Scout 1 couldn’t wait to discuss the playoff slate’s final game.
“I want to pick the Cardinals so bad,” he blurted out. “Their road record (8-1) is unheard of. And I think the Rams have been so disappointing the second half of the season. … It’s crazy to say, but I’ve been underwhelmed by a team that’s won 12 games.”
For this scout, that uneasy feeling comes from watching quarterback
Matthew Stafford.
Since Week 9, the ex-Lion has committed 15 turnovers, most of any player over that span. He’s thrown eight interceptions over the last four games.
“Stafford the last three to four weeks has been really sloppy with the football,” Scout 1 continued. “Kept the other teams in the game.”
That wasn’t the case in Week 14 against Arizona, the last time Stafford avoided throwing an interception. He threw three touchdowns as Los Angeles evened the season series 1-1 with a 30-23 win.
Harassed by defensive tackle extraordinaire
Aaron Donald throughout,
Cardinals QB Kyler Murray tossed two interceptions in the loss. Arizona lost four of its final five games. Scout 3 doesn’t see that trend changing because of the Cardinals’ lack of balance.
“If you can contain Kyler Murray, it’ll be really hard for them to win,” he said. “Not that anyone’s gonna truly run with Kyler Murray, but (the Rams) have guys that chase and stay close. … And Arizona’s offensive line, statistically, probably doesn’t look all that bad (12th in pass blocking win rate, per ESPN), but I think a lot of that is a function of Kyler Murray.”
Murray also remains without star wide receiver
DeAndre Hopkins — and Scout 2 still loves Arizona’s passing attack. Injuries wrecked the Rams’ secondary to the point that
they signed 37-year-old free-agent safety Eric Weddle, who last played in 2019.
Scout 2: “If I’m Arizona, I’m going 10 personnel (four wide receivers, one running back, no tight end), and I’m going up-tempo. And I’m going to make them cover me with all your backups. … I’m gonna go ahead and say that (receivers)
Christian Kirk,
Rondale Moore and A.J. Green are probably more prepared to play in this game than Eric Weddle.”
Scout 1 pick: Cardinals
Scout 2 pick: Cardinals
Scout 3 pick: Rams