The Arizona Cardinals are on the road again in Week 6. They take on the Los Angeles Rams in head coach Mike LaFleur's first game against his last team. He was the offensive coordinator under Sean McVay for three seasons before getting hired to run the Cardinals.
The Cardinals have lost three straight games to the Rams and eight straight to division opponents. They are 3-16 against the Rams since McVay was hired to be their head coach.
The Cardinals are also the biggest underdogs of the week.
To help us get to know the Cardinals' Week 6 opponents, Ram Wire lead writer Cam DaSliva takes us "behind enemy lines" and answers questions about the game, matchup and team, and he predicts how the game will go on Sunday.
Rams' 2-3 start
A 2-3 start for a team expected to be top Super Bowl contenders isn't an ideal start. What have been the Rams' biggest issues?
Without a question, special teams. They’ve allowed big returns, have gotten nothing out of their own returners and as we saw on Monday night, their kicking game has not been good. Xavier Smith and Harrison Mevis have already been cut, so hopefully that changes things, but special teams is still a major issue, as are slow starts from the offense.
Rams' strengths
Despite the record, what are the Rams doing well this year?
They’re moving the ball really well on offense and being efficient in the run game. Kyren Williams is having his best season yet, and Puka Nacua and Davante Adams are both putting up big numbers. The secondary has been outstanding, too, led by Trent McDuffie and Jaylen Watson. Quentin Lake has had a strong season (outside of Monday’s game), as have Kam Curl and Josh Wallace.
Big defensive additions
How have Aaron Donald and the big defensive additions of Trent McDuffie and Jaylen Watson done so far?
They have been excellent. Donald still doesn’t have a sack, but he’s still getting into the backfield consistently and commanding double teams, which opens things up for his teammates. As for McDuffie and Watson, they’ve lived up to the hype of being a top cornerback tandem. McDuffie has been arguably the best cornerback in football this season, and Watson was dominant against the Bills on Monday night. They’ve made a world of difference in the secondary, especially after that was a big weakness for Los Angeles last season.
Mike LaFLeur, Kliff Kingsbury
How was Mike LaFleur's departure taken? Was there disappointment that he left? What has Kliff Kingsbury's role been?
There was definitely disappointment from the coaching staff, but as a coordinator who didn’t call plays, I’m not so sure fans were crushed to see him go. Not that he didn’t provide value, but it wasn’t as evident as some other coordinators who call the plays. As for Kingsbury, I’m not really sure, to be honest. Not much has been said about him since being hired, so it’s almost as if he’s operating silently in the background.
Matchups to watch
What matchups are you watching most this weekend?
The biggest ones for me are David Quessenberry against Josh Sweat, and Quentin Lake against Trey McBride. The Rams have to give Quessenberry some help in his first start since 2023, and they’d be smart to do the same with Lake and McBride, given the damage he can do to a defense. Watson against Michael Wilson will be a fun one to watch, too.
Game pick
Who wins and why?
I think the Rams will be extra motivated after losing the way they did on Monday, and they’ll take it out on the Cardinals like they have so many times before. It wouldn’t surprise me if Arizona puts up some points, but the Cardinals don’t have the necessary playmakers on defense to keep the Rams in check. Rams 34, Cardinals 17.
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This article originally appeared on Cards Wire: Cardinals-Rams Week 6 opponent preview, predictions with Rams Wire