The Arizona Cardinals (3–13) face off against the Los Angeles Rams (11–5) in their final game of the season on the road. Two teams on polar opposite sides of the spectrum are competing for different reasons.
Let's start with the Cardinals. They can guarantee themselves a top-five draft pick in April’s draft with a loss today, positioning to (maybe) take a quarterback. Whether it's Fernando Mendoza or Dante Moore, all options are on the table for general manager Monti Ossenfort.
Los Angeles, on the other hand, has a lot more at stake, as they looks to bounce back after a stinging loss on Monday Night Football against the Atlanta Falcons. We’re sure head coach Sean McVay would like to see his squad gain steam ahead of a road playoff game. Due to the San Francisco 49ers' loss at home against the Seattle Seahawks, a win for L.A. guarantees them a trip to the East Coast to face the NFC South division winner.
Back to the Cardinals side of things, this may also be a game for head coach Jonathan Gannon to prove why he should keep his job in 2026. In three seasons as the head coach, Gannon holds a 15–35 record. After inheriting a three-win team in his inaugural season, Gannon went 8–9 in 2024 before falling back to where the team began when he took the reins. This may prompt a general manager who is looking to save his job to take a chance on someone else.
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Last time the Cardinals faced the Rams, they were trounced 45–17 at home in a game where Matthew Stafford played like an MVP candidate. Similar to the situation today, L.A. was coming off an embarrassing loss to an NFC South team. It may be tough sledding for the Cardinals because of this.
On a positive note, this is the healthiest Arizona has looked in a long time, as the entire secondary is set to suit up today. Budda Baker, who was out last week with a concussion, is back in the lineup today. A six-year captain, the Cardinals' defense relies heavily on Baker’s presence, and the hope is that they can play more as a unit today.
This game will definitely be on the side for Gannon and company, who look to end a tumultuous 2025 season on a positive note.
Kickoff at 2:25 p.m. Mountain Time
Prediction: Arizona 10 Los Angeles 41