Week 2 Cards/Rams Prediction Thread

[abomb]

OK, I will go first. I am not a darksider, but trying to be realistic and pick with my head. I think this will be a very ugly game. Step's return won't be the miracle drug we need, but the running game will be better (ie more than 35 yards). There will be some special team miscues on both teams, but the Cards wont be as bad as last week. We beat the Rams here last year, but that was with Bulger going down in the first quarter iirc. Both teams have a lot of offensive weapons, so we will see who is able to vary their playcalling and get the right mix in the game.

What I will watch for from my seat in section 38
Dockett's agressiveness with the rib ding
Holt vs Rolle
Closely watch for what kind of lanes our RBs have to run in

Final Prediction

Rams 24
Cards 17

A-Bomb

 

[Skkorpion]

Rams 27 Cards 33

We'll win this one in a shootout.

 

[Pariah]

I'll stick with my prediction from the beginning of the week and say we win in OT...

Cards: 27
Rams: 24

 

[clif]

Cards Defense Keys 3 turnovers!


Cards 27
Rams 20

 

[CardNots]

Jackson runs wild...

Rams 31
Cards 17

 

[Russ Smith]

The Rams are not as good out of the dome but I gotta admit Holt and Bruce(and now McDonald and Curtis) scare me matching up on young Rolle and Green plus Macklin. Our pass rush should make a big difference but the Rams have great WR's so the potential for some big plays is clearly there.

On offense we should be able to throw on them, their secondary is not good and they don't have a great pass rush. The last 2 Rams games (preseason and 49ers) I was impressed with Jimmy Kennedy, he finally seems to be in shape and making an impact. HE wasn't credited with a single tackle on Sunday but he absolutely occupied space and got the occasional push, he wasn't great but he seems vastly improved. So he might be a good test for Step's first game back.

When SF was 3WR it seemed like the rams took Claiborne out and just played 2 LB's and 5 DB's for the most part so they'll probably do that against our 3WR sets too.

I would hope we can run the ball a bit at them, especially the left side with Big and Wells against Hargrove and Pickett. We should be able to run against Little too but with the way our right side struggled Sunday I'm not sure we'll do a lot of that. Brown and Ross when they get it together could be a nice run blocking combo it's the strength of both guys, but I'm not sure they're there yet. If we can get even a semblance of a run game it'll make it that much easier for Warner to pick apart that secondary.

The key will be containing Jackson and pressuring Bulger, if he has time he kills you, if he doesn't, he makes a lot of really bad decisions.

I see a 24-20 win and I think Okeafor will have a big day unless we flop him and Berry in which case Berry will have the big day, their RT situation is iffy.

 

[DevonCardsFan]

Cards 31 Rams 26

 

[Jttsaz]

Cards win 6-3 in a defensive showcase

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

rams 63
cards 7

the darkside has returned.

 

[CaptTurbo]

I cant imagine Green having the cards free fall.

However, if we do, I predict bloodbaths on this board.

 

[justAndy]

I predict: the Tailgate will be fun.
from there....

 

[spanky1]

rams 63
cards 7

the darkside has returned.

Do you really think it will be this close?

 

[spanky1]

Cards: 34; Rams: 24

 

[Renz]

I'm concerned that the defense gave up TD's on the first possession of each half against N.Y. and that it took all of one play for the Giants to score after Warner's INT. The defense needs to be better in the red zone, like they were last year.

Our offense needs to score TD's and develop some semblance of a running game. If the O-Line can give Warner time then I think he can exploit the St. Louis secondary.

IMO the heat will be a big factor late in the third and into the fourth quarter.

Cardinals 27
Rams 23

 

[Cards Czar]

The Rams are not as good out of the dome but I gotta admit Holt and Bruce(and now McDonald and Curtis) scare me matching up on young Rolle and Green plus Macklin. Our pass rush should make a big difference but the Rams have great WR's so the potential for some big plays is clearly there.

On offense we should be able to throw on them, their secondary is not good and they don't have a great pass rush. The last 2 Rams games (preseason and 49ers) I was impressed with Jimmy Kennedy, he finally seems to be in shape and making an impact. HE wasn't credited with a single tackle on Sunday but he absolutely occupied space and got the occasional push, he wasn't great but he seems vastly improved. So he might be a good test for Step's first game back.

When SF was 3WR it seemed like the rams took Claiborne out and just played 2 LB's and 5 DB's for the most part so they'll probably do that against our 3WR sets too.

I would hope we can run the ball a bit at them, especially the left side with Big and Wells against Hargrove and Pickett. We should be able to run against Little too but with the way our right side struggled Sunday I'm not sure we'll do a lot of that. Brown and Ross when they get it together could be a nice run blocking combo it's the strength of both guys, but I'm not sure they're there yet. If we can get even a semblance of a run game it'll make it that much easier for Warner to pick apart that secondary.

The key will be containing Jackson and pressuring Bulger, if he has time he kills you, if he doesn't, he makes a lot of really bad decisions.

I see a 24-20 win and I think Okeafor will have a big day unless we flop him and Berry in which case Berry will have the big day, their RT situation is iffy.

The Rams injury report is this: Rams at Arizona: Rams: OUT: T Rex Tucker (calf). DOUBTFUL: CB Terry Fair (neck). PROBABLE: WR Kevin Curtis (ankle).

Thats another CB gone from the rams secondary. Curtis ankle is not that great and his cutting on his routes will be hampered. Good news for us!

 

[Mitch]

When you consider that the Rams' offense has been in place for several years now...and the Cards' offense is brand new, to the point where getting the plays into the huddle on time is a real issue...the Rams should be able to win this game easily, particularly if Mike Martz goes against his preferences to pass the ball all over the lot in favor of pounding the ball between the tackles with Steven Jackson against the Cards' weak, banged-up interior.

The Cards must hope all of the following occurs: (1) Langston Moore plays and is effective plugging the middle; (2) Darnell Dockett is well enough to play and play well; (3) Orlando Huff plays with authority in the middle...and proves himself to have the right insticts and fundamentals (tackling and shedding) to be a stopper in there; (4) Robert Griffith shows he can be a consistent factor forcing the run and defending the deep thirds on pass plays; (5) David Macklin works hard this week to see and react to the football; (6) Eric Green outquicks the Rams' slot receivers; (7) The offensive line improves this week significantly; (8) Rowen gets the plays in faster; (9) The Cardinal receivers eliminate the drops; (10) The heat wears the Rams down.

To be realistic...of these 10 keys...the 3 most likely to happen are #s 6, 9, 10. If the Cards can make the others happen this quickly, then the Cards could find themselves 1-1 and most likely tied for 1st place.

At this point in the season, especially in light of the Cards' weaknesses and the falloff of their enthusiasm from the first pre-season game to Game 1 in NY...they appear to be headed in the wrong direction. Prediction: Rams 34 Cards 10.

 

[MadCardDisease]

Things are looking up for the Cardinals. First of all they are playing at home which historically is a huge boost for the Cards. Second, I believe that the Cards match up well against the Rams defense. Third, the Rams O-Line has issues much like the Cards and our D-Line should be very sucessful.

Cards WIN

23 - 20

How about that Mojo!

 

[Snakester]

Home field really helps us. I think we see the running game do well in this game and our passrush will make a difference. I also see alot of scoring.

Cards 30
Rams 27

 

[gamebird98]

Warner gets confused......completes a pass to the Rams for a touchdown

Rams 23
Cards 21

 

[daytripper]

IMHO this is the start of a 3 game run that will define the season.
All three divsion foes can be beaten and provide us some seperation from the pack.
The question is do we have the horses on the Oline to run the ball and control the tempo of these games?
I dont see that we do.
I wish I could say otherwise but even a marked improvement over last week will just get us to just average.
I'm hopefull though that may be all we need if our D continues to play aggressively and our "special" teams
wake from the dead.
That said
from the heart and not from the head
Cards 29
Lambs 27

 

[RedStorm]

Rams 27 Cards 33

We'll win this one in a shootout.

No. I have the Cards DEF on my fantasy team. They come out to play and shut down the lambs. Def has 3 sacks and a pick.

Cards 13
Rams 10

 

[AZCB34]

Alex Stepanovich is back...Cards rush for 280 yards. Step decides to play both ways and plays run stuffer in the middle holding Jackson/Faulk to -4 yards and gets 4 sacks coming up the middle. In an even more amazing turn of events, Step plays STs and makes every special teams tackle inside the Rams 20 yard line pinning the Rams deep.

Thank God Stepanovich is back because he is the cure all.

Now for reality: Martz actually commits to the run and Jackson/Faulk run wild opening up the Rams passing game. Cards cannot run...again...but Warner and the WRs have a good game and the Cards lose a close on.

Rams 28
Cards 24

 

[earthsci]

Hi I'm CubbieBear. I am a dorkwad who dislikes Denny.
:notworthy

 

[az1965]

Cards 24
Rams 20

Optimism is flowing, ignoring OL woes...

 

[Treesquid PhD]

I can't tell you how many a time I have read this book before Cards play bad on the road fans predict the worst the next week Cards win at home fans predict an easy win the next week the cards go on a 2 game losing streak the cards fans think the season is over the cards win at home the fans....

cards 20
Rams 13

and all is well for one more week.