Rams-Cardinals: Which passing attack will out-shoot the other on Sunday?

The Los Angeles Rams (1-1) will travel to Glendale, Arizona to face the Arizona Cardinals (1-1) for their first road game and divisional matchup of the 2022 season. Both teams are coming off dramatic wins in Week 2 with Los Angeles holding off a 4th quarter rally by the Atlanta Falcons. The Arizona Cardinals stormed back from down 16 points in the 4th quarter to take down the Las Vegas Raiders.

The Rams are 3.5-point favorites in this one, according to DraftKings Sportsbook. Can Matthew Stafford out-shoot Kyler Murray with his complement of weapons?

The Week 3 matchup features Matthew Stafford and Kyler Murray looking to find their footing after two uninspiring weeks of football. In addition, both teams are hoping their offseason acquisitions at the wide receiver position will begin to reap their respective investments. LA signed Allen Robinson to a three-year deal to fill the void of Odell Beckham Jr’s playoff injury. Arizona traded a 2022 first round draft pick to acquire the speedy Marquise Brown.

(LAR) by the numbers

Matt Stafford, QB

56/77 (72.7 Completion %), 512 yards, 4 TD, 5 INT

51.1 QBR (15th)

1 rush, 2 yards

Los Angeles will be hoping to see Stafford protect the football with more care as he has now thrown multiple interceptions in six of his last nine games (including playoffs). But in McVay’s pass happy offense do not expect the head coach to tell his quarterback to be less aggressive.

“You want to have those at a minimum, but I also want to make sure that it’s a fine line between not allowing him to compete at a high level. Where we want to be smart but aggressive.” - Sean McVay

Allen Robinson, WR

5 receptions (7 targets)

65 yards, 1 touchdown

The ninth-year wide receiver escaped quarterback purgatory in Jacksonville and Chicago. Robinson had a very quiet week one but was a more significant chess piece last week. He was robbed of a second touchdown because of a medical timeout. Just as Odell Beckham gained momentum in the offense after three weeks, Robinson could be poised to follow the same progression.

ARI (by the numbers…)

Kyler Murray, QB

53-83 (63.9 Completion %), 470 yards, 3 TD, 1 INT

62.8 QBR (9th)

10 rushes, 57 yards, 1 TD

Arizona has been seeking offensive continuity without their number one receiver in DeAndre Hopkins who is still serving his six-game suspension for testing positive for performance enhancing drugs. Even though the Cards brought in Marquise “Hollywood” Brown, the offense is not at the level it was in 2021. Murray’s completion percentage is the lowest it has been going into his fourth year.

Marquise Brown, WR

10 receptions (17 targets)

111 yards, 1 touchdown

The Oklahoma Sooner is trying to find greener grass in Arizona compared to his time in Baltimore’s run-heavy offense. With Rondale Moore nursing an injury and Hopkins unavailable, the Cardinals want their investment in Brown to pay off sooner than later.

Final thoughts…

Los Angeles has had Arizona’s number since Sean McVay took over in 2017. Since then, he is 10-1 against the divisional opponent. The only loss came at home in Week 4 last year. If the Rams find a way to qualm Stafford’s turnovers it should be an 11th win. LA is currently 3.5-point favorites.

Game time is set for 1:25 PT on Sunday, September 25, 2022