The Rams kick off postseason play hosting the Cardinals in the Wild Card round, in the second-ever playoff meeting between the two teams. Kickoff from SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif. is scheduled for 5:15 p.m. pacific time on ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN+ and ESPN Deportes, locally on ABC7.
Ahead of the game, theRams.com examines 3 Keys to Winning for the Rams, powered by The Wallace Firm:
1) Don't let Cardinals QB Kyler Murray escape the pocket
As the Rams know well by now, Murray's mobility allows him to make off-schedule plays in the passing game and also scramble for big gains on the ground. Although he threw a pair of interceptions, he still kept that Week 14 game close because of his 444 total yards of offense (383 passing, 61 rushing).
Replicating the pass rush performance from that contest, not to mention setting the edge, will play a critical role in the outcome of Monday night's game.
2) Limit explosive plays in the passing game
Eight of Murray's 32 completions in Week 14 went for 15 or more yards, including a 47-yarder to wide receiver Christian Kirk on the final drive that led to a field goal that made it a one-possession game.
Even without DeAndre Hopkins, the Cardinals are still capable of those big plays in the passing game with targets like Kirk, wide receiver A.J. Green and tight end Zach Ertz around Murray. For the Rams to have success on Monday night, they will need limit those.
3) Play turnover-free football
While the Rams only committed two turnovers against the the Cardinals in Week 4, they had none in Week 14 – one of the biggest differences in the second matchup resulting in a Rams win instead of a Rams loss.
Thus, one of the best ways the Rams can increase their chances of advancing on to the divisional round is by protecting the football.
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