Official Game Day Thread - Cardinals @ Rams January 3, 2021
Dec 29, 2020 4:21:18 GMT -7
Rimrock, thomas cat, and 1 more like this
Post by End Zone on Dec 29, 2020 4:21:18 GMT -7
Updated at 7:00 a.m. EDT, January 2. Thanks for your patience.
Hello and welcome to the Forum’s 16th Arizona Cardinals Game Day Thread, the last “GDT” of the NFL’s 2020 regular season. I wish a Happy New Year 2021 to all Forum members. Year 2020 was certainly a strange one for many folks. I have no need to recount the horrid global tragedies, US social issues, and Cardinals hits and misses of the past 12 months. There were also many positive events and bright spots across the past year. For example, the Cardinals did improve, and the team is now officially a winner—okay, that example is a slight overstatement. Winning half (50%) of RS games just means the team will not be labeled a loser in the NFL’s annual record books. There is so much more work to be done across the Arizona Cardinals franchise: management, coaches, players—to name a few key areas I see needing improvement. Looking ahead to 2021, I think more events also will jolt our senses. There is another Super Bowl in the Cardinals future—we all know that will happen. I am just uncertain about the “when” part. What year? And will I live long enough to see the Trophy? Anyway, Go Cardinals! Yea!
On Sunday, the Cardinals visit the home of the much-despised NFC-West rival Los Angeles Rams in the 85th contest between these two storied franchises. Both the Cardinals and Rams lost must-win games to Division opponents last weekend, proving again that “Any Sunday” is no myth.
The game on January 3rd is the most important game of the year for the Cardinals and the Rams. If the Cardinals win, our team is in the 2020 playoffs. Tie or lose to the Rams, and the Cardinals stumble home to watch the playoffs from living rooms and man caves, play golf, or hang with families. Sunday, it is MUST WIN – the outcome is that simple for us fans. Which Jekyll-Hyde team will travel to LA? Stand by.
When the Cardinals entertained the Rams at SFS back on December 6th, Rams QB Jared Goff was 100% healthy, and his Rams team cruised past the Cardinals, winning by the score 38-28. Goff passed 47 times, completing 37 for 351 yards. His primary targets were WR R. Woods, 11 targets, 10 catches for 85 yards, and TE C. Kupp, 9 targets, 8 catches for 73 yards. Overall, Goff hit 9 Rams receivers, averaging 9.5 yards per pass! The Rams also rushed for 119 yards, with RB C. Akers and RB D. Henderson doing all the ground damage. The Rams Offense was synchronized and unstoppable by the Cardinals Defense, converting 9 of 15 3rd downs and 1 of 3 4th downs (~60%), and piling up 463 net yards on offense. Rams time of possession: 38:53. True, the Cardinals managed to score 28 points, but the devil is in the details: QB Murray passed 39 times, completing 21 for just 173 yards. WR D. Hopkins was targeted 13 times, catching 8 passes for 52 yards, WR K. Johnson was targeted 4 times, catching 4 passes for 27 yards, and TE D. Arnold was targeted 3 times, catching 2 passes for 61 yards (1 catch was for 59 yards—take that pass and the yardage out of the game total and Murray passed 114 yards in 38 attempts!). RB K. Drake rushed 10 times for 49 yards while C. Edmonds rushed 6 times for 28 yards. The Cardinals Offense was mostly ineffective at sustaining drives, converting 4 of 12 3rd downs and 2 of 2 4th downs, for a net total of 232 yards. On Cardinals Defense, the highlight was 1 sack by LB D. Gardeck. Cardinals time of possession—21:07—that really tells the sad story of the day. The Cardinals Offense had major problems with the Rams Defense.
This Sunday, QB J. Goff is OUT due to a broken thumb. But will that fact matter to the Rams Defense? Not likely, in my view. What does matter is that the Rams Offense must use a Practice Squad (PS) QB at Game 16, and perhaps more games if the Rams win. Moreover, RB D. Henderson is also OUT due to a high ankle sprain. 16. Henderson was half the Rams’ running back stable on December 6th (3 attempts, 49 yards) and the go-to RB all year. The Rams receiving crew is hobbled. TE C. Kupp, a major downfield threat, is listed as OUT. He tested positive for COVID-19 virus this past week and is undergoing treatmennt and quarantine protocols. Lastly, from ESPN's "NFL Home Page," December 30, (quote): (Rams) practices are scheduled to resume Thursday and Friday as the Rams prepare to go into Sunday's game without both leading rusher Darrell Henderson, who was placed on injured reserve, and wide receiver Cooper Kupp, who was moved to the reserve/COVID-19 list this week."
From Revenge of the Birds, 3:00 a.m. December 31, "The Rams could also be missing running back Cam Akers and starting linebacker Micah Kiser."
Rams Head Coach (HC) McVay announced on December 28th that PS QB John Wolford is the Rams starting QB at Game 16. Also, on Monday night, QB Blake Bortles (Denver Broncos’ PS) was signed to the Rams active roster as Wolford’s backup. Bortles was a Rams QB on their PS in 2019. Some key facts about QB Wolford ( en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Wolford ):
(from Wake Forest Pro-Day)
Height: 5’11.5”
Weight: 204 lbs
40yd time: 4.77 seconds
Vertical jump: 31”
Broad jump: 9’1”
College: Wake Forest
Draft: UDFA 2018, signed by New York Jets to the PS.
Pro Career: New York Jets (2018), Arizona Hotshots (2019), LA Rams (2019-present)
Awards: Alliance of American Football (AAF) passing TD leader (2019), second team All-ACC (Wake Forest-2017)
NFL Statistics: None. QB Wolford has never taken an NFL game snap.
QB Wolford was effective as an AAF QB. In the first game of the regular season, a 38–22 win over the Salt Lake Stallions, Wolford completed 18 of 29 passes for 275 yards, 4 TDs, and 2 2-point conversions. For his performance, he was named Week 1 AAF Offensive Player of the Week. He earned a second Player of the Week award in Week 7, when he completed 15 of 19 passes for 212 yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT, and a 126.3 passer rating and ran for a 35-yard touchdown in a 32–15 victory against the San Diego Fleet. AAF Statistics: Led the Hotshots to a single-season 5-3 record, finishing 2nd in the Western Conference. The team scored 186 points in 8 games (23.25 per game avg). His AAF game 1-8 stats at: noextrapoints.com/boxscores/week-1-ari-sl/
Other QB Wolford facts: After going undrafted in the 2018 NFL Draft, QB John Wolford signed as an UDFA with the New York Jets. He played in most of the preseason game 4 finale against the Philadelphia Eagles wannabes, completing 8 passes on 20 attempts for 89 yards and an interception. He was cut from the Jets on September 4, 2018.
QB Blake Bortles bio: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blake_Bortles
QB Kyler Murray -- Announced by the team at 4:00 p.m. December 30, QB Kyler Murray will start for the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday. KM was observed at the Wednesday afternoon open practice, executing running and passing drills. No further information is available on the exact nature of the leg injury and treatment.
I know FLCF already posted much Cardinals-Rams history at the Pre- and Post-Game Thread. Therefore, I will be brief with my data discussion. In the 84-game head-to-head competition, the Rams won 44 games, the Cardinals won 38 games, and the teams tied 2 times. The last couple years, the Rams looked forward to playing the Cardinals, averaging 30-plus points each game. The 2019 games were ugly losses in typical Cardinals fashion. At game 1, the Cardinals yielded 549 yards and 34 points. At game 2, the Cardinals provided 5 turnovers and yielded 31 points. As noted above, the Cardinals struggled vs. the Rams on December 6th, losing 38-28. The Rams are 2 wins and 3 losses in their last 5 games. The Cardinals are 2 wins and 3 losses in their last 5 games.
Per ESPN early December 28th and before the QB Goff announcement) the Rams have a 62.7% chance of winning, the Cardinals have a 37.0% percent chance of winning, and the 2 teams have a .03% chance of a tie game. Per Vegas, the Rams are giving -1.5 points at home. The O/U range is not available as of December 29th. I will watch the ESPN Matchup Rater for the win % change which I am sure is coming.
Team stats: PPG Cardinals 26.9, Rams 23.6; PAPG Cardinals 23.3, Rams 19.3; Total yards Cardinals 406.6, Rams 390.7; Yards passing Cardinals 260.7, Rams 263.5, Yards rushing Cardinals 145.9, Rams 127.2; Yards allowed Cardinals 374.4, Rams 308.1; Passing yards allowed Cardinals 247.9, Rams 213.9; Rush yards allowed 126.5, Rams 94.1.
Cardinals leader statistics of interest: QB K. Murray, 367-547, 3884 yds, 26 TDs, 12 INTs; RB K. Drake, 229 carries, 919 yds, 10 TDs, WR D. Hopkins, 111 catches, 1372 yds, 6 TDs. Rams leader statistics of interest: QB J. Goff (OUT); QB J. Wolford, zero (0) NFL data; RB D. Henderson, 138 carries, 624 yds, 5 TDs, TE C. Kupp, 92 catches, 974 yds, 3 TDs.
The Cardinals are 8-7, 4-3 away. The Rams are 9-6, 5-2 home. After the Cardinals necrotic—dead meat performance vs. the San Francisco 49ers last Saturday, the Super Bowl futures betting line for the Cardinals moved down significantly. Caesars now has the Cardinals odds of winning the Super Bowl at 1/7500 (was 1/5500). William Hill has the Cardinals at 1/10,000. A $1 bet returns 5-10 grand if you can find anyone dumb enough to take the 1-buck bet! LOL!
For a quick reading on the Rams’ team history, see this web page: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Los_Angeles_Rams . The team has a long and proud history beginning in 1936. It is well known that the franchise has changed owners and hometowns a few times in 84 years. The team included some of the most iconic football players of the modern era. 16 former Rams coaches and players are enshrined in the NFL Hall of Fame. 6 jersey numbers are permanently retired. The Rams won Super Bowl XXXIV in 1999. Pre NFL-NFL merger, the Rams won the NFL Championship in 1945 and 1951. The Rams last made the playoffs in 2018.
The “White Hat” for the Cardinals @ Rams game is #51 Carl Cheffers. He is an athletic 60 years old. Referee Cheffers has officiated in the NFL since 2000; he was promoted to Referee in 2008. He refereed at Super Bowl LI at Houston in 2017. He is well respected by most accounts. Cheffers was involved in several game controversies across his career. See Wiki.
This game will be Referee Cheffers 3rd Cardinals game for 2020. He refereed the ARZ @ SF game on September 13th (won by ARZ, 24-20). At that game, Cheffers’ crew awarded 9 penalties to the Cardinals (-104 yards) and 5 penalties to the 49ers (-53 yards) (14 penalties total). He refereed the ARZ @ MIA game on November 8th (won by MIA, 34-31). At that game Cheffers’ crew awarded 7 penalties to the Cardinals (-75 yards) and 7 penalties to the Dolphins (-71 yards) (14 penalties total). In 2020, Cheffers crew has awarded 79 penalties to the home team and 99 penalties to the visiting team. His crew is averaging 11.40 penalties for 98.83 yards per game through 15 games. Cheffers crew’s lowest penalty game: GB vs. ATL, October 5th, 6 total penalties. Highest penalty game: LV vs. KC, November 22nd, 18 total penalties.
Game day weather at Rams open-air SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, CA, at 4:25 ET kickoff is high 60F, skies mostly cloudy, winds south at 7mph, relative humidity 74%, and a 10% chance of rain. Stadium seating capacity is 70,240; however, no fans are allowed to attend per Governor’s order.
FLCF and I will ensure the injury reports and active rosters are posted prior to kickoff. At this point in the season, the player active roster and PS roster merry-go-round is spinning fast. Injuries can be positive COVID hits. Players must pass pre-game and game day COVID tests to travel and play. There can be roster churn at the last minute.
Confirmed 4:00 p.m. December 30, the ARZ @ LAR game is nationally broadcast on CBS Sports. The NFL moved the WFT @ PHI game into the Sunday night slot, opening up the afternoon slot for the ARZ @ LAR game. Additional broadcasters include the NFL’s Network and Red Zone, and Amazon Prime Video. Listen to local AZ radio, and mobile devices at XM.
No major injuries to any players. Go Cardinals! Win #9 by any means possible.
Hello and welcome to the Forum’s 16th Arizona Cardinals Game Day Thread, the last “GDT” of the NFL’s 2020 regular season. I wish a Happy New Year 2021 to all Forum members. Year 2020 was certainly a strange one for many folks. I have no need to recount the horrid global tragedies, US social issues, and Cardinals hits and misses of the past 12 months. There were also many positive events and bright spots across the past year. For example, the Cardinals did improve, and the team is now officially a winner—okay, that example is a slight overstatement. Winning half (50%) of RS games just means the team will not be labeled a loser in the NFL’s annual record books. There is so much more work to be done across the Arizona Cardinals franchise: management, coaches, players—to name a few key areas I see needing improvement. Looking ahead to 2021, I think more events also will jolt our senses. There is another Super Bowl in the Cardinals future—we all know that will happen. I am just uncertain about the “when” part. What year? And will I live long enough to see the Trophy? Anyway, Go Cardinals! Yea!
On Sunday, the Cardinals visit the home of the much-despised NFC-West rival Los Angeles Rams in the 85th contest between these two storied franchises. Both the Cardinals and Rams lost must-win games to Division opponents last weekend, proving again that “Any Sunday” is no myth.
The game on January 3rd is the most important game of the year for the Cardinals and the Rams. If the Cardinals win, our team is in the 2020 playoffs. Tie or lose to the Rams, and the Cardinals stumble home to watch the playoffs from living rooms and man caves, play golf, or hang with families. Sunday, it is MUST WIN – the outcome is that simple for us fans. Which Jekyll-Hyde team will travel to LA? Stand by.
When the Cardinals entertained the Rams at SFS back on December 6th, Rams QB Jared Goff was 100% healthy, and his Rams team cruised past the Cardinals, winning by the score 38-28. Goff passed 47 times, completing 37 for 351 yards. His primary targets were WR R. Woods, 11 targets, 10 catches for 85 yards, and TE C. Kupp, 9 targets, 8 catches for 73 yards. Overall, Goff hit 9 Rams receivers, averaging 9.5 yards per pass! The Rams also rushed for 119 yards, with RB C. Akers and RB D. Henderson doing all the ground damage. The Rams Offense was synchronized and unstoppable by the Cardinals Defense, converting 9 of 15 3rd downs and 1 of 3 4th downs (~60%), and piling up 463 net yards on offense. Rams time of possession: 38:53. True, the Cardinals managed to score 28 points, but the devil is in the details: QB Murray passed 39 times, completing 21 for just 173 yards. WR D. Hopkins was targeted 13 times, catching 8 passes for 52 yards, WR K. Johnson was targeted 4 times, catching 4 passes for 27 yards, and TE D. Arnold was targeted 3 times, catching 2 passes for 61 yards (1 catch was for 59 yards—take that pass and the yardage out of the game total and Murray passed 114 yards in 38 attempts!). RB K. Drake rushed 10 times for 49 yards while C. Edmonds rushed 6 times for 28 yards. The Cardinals Offense was mostly ineffective at sustaining drives, converting 4 of 12 3rd downs and 2 of 2 4th downs, for a net total of 232 yards. On Cardinals Defense, the highlight was 1 sack by LB D. Gardeck. Cardinals time of possession—21:07—that really tells the sad story of the day. The Cardinals Offense had major problems with the Rams Defense.
This Sunday, QB J. Goff is OUT due to a broken thumb. But will that fact matter to the Rams Defense? Not likely, in my view. What does matter is that the Rams Offense must use a Practice Squad (PS) QB at Game 16, and perhaps more games if the Rams win. Moreover, RB D. Henderson is also OUT due to a high ankle sprain. 16. Henderson was half the Rams’ running back stable on December 6th (3 attempts, 49 yards) and the go-to RB all year. The Rams receiving crew is hobbled. TE C. Kupp, a major downfield threat, is listed as OUT. He tested positive for COVID-19 virus this past week and is undergoing treatmennt and quarantine protocols. Lastly, from ESPN's "NFL Home Page," December 30, (quote): (Rams) practices are scheduled to resume Thursday and Friday as the Rams prepare to go into Sunday's game without both leading rusher Darrell Henderson, who was placed on injured reserve, and wide receiver Cooper Kupp, who was moved to the reserve/COVID-19 list this week."
From Revenge of the Birds, 3:00 a.m. December 31, "The Rams could also be missing running back Cam Akers and starting linebacker Micah Kiser."
Rams Head Coach (HC) McVay announced on December 28th that PS QB John Wolford is the Rams starting QB at Game 16. Also, on Monday night, QB Blake Bortles (Denver Broncos’ PS) was signed to the Rams active roster as Wolford’s backup. Bortles was a Rams QB on their PS in 2019. Some key facts about QB Wolford ( en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Wolford ):
(from Wake Forest Pro-Day)
Height: 5’11.5”
Weight: 204 lbs
40yd time: 4.77 seconds
Vertical jump: 31”
Broad jump: 9’1”
College: Wake Forest
Draft: UDFA 2018, signed by New York Jets to the PS.
Pro Career: New York Jets (2018), Arizona Hotshots (2019), LA Rams (2019-present)
Awards: Alliance of American Football (AAF) passing TD leader (2019), second team All-ACC (Wake Forest-2017)
NFL Statistics: None. QB Wolford has never taken an NFL game snap.
QB Wolford was effective as an AAF QB. In the first game of the regular season, a 38–22 win over the Salt Lake Stallions, Wolford completed 18 of 29 passes for 275 yards, 4 TDs, and 2 2-point conversions. For his performance, he was named Week 1 AAF Offensive Player of the Week. He earned a second Player of the Week award in Week 7, when he completed 15 of 19 passes for 212 yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT, and a 126.3 passer rating and ran for a 35-yard touchdown in a 32–15 victory against the San Diego Fleet. AAF Statistics: Led the Hotshots to a single-season 5-3 record, finishing 2nd in the Western Conference. The team scored 186 points in 8 games (23.25 per game avg). His AAF game 1-8 stats at: noextrapoints.com/boxscores/week-1-ari-sl/
Other QB Wolford facts: After going undrafted in the 2018 NFL Draft, QB John Wolford signed as an UDFA with the New York Jets. He played in most of the preseason game 4 finale against the Philadelphia Eagles wannabes, completing 8 passes on 20 attempts for 89 yards and an interception. He was cut from the Jets on September 4, 2018.
QB Blake Bortles bio: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blake_Bortles
QB Kyler Murray -- Announced by the team at 4:00 p.m. December 30, QB Kyler Murray will start for the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday. KM was observed at the Wednesday afternoon open practice, executing running and passing drills. No further information is available on the exact nature of the leg injury and treatment.
I know FLCF already posted much Cardinals-Rams history at the Pre- and Post-Game Thread. Therefore, I will be brief with my data discussion. In the 84-game head-to-head competition, the Rams won 44 games, the Cardinals won 38 games, and the teams tied 2 times. The last couple years, the Rams looked forward to playing the Cardinals, averaging 30-plus points each game. The 2019 games were ugly losses in typical Cardinals fashion. At game 1, the Cardinals yielded 549 yards and 34 points. At game 2, the Cardinals provided 5 turnovers and yielded 31 points. As noted above, the Cardinals struggled vs. the Rams on December 6th, losing 38-28. The Rams are 2 wins and 3 losses in their last 5 games. The Cardinals are 2 wins and 3 losses in their last 5 games.
Per ESPN early December 28th and before the QB Goff announcement) the Rams have a 62.7% chance of winning, the Cardinals have a 37.0% percent chance of winning, and the 2 teams have a .03% chance of a tie game. Per Vegas, the Rams are giving -1.5 points at home. The O/U range is not available as of December 29th. I will watch the ESPN Matchup Rater for the win % change which I am sure is coming.
Team stats: PPG Cardinals 26.9, Rams 23.6; PAPG Cardinals 23.3, Rams 19.3; Total yards Cardinals 406.6, Rams 390.7; Yards passing Cardinals 260.7, Rams 263.5, Yards rushing Cardinals 145.9, Rams 127.2; Yards allowed Cardinals 374.4, Rams 308.1; Passing yards allowed Cardinals 247.9, Rams 213.9; Rush yards allowed 126.5, Rams 94.1.
Cardinals leader statistics of interest: QB K. Murray, 367-547, 3884 yds, 26 TDs, 12 INTs; RB K. Drake, 229 carries, 919 yds, 10 TDs, WR D. Hopkins, 111 catches, 1372 yds, 6 TDs. Rams leader statistics of interest: QB J. Goff (OUT); QB J. Wolford, zero (0) NFL data; RB D. Henderson, 138 carries, 624 yds, 5 TDs, TE C. Kupp, 92 catches, 974 yds, 3 TDs.
The Cardinals are 8-7, 4-3 away. The Rams are 9-6, 5-2 home. After the Cardinals necrotic—dead meat performance vs. the San Francisco 49ers last Saturday, the Super Bowl futures betting line for the Cardinals moved down significantly. Caesars now has the Cardinals odds of winning the Super Bowl at 1/7500 (was 1/5500). William Hill has the Cardinals at 1/10,000. A $1 bet returns 5-10 grand if you can find anyone dumb enough to take the 1-buck bet! LOL!
For a quick reading on the Rams’ team history, see this web page: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Los_Angeles_Rams . The team has a long and proud history beginning in 1936. It is well known that the franchise has changed owners and hometowns a few times in 84 years. The team included some of the most iconic football players of the modern era. 16 former Rams coaches and players are enshrined in the NFL Hall of Fame. 6 jersey numbers are permanently retired. The Rams won Super Bowl XXXIV in 1999. Pre NFL-NFL merger, the Rams won the NFL Championship in 1945 and 1951. The Rams last made the playoffs in 2018.
The “White Hat” for the Cardinals @ Rams game is #51 Carl Cheffers. He is an athletic 60 years old. Referee Cheffers has officiated in the NFL since 2000; he was promoted to Referee in 2008. He refereed at Super Bowl LI at Houston in 2017. He is well respected by most accounts. Cheffers was involved in several game controversies across his career. See Wiki.
This game will be Referee Cheffers 3rd Cardinals game for 2020. He refereed the ARZ @ SF game on September 13th (won by ARZ, 24-20). At that game, Cheffers’ crew awarded 9 penalties to the Cardinals (-104 yards) and 5 penalties to the 49ers (-53 yards) (14 penalties total). He refereed the ARZ @ MIA game on November 8th (won by MIA, 34-31). At that game Cheffers’ crew awarded 7 penalties to the Cardinals (-75 yards) and 7 penalties to the Dolphins (-71 yards) (14 penalties total). In 2020, Cheffers crew has awarded 79 penalties to the home team and 99 penalties to the visiting team. His crew is averaging 11.40 penalties for 98.83 yards per game through 15 games. Cheffers crew’s lowest penalty game: GB vs. ATL, October 5th, 6 total penalties. Highest penalty game: LV vs. KC, November 22nd, 18 total penalties.
Game day weather at Rams open-air SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, CA, at 4:25 ET kickoff is high 60F, skies mostly cloudy, winds south at 7mph, relative humidity 74%, and a 10% chance of rain. Stadium seating capacity is 70,240; however, no fans are allowed to attend per Governor’s order.
FLCF and I will ensure the injury reports and active rosters are posted prior to kickoff. At this point in the season, the player active roster and PS roster merry-go-round is spinning fast. Injuries can be positive COVID hits. Players must pass pre-game and game day COVID tests to travel and play. There can be roster churn at the last minute.
Confirmed 4:00 p.m. December 30, the ARZ @ LAR game is nationally broadcast on CBS Sports. The NFL moved the WFT @ PHI game into the Sunday night slot, opening up the afternoon slot for the ARZ @ LAR game. Additional broadcasters include the NFL’s Network and Red Zone, and Amazon Prime Video. Listen to local AZ radio, and mobile devices at XM.
No major injuries to any players. Go Cardinals! Win #9 by any means possible.