Who will finish season with better record: Rams or Cardinals?

Both the Los Angeles Rams and Arizona Cardinals should be happy that their franchise quarterbacks are working back towards full health.

For LA that means the apparent return of Matthew Stafford after the team’s bye week. Stafford missed the Rams’ last game against the Green Bay Packers.

Things are more complicated for Kyler Murray and Arizona. Whether or not you believe in tanking, the Cardinals front office certainly tied one hand behind first-year head coach Jonathan Gannon’s back by moving on from a handful of veterans that could contribute this year. It was a major question whether Arizona would actually start Murray at quarterback once he was recovered from last season’s ACL tear, but he’s back and led the Cardinals to a win over the Atlanta Falcons this weekend—the team’s first win since they took down the Dallas Cowboys in Week 3.

Los Angeles is sitting at a disappointing 3-6 record. The Cardinals aren’t far behind at 2-8. Which team will finish the season with the better record?

After many thought the Cardinals were tanking, they may very well end up pushing the Rams to the bottom of the NFC West standings by season’s end.

Rams upcoming schedule:

Week 11 vs Seattle Seahawks

Week 12 at Arizona Cardinals

Week 13 vs Cleveland Browns

Week 14 at Baltimore Ravens

Week 15 vs Washington Commanders

Week 16 vs New Orleans Saints

Week 17 at New York Giants

Week 18 at San Francisco 49ers

The Rams may split their first two games of this stretch against the Seahawks and Cardinals with Stafford back in the fold, but I think it’ll be difficult for them to win both contests. LA has struggled with aggressive defenses, and for that reason they will likely come up short against the Browns and Ravens.

I see them winning two of the three games against the Commanders, Saints, and Giants. The most winnable game of the three is against the Giants, and I could see either Sam Howell or Derek Carr/Jameis Winston doing enough to make life difficult for Raheem Morris’ defense.

Unless the 49ers are sitting starters in the final week of the season, and the Seahawks are seemingly making that an unlikely outcome, then it’ll be tough for the Rams to closeout the season with a win on the road.

Final prediction: 6-11

Cardinals upcoming schedule:

Week 11 at Houston Texans

Week 12 vs Los Angeles Rams

Week 13 at Pittsburgh Steelers

Week 14: BYE

Week 15 vs San Francisco 49ers

Week 16 at Chicago Bears

Week 17 at Philadelphia Eagles

Week 18 vs Seattle Seahawks

The Texans are a hot team right now after taking down Joe Burrow and the Cincinnati Bengals this past weekend. For as much as CJ Stroud doesn’t look like a rookie quarterback, he’s still subject to the same growing pains all young signal callers go through. The Steelers always play close games and come out on top when they maybe shouldn’t but I still expect Arizona to win two games by their bye week with the way Murray played against Atlanta.

I think you can chalk up a win over the Bears even if Justin Fields is back and playing over Tyson Bagent by then. It’s tough to close out the season with the 49ers, Eagles, and Seahawks, but it’s realistic to expect Arizona to carve out an upset win somewhere along the way.

Final prediction: 6-11

Disagree with any predictions as it relates to either the Rams’ or Cardinals’ schedule? Let’s discuss in the comments below.