After beginning the 2024 season with a heartbreaking loss in overtime to the Detroit Lions, the Los Angeles Rams look to get back on track when they face the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium.
The Rams will be significantly shorthanded in their Week 2 matchup against the Cardinals as several key players are sidelined due to injury. Wide receiver Puka Nacua (knee) and offensive linemen Steve Avila (knee) and Joe Noteboom (ankle) were placed on injured reserve this week.
The trio will now miss a minimum of four games, though head coach Sean McVay indicated they could be out even longer than that.
The Rams are also without left tackle Alaric Jackson, who is serving the final game of his suspension. Right tackle Rob Havenstein (ankle) is expected to return, however, after missing Week 1.
The Rams should have a couple reserves making starts this week, including Beaux Limmer at center and Warren McClendon Jr. at left tackle. In some positive news, Kevin Dotson is expected to be healthy enough to start at right guard in Week 2.
On defense, the Rams could be without cornerback Cobie Durant, who suffered a toe injury against the Lions. L.A. brought a familiar face back to their practice squad in Ahkello Witherspoon, who gives the team some depth at the position.
Because of the aforementioned injuries, the Rams are 1.5-point underdogs against the Cardinals. However, the team has dominated their NFC West rival under McVay, going 13-2 against them since 2017.
The Cardinals could very well be 1-0 entering their matchup with the Rams, but they blew a 17-3 lead against the Buffalo Bills in their regular season opener and fell by a final score of 34-28.
Rams’ keys to victory
Cooper Kupp repeat performance
It’s highly unlikely that Cooper Kupp will be able to replicate his monster line against the Lions, but the Rams need him to step up with Nacua out.
Kupp is finally healthy again and showed it in Week 1 when he traveled 436 yards in pre-snap motion alone. Matthew Stafford praised the Pro Bowl wide receiver for the work he put in during the offseason to get back to his old self.
Get Kyren Williams involved
Kyren Williams had a somewhat quiet game against the Lions, rushing for only 50 yards on 18 carries but scoring a touchdown.
Luckily for the Rams and fantasy owners, he is in a prime position to bounce back against the Cardinals. Williams rushed for 301 yards and scored three touchdowns in two games against Arizona last season.
Contain James Conner
The Rams have done a good job in containing James Conner over the years, but they were torched by the Lions’ run game last week and will need a better effort against the Cardinals.
Conner rushed for 50 yards on 16 carries and scored a touchdown against the Bills in Week 1. He was held to 27 yards on six carries in his only game against the Rams last season.
