The Los Angeles Rams are looking to bounce back this week after suffering a bad loss to the Carolina Panthers on Sunday. They’re still 9-3 and leading the NFC West, but the race for the division title and No. 1 seed just got a lot tighter.
The Rams are visiting the Arizona Cardinals in Week 14, taking on a team that has lost nine games but seven of them have been by four points or fewer. If Los Angeles wants to avoid a second straight loss, it will need to win these four individual matchups against the Cardinals.
RT Warren McClendon Jr. vs. OLB Josh Sweat
Sweat is by far the Cardinals’ best pass rusher, recording a team-high 42 pressures; the next closest player is Calais Campbell with 25. He’s tied for fourth in the NFL with 11 sacks and also has 12 tackles for a loss.
Though he does flip sides on the line of scrimmage, he rushes against the right tackle most often. McClendon is playing great in place of the injured Rob Havenstein and is auditioning to keep the starting job for the rest of the season – and maybe into 2026. This is a big matchup for the third-year offensive tackle.
WR Davante Adams vs. CB Will Johnson
Johnson is only a rookie and could be tasked with trying to cover Adams on the outside. That’s particularly challenging in the red zone where Adams is dominant with his releases and route running, often winning easily at the line of scrimmage.
Johnson has been a bright spot on defense and is quickly becoming a very good young cornerback but this is a real challenge for him on Sunday.
Everyone vs. TE Trey McBride
It’s going to take a village to slow down McBride, the league’s best tight end right now. This season, he leads the NFL with 88 receptions, is fifth in yards (879) and has caught the third-most touchdown passes (8). He’s been borderline unstoppable since Jacoby Brissett took over at quarterback, too.
The Rams will use a variety of defenders on him, from Nate Landman and Omar Speights to Kamren Curl, Kamren Kinchens, Jaylen McCollough and Josh Wallace. With Marvin Harrison Jr. still banged up and uncertain to play, the Rams need to focus a lot of their attention on McBride.
OLB Jared Verse vs. LT Paris Johnson Jr.
Verse only has six sacks this season, including two in his last five games, but he still leads the team with 57 pressures. He just needs to be better about finishing plays and rushing with discipline.
Johnson is the Cardinals’ best lineman, leading the team with a pass-blocking grade of 78.3. Even with that impressive grade, he’s given up 31 pressures and five sacks, so Verse is capable of having a big game still against the Cardinals’ left tackle.
This article originally appeared on Rams Wire: Rams vs. Cardinals: 4 key matchups to watch in Week 14
