or four premier guys in this league and when you give him space, he’s going to hurt you. I really like what (Rams Head Coach) Sean (McVay) is doing with him in the passing game now because he did remind me a lot of (Cardinals RB) David Johnson coming out. Both those guys had really good hands.”
– Cardinals’ HC Bruce Arians
On how big of a game this is for the Cardinals in facing the Rams for the second time:
“Big home game for us, we have the Rams coming to town. Obviously, the last time we played them it wasn’t a very good outing for us on our long road trip to London. It’s a big week for these guys, because it’s a hell of an opponent. We have to rise to the occasion.”
– Cardinals’ OC Harold Goodwin
“The London game, it wasn’t pretty. I mean the trip was great, everything was fantastic except for the game. We have to actually show up and play football on Sunday if we want to compete against a really, really good football team. They have to be a top five scoring team offensively, a top five defense and an unbelievable job on special teams. All around they’re a dominant football team. But we’re playing at home, we’re playing better than we were at that time. It’s going to be a 60 minute altercation.”
– Cardinals WR Larry Fitzgerald
December 1, 2017 at 12:46 am #78171znModeratorCardinals vs. Rams prediction, scouting report: Can the Cardinals pull off the upset?
Kent Somers, azcentral sports
Cardinals insider Kent Somers previews Sunday’s Cardinals-Rams game and breaks down who has the edge. Kickoff is scheduled for 2:25 p.m. at University of Phoenix Stadium.
Cardinals on offense
To have a chance, the Cardinals must avoid negative plays on first and second downs. Failures on those downs were a big reason the Cardinals lost to the Rams, 33-0, in London in late October. The Cardinals converted just 3 of 12 third-down opportunities in that game. (The Rams were 13 of 19). On nine of those 12 opportunities, the Cardinals needed nine yards or more for a first down. That’s a recipe for disaster against any defense, but especially one as good as the Rams’. A poor run game was only one problem that day. Adrian Peterson rushed 11 times for 21 yards. Three times the Cardinals offense was penalized on first down, leading to impossible situations. Toss in two interceptions and it’s little wonder the Cardinals lost by 33 points. The Cardinals have lost two offensive starters since that game, quarterback Carson Palmer and left tackle D.J. Humphries – and a backup, quarterback Drew Stanton. Blaine Gabbert is now starting at quarterback, and he played well last week against the Jaguars. Gabbert ran for two first downs on a key touchdown drive last week. Rams tackle Aaron Donald might be the best defensive player in the NFL and had two tackles for loss and two quarterback hits in the first game against the Cardinals.
Edge: Rams
Cardinals on defense
The big story with the Rams this week was the revelation that coach Sean McVay communicates with quarterback Jared Goff via radio right up he’s cut off at the 15-second mark of the play clock. That has given Goff the ability to use a lot of check-with-me calls at the line of scrimmage. It can complicate things for a defense because it has to determine if it can disguise its intent long enough to fool the Rams. The Rams often snap the ball quickly, which doesn’t give a defense time to adjustment. The Cardinals did a good job limiting the Jaguars’ run game last week, but the Rams are far more diverse offensively. Running back Todd Gurley rushed for 106 yards and a touchdown in London and is also a receiving threat. The Cardinals sacked Goff only once on 38 pass plays in the first meeting. The Rams likely will be without Robert Woods, their leader in receptions and receiving yardage. They have plenty of other firepower. They are second in the NFL in scoring. According to profootballreference.com, the Rams have scored on 48.4 percent of their possessions, second only to New England. Last year, the Rams were the worst in the NFL in that category, scoring on 28.1 percent of their possessions.
Edge: Rams
Special teams
Rams punter Johnny Hekker is the best in the NFL, and kicker Greg Zuerlein has missed just two field goals in 34 attempts. Cardinals opponents have yet to miss a field goal this season. The Cardinals punt team has improved dramatically in the past month, but the kickoff coverage needs improvement. The Rams’ Pharoh Cooper leads the NFL in kickoff return average (29.7) and returned one 103 yards for a touchdown against Jacksonville.
Bottom line
The Rams have their health and an 8-3 record. The Cardinals have six starters on injured reserve and are 5-6. They have yet to win consecutive games this season and will try Sunday for the sixth time this season. The Rams, however, are better in every area.
December 1, 2017 at 10:01 am #78185znModeratorDecember 2, 2017 at 12:58 am #78207znModeratorWho has the edge?
RICH HAMMOND
link: http://www.ocregister.com/2017/12/01/rams-vs-cardinals-who-has-the-edge-2/
RAMS OFFENSE vs. CARDINALS DEFENSE
Arizona’s loss to the Rams last month capped a brutal three-game stretch in which the Cardinals allowed a total of 100 points in three games. Since then, the Cardinals have allowed only 77 points in their last four games. Arizona has faced the fourth-most pass attempts in the NFL this season but has allowed a completion percentage of 60.4 percent, ninth-best in the league, and the Cardinals allow only 3.7 yards per rushing attempt. Arizona has been fairly stout on run defense in recent games, so it will be interesting to see if the Rams abandon the run too quickly if Todd Gurley can’t get going early, but Gurley ran for 106 yards on only 22 carries in the last meeting, and the Rams totaled 197 rushing yards.
EDGE: RAMSCARDINALS OFFENSE vs. RAMS DEFENSE
The Cardinals are on their third quarterback of the season, Blaine Gabbert, after injuries to Carson Palmer and Drew Stanton. Running back Adrian Peterson has been inconsistent but Cardinals receiver Larry Fitzgerald remains timeless. Fitzgerald has 780 receiving yards this season but is looking for a bounce-back effort after he had only three catches for 12 yards last week against Jacksonville. The Rams’ defense would love to put forth a repeat of last week’s effort against New Orleans, when the Rams did an admirable job against the run and made life miserable for the Saints’ pass game. This will be a good test for rookie linebacker Samson Ebukam, who replaces injured Connor Barwin.
EDGE: RAMSSPECIAL TEAMS
Rams kicker Greg Zuerlein missed a 63-yard field goal attempt, into a slight wind and on a patchy Coliseum field, and team followers noted surprise. Isn’t Zuerlein supposed to make everything? Practically, and he’s been nearly automatic from inside 55 yards. This should be a Pro Bowl season for Zuerlein and for Pharoh Cooper, who continues to give the Rams good field position on kickoffs and punts, at least during those rare times when they’re not called for penalties (something that needs to be cleaned up). Cardinals kicker Phil Dawson made a 57-yard field goal as time expired last week to beat Jacksonville, and returner Kerwynn Williams is expected to play despite hurting his ribs last week.
EDGE: RAMSCOACHING
This will be another good test for the Rams’ Sean McVay, who so far has pushed all the correct emotional buttons. They’re coming off a big victory and now face a 4-5 team that they beat by 33 points a month ago. McVay will have to keep the Rams focused, and not allow them to look ahead to next week’s showdown against NFC juggernaut Philadelphia. It’s been a tough season for Arizona’s Bruce Arians, who lost running back David Johnson early in the season, then lost Palmer. The Cardinals, unless they run off some consecutive victories, will miss the playoffs for a third straight year.
EDGE: RAMSINTANGIBLES
The Cardinals seem to be feeling pretty good. Over the past month, they’ve defeated San Francisco and Jacksonville and hung tough against Seattle (although they did surprisingly collapse against Houston two weeks ago). The Cardinals have won three of their last four at home, and no doubt they will be motivated to put forth a better showing against the Rams than they did in London. That game was a disaster for the Cardinals, who looked jet-lagged and got throttled. This is one of those potential trap games for the Rams. They should win it, but the Cardinals won’t be an easy out like last time.
EDGE: RAMSMATCHUP TO WATCH
Rams linebacker Alec Ogletree vs. Cardinals running back Adrian Peterson: After he was shut down by the Rams in London, Peterson had an astounding game against the 49ers and rushed 37 times for 159 yards. In his next two games, though, Peterson totaled only 55 yards on 35 carries. He bounced back a bit last week against Jacksonville’s strong defense and gained 79 yards on 20 carries. Peterson, at this point in his career, isn’t the threat that New Orleans’ Mark Ingram and Alvin Kamara provided last week, but the Rams’ tackling has been inconsistent at times, and they need Ogletree to make stout plays.PREDICTION: RAMS 28, CARDINALS 17
This is another “take care of business” game for the Rams, similar to those against the New York Giants and Houston Texans. It’s a game that, by all objective standards, the Rams should win, and probably easily, but that Houston game was a bit of a red flag, because of the way the Rams’ offense performed in the first half. Barring a turnover meltdown by the Rams, it’s difficult to see how the Cardinals will be able to keep pace, particularly since the Rams’ coaching staff has been so good with halftime adjustments. The Rams should take care of business and set up an epic game against Philadelphia next week.December 2, 2017 at 1:37 pm #78228znModerator#LAvsAZ pic.twitter.com/dUnHxnZiDO
— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) December 2, 2017
December 2, 2017 at 7:26 pm #78244
AgamemnonParticipant
AgamemnonDecember 2, 2017 at 10:55 pm #78249znModeratorRams anticipate tougher test in rematch against Arizona Cardinals
RICH HAMMOND
Rams anticipate tougher test in rematch against Arizona Cardinals
PHOENIX — Should the Arizona Cardinals bring some brass knuckles? A baseball bat?
“You go on the street and beat somebody up pretty bad, (and) you go fight them again, you probably think you’re going to win,” Todd Gurley said. “We just know, being in the league, how the league works.”
Six weeks removed from the Twickenham Trounce, the Rams’ 33-0 overseas victory over the Cardinals, the teams meet again Sunday in Glendale, Ariz. The Cardinals have shown moderate improvement since then and, for the first time, Sean McVay will face an opponent for a second time as Rams coach.
It’s a game that, objectively, the Rams should win. Not by as much as last time, but this should be an interesting case study in terms of the growth of the Rams and their 31-year-old coach.
McVay, almost certainly, won’t let overconfidence creep into the Rams’ psyche. If anything, McVay goes the other way, and talks up opponents as though they’re the reincarnation of the 1985 Chicago Bears.
This week, players parroted a message that clearly came from McVay, that the first Rams-Cardinals game was closer than it looked. Indeed, the the Rams led only 13-0 until late in the second quarter, but then scored 10 points in the final minute of the half and dominated Arizona in the second half.
The Rams held the ball for 39 minutes, recorded their only shutout of the season, knocked Arizona quarterback Carson Palmer out of the game and held the Cardinals to 196 yards and 10 first downs.
“I think the score of that game is not indicative of the way the game was going up until the end of the first half,” quarterback Jared Goff said. “It was a close game and we know them, they know us so, it’ll be a tough division game no matter what. I know they’ll be ready to play.”
The Cardinals seemed to be floundering, with consecutive losses to Seattle and Houston, until last Sunday, when they hosted playoff-bound Jacksonville, jumped out to a 16-3 lead and won 27-24 when kicker Phil Dawson made a 57-yard field goal on the game’s final play.
Arizona’s run defense has improved and the offense has stabilized a bit after early-season injuries to Palmer and star running back David Johnson. Since their debacle against the Rams, the Cardinals have won two of four games and have been outscored by a narrow margin (87-84).
Third-string quarterback Blaine Gabbert has been adequate, and sometimes quite good, and running back Adrian Peterson and receiver Larry Fitzgerald remain 100-yard-gain threats.
“They’ve still got a runner, receiver and a quarterback and a coach that knows how to move the football, so it’ll be a challenge for us,” Rams defensive coordinator Wade Phillips said. “Anytime you get beat like that, like we beat them last time, we expect any team’s best, but we’re going to get their best.
One danger for the Rams is one McVay acknowledged this week, that he has a tendency to overthink his play-calling. It’s a rare knock on McVay, who has overseen the stunning improvement of the offense.
Sometimes, McVay seems to try too hard, particularly when matched up against a coach he has long respected. McVay has to guard against the temptation to guess what adjustments Arians will make, after the teams’ first meeting, and then coach based on that guess.
“We try to look critically at some of the things that we put out there,” McVay said. “You just have to really make sure that you’re very thorough with your preparation and try to anticipate, but not guess, on some of the things that they might do that fit within the framework of their structure.”
“It does involve a little bit sometimes of overthinking. I know I’ve been guilty of that in my past against division opponents, but it will be a great challenge.”
McVay also can be overly self-critical. In his two years as offensive coordinator in Washington, McVay had “rematch” games against each of the other three NFC East teams. That’s six games, and in three of them, Washington scored more in the rematch (one was even) and Washington was plus-16 in the rematches.
It seems the best thing the Rams can do is be themselves on offense. They had a worrisome effort two weeks ago in a 24-7 loss at Minnesota, but they’ll be happy to move the ball like they did against the Cardinals in London, when Gurley gained 106 of the Rams’ 197 rushing yards.
Goff was efficient but not particularly sharp in that game (22 of 37, 235 yards, one touchdown, one interception), but said he didn’t anticipate changing much just because it’s a rematch game.
“It doesn’t really,” Goff said. “You go about your same weekly routine. The only thing that does change is, you know they’ve seen whatever you put on film (in the first meeting) and you know that they probably got some tendencies from when they did plays us and understand maybe a little bit more of what we do offensively. But I don’t think it changes my routine much at all.”
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