Lowly St. Louis Rams Heavy Underdogs To Playoff Bound Cardinals

NFL News - December 22nd, 2009 - Written by John

After blowing a 17 point lead to Detroit last week, the Arizona Cardinals needed a fourth quarter rally to surpass the Lions 31 to 24. In doing so, the Cardinals clinched the NFC West division and at least 1 home game in the playoffs.

Potentially, Arizona can still get a first round BYE in the playoffs if they win out and Minnesota loses their remaining two games. Head coach Ken Whisenhunt will have to decide whether or not to begin to rest starters for the playoffs.

At 9-5, the Cardinals are matched up this week with division rival St. Louis (1-13).

As one could expect with that record, not much has gone right for the Rams this season. Currently, the Rams are last in the NFL in scoring offense, averaging only 11 ppg, while the defense is surrendering nearly 30 ppg, figures that bode well for the Arizona Cardinals.

Last weekend, Cardinals' QB Kurt Warner had a solid game against the Detroit Lions, completing 23 of 37 passes for 233 yards and two touchdowns. Among those touchdowns was the game-winner with just 1:54 left on the clock.

The Cardinals are happy with the recent production by rookie RB Beanie Wells. Last week against Detroit, Wells rushed for over 100 yards for the first time this season. Wells has rushed for a total of 190 yards in the last two games, averaging over five yards per carry. Wells is a physical runner who gains a lot of yards after contact, a statistic that coaches love.

Looking at the NFL Matchups that he's facing in week 16, Wells has got to love his chances. This season, St. Louis has not been good against the run, allowing an average of 140 yards per game on the ground.

The Cardinals' offense will work on establishing the running attack which should take pressure off of Warner. For most of the season, Kurt Warner has been hampered with injuries, a key cog which must be healthy for the playoff run. A few weeks ago, Warner missed a game due to concussion symptoms.

Warner should be able to take advantage of the weak Rams' secondary. On the season, the Rams have given up an average of nearly 300 yards per game through the air, ranking dead last in the NFL. So far, Warner has three games over 300 yards passing this season, including a 340-yard effort against Seattle in week 10.

On the other sideline, the Rams will also look to establish the running game, the offense they have to speak of. Rams' RB Steven Jackson has had a productive year, gaining 1,353 rushing yards good for 4 touchdowns. This feat is even more impressive due to the lack of a passing offense, teams typically tailor their defensive game plan specifically to stop Jackson.

Jackson's hard-nosed physical running style allows him to get multiple yards after contact. Even when nagged by a lower-back injury, Steven Jackson played through the pain, showing his determination.

This season, St. Louis has used a tandem of quarterbacks due to injuries. This week, the Rams will rely on QB Keith Null who's making his third start of the season. In his last outing, Null completed 18 of 27 passes for 173 yards, one touchdown and an interception.

The Cardinals are a heavy favorite this week to collect their 10th win of the season against St. Louis according the the NFL Week 16 Betting Odds. Currently the Cardinals are installed as a 14 point favorite over the St. Louis Rams. As it stands now, Bodog Sportsbook has the over/under for the contest set at a total of 43 1/2 combined points.

Kickoff for this game is expected shortly after 4:05 pm ET. The game will be shown live on FOX from Glendale, AZ. at University of Phoenix Stadium.