Arizona Cardinals: Rams Game Isn't A Must Win

Despite it being one of the best matchups of 2021, when the Arizona Cardinals face the Los Angeles Rams on Monday Night Football, they don’t need to throw everything at the LA. Yes, their playoff spot would be secure if they win their matchup and move to 11-2 on the season, but they lose no ground atop the division if they don’t.

The Cardinals have a two-game lead over the Rams right now and a loss would still keep them ahead. There’s no need for Arizona to go out there and make a statement against a tough defense and overplay this late in the season. We see just how much injuries affected this team last year and protecting your playoff run is more important than putting on a clinic in a highlight reel.

More NFL: Can Lamar Jackson Win Big Games

That’s not to say that the Arizona Cardinals shouldn’t go out and play to win, but more than likely they’ll see LA again in the playoffs so why put their best stuff out on tape weeks before. LA needs this win more than Arizona does at the moment as a loss would drop them to 8-5. While that’s not exactly pushing them out of the wildcard position, it puts them just 1 game ahead of the 49ers and two games ahead of struggling teams such as Atlanta and Minnesota. LA was early favorites to push a Super Bowl appearance this year and this isn’t the time to stumble.

If the Arizona Cardinals win, they’d have only one game left within their division, while the Rams would have two. So a win would force LA into a must win situation in those games so rolling over isn’t an option. However, they don’t need to throw the kitchen sink at their opponents. Don’t go out and try to score on every play and just play smart football that does just enough to not lose the game. Call the bread and butter plays that move the football and keep the clock running without being too much of a risk to your players safety.

While this might be the biggest game of their season, it’ll also be a test intelligence as well. You can sacrifice for bragging rights that push your team’s durability or you can play reserved football that still gets the job done. In the long run, going too hard in a game that doesn’t clinch the division anyway is reckless and could cost you your season. Play it smart Arizona.