Arizona Cardinals vs Los Angeles Rams Betting Pick & Prediction 12/28/24
The Rams are favored on the money line at -273 as they host the Cardinals in a week 17 NFC West matchup. The game is being played at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, CA, and is set to kick off at 8:00 ET on Saturday, December 28th. The Rams are -6 point favorites, and the over/under line is set at 48 points. If you are looking to watch this one on TV, it will be on NFLN.
ARIZONA CARDINALS VS LOS ANGELES RAMS BETTING PICK
The Pick: Arizona Cardinals +6
This game will be played at SoFi Stadium at 8:00 ET on Saturday, December 28th.
WHY BET THE ARIZONA CARDINALS:
- We have the Rams winning this one by a score of 23 to 22
- Even though we like the Rams to win, our ATS pick is to take the Cardinals at +6
- We see this game finishing below the line of 48 points
Will The Cardinals Pull Off An Upset As Road Underdogs
With a 7-8 record, the Cardinals sit 17th in our power rankings and have a +0.1 scoring margin. They are 9-6 against the spread, including a 6-2 mark as underdogs, but just 2-4 when favored. Their O/U record is 7-7-1, with the over hitting in three straight games.
Arizona’s playoff chances are at 0.0%, and they are 3rd in the NFC West with a 2-2 division record. They are 5-3 at home and 2-5 on the road. In week 16, they lost to the Panthers, dropping their record to 7-8. Before that, they beat the Patriots in week 15, ending a three-game losing streak.
Heading into week 17, the Cardinals sit 12th in our offensive power rankings, averaging 22.9 points per game, which ranks 14th in the NFL. They are 11th in the league in yards per game (353.4) and 20th in passing yards per game (207.6), with 30.7 passing attempts per game (19th). On the ground, they rank 5th in the NFL with 145.8 rushing yards per game on 27.6 attempts per contest.
Arizona has been strong on 3rd down, converting 43.2% of their attempts, which ranks 8th in the NFL. They are 18th in red zone conversion percentage, despite being 11th in red zone attempts. The Cardinals have also been good in the 1st quarter, ranking 7th in the league in points scored in the opening period.
In their 36-30 overtime loss to the Panthers, the Cardinals’ defense gave up 243 rushing yards on just 36 attempts, including a 76-yard touchdown run by Cam Newton. Despite this, they allowed only 149 passing yards on 17 completions. Arizona’s defense also forced three sacks and held Carolina to a 42.9% third-down conversion rate.
The Cardinals’ defense struggled to stop the run, as the Panthers averaged 6.8 yards per attempt on the ground. However, Arizona’s pass defense was solid, giving up just 5.7 yards per attempt and forcing a 65.4% completion rate. Additionally, they allowed two passing touchdowns.
Are The Rams Going To Defend Home Field Advantage?
The Rams have won four straight games, including a 19-9 victory over the Jets in week 16. This streak has improved their record to 9-6, putting them in first place in the NFC West. They have a 3-1 record in division games and are 5-5 in conference play. Our projections give Los Angeles an 81.2% chance of making the playoffs and winning their division.
Heading into week 17, the Rams rank 12th in our NFL power rankings. They have an average scoring margin of -1.2 points per game and are 8-7 against the spread this season. They have covered the spread in four consecutive games. Their O/U record is 7-8, with the under hitting in two straight games.
Heading into week 17, the Rams sit 11th in our offensive power rankings. They are 17th in the NFL in scoring, averaging 21.9 points per game, and 15th in total yards with 331.5 per game. Matthew Stafford has been sacked 0 times in his last 3 games, and his passer rating was 83 in week 16, going 14/19 for 110 yards, with 1 touchdown and 1 interception. Puka Nacua led the team with 8 catches for 56 yards in week 16, while Kyren Williams rushed for 122 yards on 23 carries.
Despite ranking 6th in red zone attempts, the Rams are 22nd in red zone conversion percentage (15.8%). They also rank 23rd in 3rd-down conversions, with a 36.6% success rate, and are 23rd in the NFL in 1st-quarter scoring.
The Rams’ defense held the Jets to just 3.8 yards per attempt on 20 rushes in their 19-9 win. Despite allowing 246 passing yards, the Rams gave up only one touchdown and held the Jets to 9 points. New York converted on 38.5% of their third down attempts and had just one sack in the game.
Overall, the Rams allowed the Jets to convert 66.7% of their passes and lose the tackles for loss battle. The Rams’ defense made it tough for the Jets to sustain drives, as they finished with 321 total yards.