WHO: Arizona Cardinals at Los Angeles Rams
WHEN: Sunday, 1:05 p.m.
WHERE: SoFi Stadium

NAMES

1. TYLER ALLGEIER - With Jeremiyah Love sidelined this weekend with the ankle injury, Tyler Allgeier is going to take over as RB1. Will he get the "lions share?" Coach Mike LaFleur said "we'll see," not trying to show his cards (or Cards) ahead of time. Allgeier is no stranger when it comes to sharing the load. His time as the lead running back has been limited since his rookie campaign, but it's something he has prepared for with Love not practicing all week.
   "It's a mindset thing," Allgeier said. "It's football being football. But for me, I always had the mindset of being a starter, whether it's being second string behind Bijan (Robinson) or behind Jeremiyah. Whatever my role is, I always have the mindset to be the starter, so when your time comes, you're already ready instead of 'Oh, dang.'"

2. NATE LANDMAN - Defensive coordinators throughout the NFL likely showed what Nate Landman did on Monday against the Bills. The Rams middle linebacker has an incredible ability to use the peanut punch technique to force fumbles. Landman forced two fumbles against the Bills. Dating back to 2024, he is tied for league leader with 10 forced fumbles. Against the Rams, ball security is critical.

3. AARON DONALD - Few players instill fear in the opposition in the way that Aaron Donald does. Even though he has been in retirement for the past few seasons, Donald came back to be a presence along on the Rams defensive line. In 20 games against the Cardinals, Donald has 74 tackles, 26 tackles for loss, and 16 sacks. On the Cardinals Cover 2 podcast, Rams color analyst Maurice Jones-Drew said it looks like Donald is starting to get his legs under him. To LaFleur, Donald is the same type of player. 
   "Have you ever seen a cheetah warm up?" LaFleur asked. "No, they don't. They just go. Well, Aaron can just go, and there's a reason he's the best to ever do it."

NUMBERS

1. 13 - LaFleur described the Cardinals offense as a too-often three-and-out machine. Outside of opening drives, the offense has not been able to stay on the field. That could change against the Rams, in large part because of Michael Wilson. In 2025 during the two games against the Rams, Wilson had 13 receptions for first downs. It was against the Rams in the season finale where Wilson reached the 1,000-yard milestone. If Jacoby Brissett leans on Wilson like he did often against the Rams last year, drives will be extended.
2. 48 - The Cardinals will be without safeties Wydett Williams and Dewey Wingard this weekend. Over the course of two games, Rabbit Taylor-Demerson has played 48 total snaps. The reps haven't been plentiful for the third-year safety, but that's also because of injuries. A ribs injury in Week 1 and a back problem in Weeks 3 and 4 placed Taylor-Demerson on the shelf. Taylor-Demerson wasn't expecting to play a ton against the Lions because Williams had more time on task following Wingard's injury. He will see more time this weekend.
   "You know if something shakes up how it's gonna shake up, but man, it just happened way earlier than I expected," Taylor-Demerson said. "I didn't want my guy Wydett to go through what he went through, but at the end of the day, man, it's just a next-man-up league. It was crazy because I just got back and it was like, 'you're right back in.' But at that point it was like, 'F it. I'm here.'"
3. 25 - More tight ends. The Cardinals promoted Shawn Bowman to the active roster from the practice squad. It underscores the importance the Cardinals have put, and likely will continue to put in the tight end position. Against the Lions, the Cardinals ran 25 snaps out of 13 personnel, the most in franchise history. The Rams lead the NFL with 30.8 percent of their snaps coming out of the three tight end formation. The Cardinals are third at 23.1 percent. Seems like National Tight Ends Day might come early.

NOTABLE

1. SEAN MCVAY v MIKE LAFLEUR PT.1  - The coaches are downplaying it, but a key storyline this weekend is LaFleur vs McVay pt.1. LaFleur spent the last three seasons working for McVay and the Rams, so the Cardinals head coach has the benefit of familiarity. QB Matthew Stafford told the LA media that it's not worth losing sleep over the familiarity because "I know that he knows a lot of what we do, but we still have to go out there and execute it." Then again, it is about the players and the Cardinals vs Rams, the same message both coaches have emphasized.
2. GOT TO BEAT MAN COVERAGE - In back-to-back weeks, the Cardinals faced man coverage more than 50 percent of the time. With the NFL a copycat league, there's an expectation that the Rams do the same against the Cardinals. According to TruMedia, the Rams play in man coverage the seventh-most in the league at 32.1 percent. The Lions may have found something with bracketing both Trey McBride and Michael Wilson. It's on LaFleur and the Cardinals offense to scheme them open.
3. SPECIAL TEAM WOES - The last time the Cardinals played at SoFi Stadium, special teams proved to be huge. Simi Fehoko blocked a punt in Week 1 and earned Special Teams Player of the Week honors. The third phase could be important this weekend against the Rams. The team parted ways with their kicker, Harrison Mevis, and brought in Blake Grupe. While the Rams are focused on seeing how Grupe meshes with their unit, it presents uncertainty for the Cardinals. However, the Cards special teams have been a bright spot this year.
   "Part of it is me looking at his past and seeing how (Rams STC Bubba Ventrone) views him too, and whether that's assimilated into the scheme that they have, or do they have to adapt and evolve," special teams coordinator Michael Ghobrial said. "There is a definite challenge from our side by figuring out what they're capable of doing and what they're going to end up doing."