Cardinals Rams Betting – St. Louis Protects Home Field In Sloppy Affair
Sports betting players probably aren’t paying much attention to the NFC West as San Francisco is running away with the division, and this week’s Arizona-St. Louis contest won’t be pretty as both are having problems putting points on the board. But with their edge on the defensive side of the ball and the fact that they’re at home, the nod has to go to the Rams.
What: NFL Betting
When: Sunday, November 27th, 1:00 PM ET
Where: Edward Jones Dome, St. Louis, MO
Pick: St. Louis Rams
Why Bet On Arizona Cardinals (3-7 SU, 5-5 ATS)
The Cardinals looked flat in a 23-7 loss on the road in San Francisco, and five turnovers sealed their fate against one of the biggest surprises in the NFL. John Skeleton was 6-of-19 for 99 yards and three picks before he earned the hook, while Richard Bartel came in to go 8-of-16 for 64 yards and a score for the Cardinals, who only attempted 11 runs. The Cardinals also only held the ball for just under 16 minutes, and that’s not going to cut it, especially for a team as limited as Arizona. The defense did everything they could to keep the Cardinals in the game, holding the 49ers out of the end zone on two of their six trips inside the 20-yard line, but they were on the field far too long because of the turnovers and they ended up allowing 431 yards.
Arizona’s NFL betting odds are going to depend on Kevin Kolb (toe) returning under center, but we’re not optimistic that’s going to happen. Beanie Wells (knee) is having his workload managed, and even though Chester Taylor managed 34 yards on his lone carry, it’s a good possibility that he would have went backwards on the rest of his carries. Nose tackle Dan Williams (arm) is out for the season and that’s a big loss as he really improved on a poor rookie season. The Cardinals are in a world of trouble and we won’t see how good (or bad) they are until Kolb gets a sustained run in the team, alongside a healthy Wells. The odds of that aren’t very good, though.
Why Bet On St. Louis Rams (2-8 SU, 2-8 ATS)
The Rams couldn’t overcome three turnovers in a 24-7 loss at home to Seattle, even though they forced two and the Seahawks had 13 penalties. Sam Bradford went 20-of-40 for 181 yards, a touchdown and a pick, while Brandon Lloyd had five catches for 67 yards and a score for the Rams; these two are starting to build a rapport with one another and that bodes well for the Rams’ future. However, Bradford had a pick and two fumbles as he was sacked five times and the St. Louis offensive line needs to step up and give the former Heisman winner some time. Bradford has looked shell-shocked at points this season due to a lot of different circumstances, and the rest of this year is all about making him comfortable. The Rams had four sacks and a pair of interceptions, but they still allowed 126 yards on the ground and were on the field 10 minutes longer than the Seattle defense.
The St. Louis offensive line is falling apart as tackles Jason Smith (concussion), Mark LeVoir (pectoral) and Rodger Stafford (pectoral) are out and may be for the season; St. Louis has taken to signing practice-squad linemen and that can’t be healthy for Bradford’s comfort. Defensive back Marquis Johnson (spleen) is out for the year, receiver Austin Pettis (knee) is questionable and fellow wideout Danario Alexander (hamstring) is doubtful. The last thing in the world that St. Louis needs is injuries as the Rams need more talent anyway, but now they’re being decimated by injuries and that will allow the Cardinals to stack the box against Steven Jackson, who had 42 yards on 15 carries against Seattle, and focus their attentions on the Bradford-Lloyd duo. Also, tight end Lance Kendricks (concussion) is questionable, so that could mean one fewer target for Bradford.
How It Will Play Out
There is no NFL betting line for this game yet as sportsbooks are likely waiting on the availability of Kolb for the Cardinals, who have won six in a row in St. Louis and covered the spread on four of those occasions. The last three games have fallen under the posted total and it’s possible that this game will end up like that as well as both teams struggle to put points on the board.
The Rams are 1-4 ATS at home, while the Cardinals are 3-3 ATS on the road, but we’re taking St. Louis to steal a win in a game that won’t be entertaining to watch. This will come down to defense and the Rams have a slight edge there, and they have the edge at the skill positions. Their offensive line is struggling, but Arizona doesn’t have the players to take advantage of it. Take St. Louis to come away with the win in your online betting book.
Cardinals Rams Betting Pick: St. Louis Rams
