The St. Louis Rams are 1-8, but the team is playing hard for first-year coach Steve Spagnuolo. St. Louis gave New Orleans a tussle last week before losing, and it probably won’t make life easy for Arizona on Sunday. Still, this is a game the Cardinals should win handily if they’re focused and they play well.
THE SKINNY
The St. Louis Rams are 1-8, but the team is playing hard for first-year coach Steve Spagnuolo. St. Louis gave New Orleans a tussle last week before losing, and it probably won’t make life easy for Arizona on Sunday. Still, this is a game the Cardinals should win handily if they’re focused and they play well. It will be important for Arizona to get off to a good start; let St. Louis take the lead and feed the ball to Steven Jackson, and suddenly a 1-8 team becomes dangerous.
Little-Warner friendship on hold Sunday
Cardinals at Rams
When: 2 p.m. Sunday
Where: Edward Jones Dome, St. Louis
TV/Radio: Channel 10/KTAR (620 AM)
Records: Arizona 6-3, Seattle 1-8
THREE THINGS TO WATCH
1. Arizona’s run defense will be tested by Jackson, who ranks third in the league in rushing with 915 yards. The Cardinals will need to gang-tackle Jackson, and look out if he gets in the secondary. He’ll run over defensive backs on his way to the end zone. Expect safety Adrian Wilson to be up at the line of scrimmage on nearly every play in order to try to contain Jackson. St. Louis’ passing game is feeble at best.
2. Will the Cardinals take the week off? This is a natural letdown game for Arizona after beating Chicago on the road and then coming back from 14 points down to beat Seattle at University of Phoenix Stadium. The Rams are one of the worst teams in the league, and the Cardinals might think they can win just by showing up. If so, they could be in for a surprise.
3. St. Louis defensive ends Leonard Little and Chris Long have 10.5 sacks between them, and as we’ve seen in the past, tackles Mike Gandy and Levi Brown sometimes struggle against speed rushers. The Rams’ only chance of stopping Arizona is to take Kurt Warner out of his comfort zone. For that to happen, Long and Little have to dominate the line of scrimmage.
STARTING LINEUPS
Cardinals offense
WR Larry Fitzgerald
LT Mike Gandy
LG Reggie Wells
C Lyle Sendlein
RG Deuce Lutui
RT Levi Brown
TE Stephen Spach
WR Anquan Boldin
QB Kurt Warner
RB Tim Hightower
FB Dan Kreider
Cardinals defense
DE Calais Campbell
DT Bryan Robinson
DE Darnell Dockett
OLB Chike Okeafor
MLB Karlos Dansby
MLB Gerald Hayes
OLB Clark Haggans
RCB Bryant McFadden
LCB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie
SS Adrian Wilson
FS Antrel Rolle
Rams offense
WR Danny Amendola
LT Alex Barron
LG Jacob Bell
C Jason Brown
RG John Greco
RT Jason Smith
TE Randy McMichael
WR Donnie Avery
QB Marc Bulger
FB Mike Karney
HB Steven Jackson
Rams defense
DE Leonard Little
DT LaJuan Ramsey
DT Clifton Ryan
DE Chris Long
SLB David Vobora
MLB James Laurinaitis
WLB Paris Lenon
RCB Quincy Butler
LCB Ron Bartell
SS James Butler
FS Oshiomogho Atogwe
