This young NFL season presents its biggest challenge yet for the Arizona Cardinals.
In the 4th week, the soaring Cards are heading towards the City of Angels to compete against the Los Angeles Rams. Both teams are enjoying a 3-0 start and entering this clash of undefeated teams with high spirits.
There are numerous similarities between the two rival teams. Both are striving to bounce back from less than stellar 2020 seasons. The head coaches of both teams entered the 2021 season facing immense pressure to succeed. Furthermore, both teams boast quarterbacks who are in the running for the MVP title.
These teams are currently progressing well and are now gearing up for a crucial showdown in the NFC West. The Rams were widely considered Super Bowl contenders by many experts, while the Cardinals were predominantly predicted to end up at the bottom of the division. Having managed to pull off a surprise victory against Tennessee, scraping through against Minnesota, and not performing up to par in a win over Jacksonville, Arizona could use the Week 4 game as a sort of benchmark to gauge their performance.
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Arizona Cardinals Travel to LA as Underdogs
As anticipated, oddsmakers for Arizona sports betting foresee the home team claiming a win on Sunday. Various sportsbooks have the Cardinals listed as underdogs by anywhere from 4 to 5 points.
So far this year, both teams have a 2-1 record against the spread. The game’s over/under is set at total points.
The Arizona Cardinals (3-0) will face off against the Los Angeles Rams (3-0) at the SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, CA on Sunday, Oct. 3, 2021. The game starts at 1:05 p.m. MST and will be televised on FOX.
Front-Runners for NFL MVP Face Each Other
Three weeks into the NFL season, the MVP conversation cannot proceed without acknowledging the two stand-out quarterbacks featured in this game: Kyler Murray from Cardinals and Matthew Stafford from Rams. The majority of the sportsbooks place both quarterbacks in the top 5 of their MVP odds. Specifically, Murray holds the first position according to BetMGM Arizona, DraftKings AZ, and the Caesars Arizona sportsbook. Conversely, WynnBet Arizona favors Stafford as the likely winner of the award.
Despite averaging over 300 passing yards per game, the Rams are predicted to limit Murray’s performance in the upcoming game, according to oddsmakers. FanDuel AZ sets the over/under for Kyler Murray’s passing yards at 275, with his rushing yards at 35. While Murray’s running skills often receive attention, his throwing arm has been his most potent weapon this season. Currently, through the first three weeks, he’s averaging just 23.3 rushing yards per game.
Meanwhile, the over/under for Stafford’s passing yards in the game is set at 292, while the over/under for his touchdown passes is projected at two.
Can the Cardinals’ high-powered offense overcome the Rams’ star-filled defense?
To secure a victory, the Cardinals will probably have to go head-to-head with the Rams in scoring. Arizona is currently on par for first place in terms of points per game (34.3) and is second in yards per game (432.3) during the initial three weeks of the season. However, they face a challenging encounter with a Rams defense ranked among the top 10 for fewest points allowed per game (20.7).
The defense of Los Angeles boasts two players who are within the top 15 of the NFL's Top 100 list. These players are cornerback Jalen Ramsay, who will be mainly tasked with covering Cardinals wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins, and Aaron Donald, who has been named the defensive player of the year three times. Arizona’s head coach, Kliff Kingsbury, is anticipated to focus on reducing their influence on the game as his main objective.
DraftKings currently sets Arizona’s over/under totals for points and touchdowns at 24.5 and 2.5, respectively.
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