Few teams have built up more momentum heading into December than the Arizona Cardinals. However, to keep pace with the NFC elite, they need a victory over the division rival St. Louis Rams.
Cardinals vs. Rams 2015 live stream: Start time, TV schedule and how to watch online
Arizona looks to solidify its grip on the NFC West.
While the Carolina Panthers own the best record in the conference at 11-0, the Cardinals do not trail far behind at 9-2. Moreover, Arizona lost its two games by a combined 14 points. The Cardinals’ only loss in the NFC was a 24-22 decision in Week 4 against the Rams.
The Cardinals have improved since that time, with Larry Fitzgerald re-establishing himself as one of the league’s most dangerous receivers and Carson Palmer putting together an MVP-caliber season. The defense has also proven itself as one of the league’s best units in the league despite the offseason loss of defensive coordinator Todd Bowles.
The Cardinals suffered a significant loss this week when lead running back Chris Johnson landed on short-term injured reserve with a fractured tibia. Though Johnson can return before next season, he won’t be eligible to come off IR until Super Bowl 50. That leaves the hobbled Andre Ellington and rookie David Johnson to guide the backfield in his absence. Both bring a lot to the table, but neither has shown the ability to consistently grind out yards the way the former Titan and Jet did during the first 11 games of the season. If the ground game suffers as a result, the burden shifts onto the shoulders of Palmer and the Cardinals’ aerial attack.
Meanwhile in St. Louis, four straight losses have seen the Rams go from playoff contender to also-ran. The team hasn’t performed poorly during the entirety of their losing streak -- the defeats to the Minnesota Vikings and Baltimore Ravens both came by a field goal -- but the string of losses has effectively knocked them from the postseason discussion.
As it has for so many years in St. Louis, the Rams’ primary issue has been the quarterback position. Nick Foles, who signed a multi-year extension before the season, played himself out of the starting job in November. Journeyman Case Keenum replaced him, but struggled in his first start before suffering a concussion. The injury allowed Foles to resume under center, but the results were no better the second time around. Against the Cincinnati Bengals, he tossed three interceptions and produced zero touchdowns. It appears that the Rams’ quarterback of the future still isn’t on the roster.
On Thursday, the Rams announced that Foles would be making the start against the Cardinals. At the time of the announcement, Keenum was still going through the league’s concussion protocol, though he has since been cleared and will back up Foles on Sunday. Foles has thrown seven touchdowns against nine interceptions on the season.
What has worked for the Rams is their running game. Since returning from an ACL tear suffered in college, Todd Gurley has averaged more than 88 yards per game and has crossed the goal line six times. His production has many predicting an Offensive Rookie of the Year trophy in his future. Gurley can help his cause with a strong performance against Arizona’s defense Sunday.
How to watch
When: 1 p.m. ET
Where: Edward Jones Dome, St. Louis
TV: FOX
Commentators: Chris Myers, Ronde Barber, Jennifer Hale
Online: Verizon NFL Mobile
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