Cardinals could have a big problem on offense in Week 4 vs. Rams

Three Arizona Cardinals offensive linemen are listed as questionable heading into the team’s big matchup against the Los Angeles Rams.

Matchups during the first quarter of the NFL season aren’t generally characterized as massively important, but that’s exactly the type of game the Arizona Cardinals are heading into when they take on the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday.

Both the Cardinals and Rams are currently undefeated this year and the result of Sunday’s contest could have huge implications on the race for the top of the NFC West this season.

Despite only being four-point underdogs, hardly anyone outside of Arizona thinks the Cardinals can come out on top in Sunday’s big divisional showdown. If the Cardinals do figure out a way to get a victory this weekend, they will have a 4-0 record to begin the season for the first time since 2012.

Arizona Cardinals offensive line banged up heading into Week 4 against the Los Angeles Rams

In order to have a chance in Sunday’s contest, Arizona will have to figure out how to stop a Los Angeles pass rush that has generated the fifth-most pressures in the NFL this season.

Unfortunately, the Cardinals could be without some of their top offensive linemen this week. Two of Arizona’s starting offensive linemen, Justin Pugh and Kelvin Beachum, in addition to reserve blocker Justin Murray are listed as questionable for Sunday’s game against the Rams.

Murray and Pugh are dealing with back injuries, while injured ribs have resulted in Beachum being listed as questionable for the second time in the last three weeks.

Things seem more optimistic for Pugh and Murray to be active for the Cardinals on Sunday as both of them practiced on Friday. But Beachum hasn’t practiced all week, so his status for this weekend is definitely in doubt.

If Beachum can’t suit up against Los Angeles, Murray is listed as his backup. But if Murray can’t play either, then things could get real ugly on the right side of Arizona’s offensive line.

Luckily for the Cardinals, they have a quarterback who is fully capable of scrambling away from pressure in Kyler Murray. But if Murray is constantly getting pressured all game long, it’s eventually going to get harder for him to escape the Rams’ pass rush.

The Cardinals’ young quarterback has already been playing at an MVP level this season. But if Arizona is without a few of their top offensive linemen on Sunday, Murray might have to step up his performance even higher in order to lead his team to a win.