NFL Week 17 Predictions: Los Angeles Rams vs Arizona Cardinals 1/3/21 NFL Picks, Odds, Predictions

The Los Angeles Rams face off with the Arizona Cardinals Sunday in Week 17 NFC West NFL action from SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles. 

Arizona enters this one at 8-7 this year. The Cardinals had won consecutive games versus the Giants and Eagles before falling to the 49ers last weekend. As for the Rams, they’re 9-6 this season. Los Angeles has lost consecutive games to the Jets and Seahawks in their last pair. Check back all season long for free NFL picks at Sports Chat Place. 

Arizona has had quite the rollercoaster season. The Cardinals opened up at 5-2 before winning just one of their next five games. Since then, it’s been two wins over the Giants 26-7 and the Eagles 33-26, and then a 20-12 loss to San Francisco in Week 16. 

In the loss to the 49ers, Arizona quarterback Kyler Murray posted 247 yards with one interception on 31-of-50 passing. Murray also led the rush with eight carries and 75 yards. Tops in receiving was Christian Kirk, who led the Cardinals on 76 yards from seven catches. 

Over on the Rams’ side, they came out of the gate at 7-3 over their first 10 games but have gone just 2-3 since. After a 23-20 loss to the Rams, it was two wins over the Cardinals and Patriots before LA gave the lowly Jets their first win 23-20. In Week 16, the Rams lost again to the Seahawks 20-9. 

In the loss to Seattle, Los Angeles quarterback Jared Goff managed 234 yards with one interception on 24-of-43 passing. Darrell Henderson posted 12 carries for 62 yards, and Cooper Kupp was the top receiver with 66 yards off eight grabs. 

The Cardinals are 3-0-1 ATS in their last four games in Week 17 and 10-4-2 ATS in their last 16 road games. Arizona is 2-6 ATS in the last eight games overall and 1-4 ATS in their last five games in January. 

Meanwhile, the Rams are 4-1 ATS in their last five versus a team with winning record and 19-7-1 ATS in their last 27 versus the NFC. Los Angeles is 1-5-1 ATS in their last seven games in Week 17 and the over is 4-0 in their last four in Week 17. 

PICK: I’m sticking with the Cardinals here. As if the Rams didn’t already have enough pressure going into this must-win game, they’re also dealing with the health of Goff, who broke his thumb in the Week 16 loss. Goff’s injury status really doesn’t affect my opinion here, though. Los Angeles has looked really ugly over the last two games regardless, with just 29 combined points. The defense has been playing well over the last three games, but it’s a lot to ask of them in holding down a Cardinals team that normally scores pretty well.