PREGAME Week 3 - Rams at Cardinals - Pregame Thread

[CGI_Ram]

Rams at Cardinals - September 25, 2022​

Let’s talk our week 3 matchup with the Cardinals! Pregame articles and videos start to be released today.

First Look: Rams head to Arizona to take on Cardinals in first road game of 2022 season

First Look: Rams head to Arizona to take on Cardinals in first road game of 2022 season​

The Rams hit the road for the first time this season, taking on the Cardinals at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Ariz. Kickoff on Sunday, September 25 is scheduled for 1:25 p.m. pacific time on FOX.

In advance of the contest, here is your First Look at Rams-Cardinals:

Notable Cardinals additions

Acquired WR Marquise Brown in a trade with the Ravens in April: The move reunites Murray with his favorite college target, and became more important in wake of DeAndre Hopkins' six-game suspension. Brown has 10 catches for 111 yards and one touchdown through the Cardinals' first two games.

Signed RB Darrell Williams to a 1-year deal in May: Williams ended up being a key addition and figures to be the lead back for Arizona's offense if starter James Conner (sustained ankle injury in Week 2, currently day-to-day) is forced to miss Sunday's game.

Top performers in Week 2

Murray completed 31 of 49 pass attempts for 277 yards with one touchdown and one interception in the Cardinals' 29-23 overtime win over the Raiders in Las Vegas.

Williams and Eno Benjamin logged eight carries each, but it was Williams who led Arizona's backfield with 59 rushing yards and one rushing touchdown. Murray also rushed five times for 28 yards and one touchdown.

TE Zach Ertz led the Cardinals receivers with eight catches for 75 yards. WR Greg Dortch (four catches for 55 yards) was on the other end of Murray's lone passing touchdown.

S Jalen Thompson paced Arizona's defense with 10 total tackles; LB Isaiah Simmons had the forced fumble in overtime that was recovered by cornerback Byron Murphy and returned 59 yards for the game-winning touchdown.

Early storylines to watch, and what they mean for the Rams

The Cardinals may have been down a few of their top offensive weapons and trailed 23-7 through three quarters, but that didn't stop them from mounting a 16-point, fourth-quarter rally to force overtime against the Raiders on Sunday.

Then there was the wild 59-yard fumble return for a touchdown by Arizona's defense to actually win the game in overtime.

Any divisional game will be a challenge, but the Cardinals' resolve in Week 2 after a rough Week 1 loss to the Chiefs should have the Rams' attention. This is not a Cardinals team to be taken lightly.

Meanwhile, the Rams will be dealing with more injuries at key positions, with right guard Tremayne Anchrum Jr. suffering a season-ending ankle injury against the Falcons, cornerback Troy Hill sustaining groin injury and defensive back Cobie Durant a hamstring strain.

Both Hill and Anchrum were placed on Injured Reserve on Tuesday; Anchrum's injury is season-ending but Hill's timeline is unknown at the moment because McVay said on Monday they were still waiting on MRI results for Hill. Either way, it's going to be a big week for the next men up in the secondary and along the offensive line.

 

[OldSchool]

Beat the midgets!

 

[jap]

The Atlanta game was supposed to have been a statement game. It didn't work out quite that way. This contest with the Redbirds, our first divisional game of the season, needs to have us start establishing just which team is the True Sheriff of the Wild, Wild NFC West. However, with all the injuries we keep racking up, I would be satisfied with a solid win.

I do not know what in the world is wrong with Cam. I was hoping this season would be a very strong comeback campaign for him and that his running & Matt's passing would catapult the Horns to elite offense status. Is it all mental or is it both mental & physical?

Is this the game we see Tutu unleashed in all his diminutive glory? Will our resident midget shine against the Redbirds?

 

[BonifayRam]

New Rams edge rusher Takk McKinley adds depth

After finishing his first practice for the Los Angeles Rams, Takkarist McKinley understood a chance like this doesn’t come around very often.

arizonasports.com

NFL QB Index, Week 3: Kyler Murray, Jalen Hurts, Tua Tagovailoa soar into top 10

3 reasons the Arizona Cardinals will beat the Rams in Week 3

The Arizona Cardinals pulled off the impossible in Week 2, so what's another rodeo with facing the defending Super Bowl Champions? The Arizona Cardinals re...

raisingzona.com

 

[So Ram]

Well, for me it’s sort of blessing for the future.That has always been the way I look at it.

The Rams injuries & the next man up thing of how Mcvay’s players are prepared make The Rams great. Les Snead always keeps Mcvay a breast of what’s going on and who is available.

Mcvay has such a bad in it all,but also the trust in Snead & his scouting teams.Raheem Morris is an excellent talent evaluator as well.

 

[So Ram]

The Atlanta game was supposed to have been a statement game. It didn't work out quite that way. This contest with the Redbirds, our first divisional game of the season, needs to have us start establishing just which team is the True Sheriff of the Wild, Wild NFC West. However, with all the injuries we keep racking up, I would be satisfied with a solid win.

I do not know what in the world is wrong with Cam. I was hoping this season would be a very strong comeback campaign for him and that his running & Matt's passing would catapult the Horns to elite offense status. Is it all mental or is it both mental & physical?

Is this the game we see Tutu unleashed in all his diminutive glory? Will our resident midget shine against the Redbirds?

I think your looking to much at Cam & not enough HENDO. The Rams have 2 solid RB’s who will get better.

It’s sort of funny how The Rams are on there 3rd/4th RG to replace Austin Corbett.

Have to LMAO if you think this is the Game that determines who The Best of The West is? Jimmy G & the 9ers have still beaten The Rams 5 straight regular season games.Last week they beat the Hags & are 1-0 in the NFC West.

 

[Soul Surfer]

The Atlanta game was supposed to have been a statement game. It didn't work out quite that way. This contest with the Redbirds, our first divisional game of the season, needs to have us start establishing just which team is the True Sheriff of the Wild, Wild NFC West. However, with all the injuries we keep racking up, I would be satisfied with a solid win.

I do not know what in the world is wrong with Cam. I was hoping this season would be a very strong comeback campaign for him and that his running & Matt's passing would catapult the Horns to elite offense status. Is it all mental or is it both mental & physical?

Is this the game we see Tutu unleashed in all his diminutive glory? Will our resident midget shine against the Redbirds?

I think it's pretty obviously the o line.

We haven't really been investing a lot of draft capital there and have been relying on the coaches developing out raw late round draft picks and udfas.

As I have stated before, no complaints because we do have a world championship and an amazing season to thank for that.
But eventually it's got to start catching up with you;
Retirements.
Non-elite athletes.
Smaller o lineman that fell to us for that very reason.
And now injuries.

I think all of these things are going to end up being mcvay's biggest coaching challenge here to date.

 

[BonifayRam]

Rams vs. Cardinals will be third-ever meeting between Aaron Donald, J.J. Watt

Last year, Watt made a very public plea for brother T.J. to win DPOY over AD

www.turfshowtimes.com

Cardinals’ Week 3 depth chart vs. Rams

Check out to see what might be new with this week's depth chart.

sports.yahoo.com

 

[Psycho_X]

I hope Durant heals up quick and is fine for this game because I feel like his ability for big plays will be huge against a QB like Murray.

But overall, if the front 4-6 play discipline football and keep Murray in the pocket we'll win. They proved that multiple times last year which was, in my opinion, the best thing Von Miller brought to our defense more than even his pass rush was his smarts in the contain game. Floyd and Lewis/Hollins/Rapp/whoever need to not overplay the edges. With Wagner/Jones out there to plug up the middle of the field we just can't let Murray outside the hashes.

 

[AZRams]

The local media is desperately hoping last week's absurdity jump starts the Cards. Never minding they are saying out the other side of their mouths that what happened in that second half is not a sustainable recipe for success.

 

[BonifayRam]

I think it's pretty obviously the o line.

We haven't really been investing a lot of draft capital there and have been relying on the coaches developing out raw late round draft picks and udfas.

As I have stated before, no complaints because we do have a world championship and an amazing season to thank for that.
But eventually it's got to start catching up with you;
Retirements.
Non-elite athletes.
Smaller o lineman that fell to us for that very reason.
And now injuries.

I think all of these things are going to end up being mcvay's biggest coaching challenge here to date.

I agree with you on the past 2020/2021 lack of interest to invest on the 2nd day of the draft to select a few INTERIOR OL'ers. This magnifies that the 2019 3rd round total BIG miss on Bobby Evans might have scared them off after finding out that thus far he has been a BUST! He is here today to remind them. But Evans was never an interior OL'er so that's clearly on Snead/McVay. As you stated it has caught up with Snead/McVay.

On your "Ram smaller OL'ers" point.....we saw what the Massive DL of the Bills did to the Rams OL...injured two starters. That massive NT smushed & tore up the under 6-2 301 pound center Brian Allen. Starting OG David Edwards had one of his worse games in the NFL. Both Joe Noteboom & Brian Allen are still hurting.

For McVay to be the best of what he brings to a team with his offensive mind skills he does need a well-blended very good OL unit with some outstanding OL'ers starting. I would say he has one (Hav) & the maybe beginnings of another in Shelton. Two very key starting OL'ers Noteboom & Allen are still unknown due to the constant injuries they have encountered. We also witnessed what Falcons NT Grady Jarret did to under 6-2 Anchrum sent him to the Hospital for surgery & then the IR.

Just looking at the future OL unit Rams will need to replace the two drafted 2019 OL'ers UFA's OG Edwards & OG/OT Evans. McVay still doesn't know what he has in OG Logan Bruss & OG Tremayne Anchrum. Both are injury prone when put in use.

 

[jacktheripper85]

 

[OldSchool]

View: https://twitter.com/JourdanRodrigue/status/1572640198051397632

 

[Soul Surfer]

The quickest fix for this offensive line would be to draft the first true stud Center in the draft.
Then add in the healed up
o liners like bruss and anchorem.

At this point, if I was the Rams, I would be looking heavily at late cuts and recent veteran cuts.

Our well is starting to get REALLY shallow.

 

[Riverumbbq]

The quickest fix for this offensive line would be to draft the first true stud Center in the draft.
Then add in the healed up
o liners like bruss and anchorem.

At this point, if I was the Rams, I would be looking heavily at late cuts and recent veteran cuts.

Our well is starting to get REALLY shallow.

Not much wrong with Allen other than he's an injury risk and been surrounded by suspect OG's up to now, we also have Shelton as 1'st reserve Center and he's fine. I'd very much like to increase Kolone's competition as C#3, although it should be enough for the Rams to look towards the middle/later rounds of the draft to improve our depth situation once again at the position.
With Edwards, Evans, Aboushi & Brewer entering free agency and Kolone an ERFA next year, the Rams will need to improve on depth, so I potentially see OG and OT being higher in the draft order than Center. jmo.

 

[Merlin]

Offense needs to show the F up in this game. No reason why we shouldn't hang serious points on these clowns.

Defensively it's a big challenge, but the Rams should be able to get enough stops to get the win. We cannot afford to spot these dipshits a game in the standings. Put them down.

 

[dieterbrock]

Rams know the recipe better than anyone. As long as they continue to give the Cards the Russell Wilson treatment, they will continue to dominate them
Its just that simple

 

[OldSchool]

View: https://twitter.com/JourdanRodrigue/status/1572674451921313793

 

[Riverumbbq]

6 stats and facts to know for Rams vs. Cardinals in Week 3

These 6 stats and facts will get you ready for Rams-Cardinals in Week 3

theramswire.usatoday.com

 

[den-the-coach]

View: https://twitter.com/JourdanRodrigue/status/1572674451921313793

PFF scouting report: Matt Skura, C, Duke

Mike Renner and the PFF draft analysts break down the play of Duke's Matt Skura ahead of the 2016 NFL draft.

www.pff.com