ARIZONA (10 - 3) at ST LOUIS (6 - 7) - 12/11/2014, 8:25 PM
Top Trends for this game.
ARIZONA is 19-9 ATS (+9.1 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
ARIZONA is 19-9 ATS (+9.1 Units) in all lined games over the last 2 seasons.
ARIZONA is 15-6 ATS (+8.4 Units) against conference opponents over the last 2 seasons.
ARIZONA is 9-2 ATS (+6.8 Units) when playing with 6 or less days rest this season.
ST LOUIS is 102-139 ATS (-50.9 Units) against conference opponents since 1992.
Head-to-Head Series History
ARIZONA is 3-2 against the spread versus ST LOUIS over the last 3 seasons
ST LOUIS is 3-2 straight up against ARIZONA over the last 3 seasons
3 of 5 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
ARIZONA vs. ST. LOUIS
Arizona is 12-4 SU in its last 16 games when playing St. Louis
Arizona is 7-2 SU in its last 9 games when playing on the road against St. Louis
St. Louis is 3-7 ATS in its last 10 games when playing at home against Arizona
St. Louis is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games
Arizona at St Louis
Arizona: 7-0 ATS off a non-conference game
St Louis: 11-30 ATS revenging a same season loss against opponent
StatFox Super Situations
ARIZONA at ST LOUIS
Play Against - Road underdogs of 3.5 to 10 points (ARIZONA) in conference games, off an upset win as a home underdog 46-18 over the last 10 seasons. ( 71.9% | 26.2 units ) 2-0 this year. ( 100.0% | 2.0 units )
NFL Week 15
Cardinals (10-3) @ Rams (6-7) — St Louis is first NFL team in seven years to toss back/back shutouts; they won last three home games, beating Seattle/Denver. Arizona is 12-4 in last 16 series games, but lost last two visits here, by 14-3 points; Rams led 14-10 in 4th quarter at Arizona five weeks ago, before Palmer got hurt and Stanton threw winning TD pass, which was followed by two Arizona defensive TDs, which prompted QB change back to current starter Hill. Rams covered four of last six as home favorite; they’re +9 in turnovers over last four games, winning field position by 8+ yards in all four. Long road trip on short week for Arizona team that has home showdown with 2nd-place Seattle next week. Six of last eight Arizona games stayed under total; four of last five St Louis home games went over.
Armadillosports.com
Cardinals vs. Rams Betting Preview and Pick
By: Larry Hartstein
Sportingnews.com
The red-hot Rams (6-7 SU, 7-6 ATS) go for a third straight shutout and a fifth straight cover when they host NFC West-leading Arizona (10-3 SU and 9-4 ATS) on Thursday at the Edward Jones Dome (8:25 p.m. ET, NFL Network).
St. Louis’ defense is finally playing like many predicted it would. With defensive end Robert Quinn (10.5 sacks) leading a deep defensive front, the Rams racked up 13 sacks the past two weeks after getting just one in the first five games.
The Cardinals stopped a two-game skid in Week 14, holding on to beat Kansas City 17-14, as unheralded Kerwynn Williams ran for 100 yards on 19 carries. Williams’ performance gave Arizona the running game it had been searching for all season and lessened the burden on inconsistent quarterback Drew Stanton. Starting running back Andre Ellington (hernia) battled injuries all year and was placed on injured reserve Monday.
Arizona beat the Rams 31-14 at home Nov. 9, scoring two fourth-quarter touchdowns on defense. But that was with Austin Davis, not Shaun Hill, at quarterback for St. Louis. The Cardinals have covered three straight in the series (2-1 SU).
The Line: Rams -4, Total: 40
Line movement: St. Louis opened as a 3-point favorite at multiple Las Vegas sports books on Sunday, but the spread moved up from there. A day before the game, the Westgate and William Hill were dealing Rams -4.5, The Wynn was at -4 (-120), and MGM Resorts and CG Technology were at -4. The total dropped from 40.5 to 40 at The Wynn and William Hill, and from 41 to 39.5 at the Westgate.
Trends that matter: The Cardinals are 10-4 ATS in the last 14 meetings. … The Cardinals are 7-3 ATS in their last 10 road games. … The UNDER is 21-5-1 in the Rams’ last 27 December games. … The UNDER is 9-4 in the last 13 meetings.
Hill paying dividends: Journeyman Rams quarterback Hill is 3-1 as a starter and could be 4-0 if not for a goal-line pick he threw at San Diego in the waning moments. In last week’s win at Washington, Hill showed surprising agility when he scrambled to his right and fired a 41-yard strike to wide receiver Kenny Britt. Hill, 34, is 29-of-44 passing over his last two games, with five touchdowns (one rushing) and no turnovers.
Arizona D bends but doesn’t break: Arizona ranks just 17th in total defense (355.4 ypg) and 24th in yards per play (5.6), but third in points allowed (18.3). The Cardinals let opponents score touchdowns on just 42.9 percent of their red-zone opportunities, which ranks second in the NFL, and Arizona is tied for third with a plus-10 turnover margin. The D-line stepped up in the win over K.C. as Frostee Rucker registered two sacks and Calais Campbell one.
Injuries that matter: Cardinals starting cornerback Antonio Cromartie (ankle) would have a better chance of suiting up if it wasn’t a short week.
The Linemakers lean: Since the change to Shaun Hill, the Rams have really slowed the pace, looking to run the ball and control the clock even more than usual. Their defense, meanwhile, has been stellar, holding three of their last four opponents to a touchdown or less. Arizona's scoring D has been excellent all season, resulting in a eight of their 13 games staying UNDER, with one push. We're going UNDER the total on Thursday night.
Thursday Night Football Betting Preview: Cardinals at Rams
By Covers.com
Arizona Cardinals at St. Louis Rams (-4.5, 39.5)
The Arizona Cardinals are still tied for the NFL's best record, but they're clinging to a one-game lead in the NFC West with a trip to face the surging St. Louis Rams looming Thursday night. The Cardinals beat the Rams 31-14 in Week 10 thanks to a pair of defensive touchdowns, but Arizona's offense has stalled in four games since. Meanwhile, the Rams have won three of four, outscoring Oakland and Washington by a combined 76-0 the past two weeks.
The Cardinals got the running game going enough to pull out a 17-14 win over Kansas City last week but now must face the league's hottest defense, as the Rams have recorded consecutive shutouts for the first time since 1945. "We have to lock it in and keep this thing going," Rams linebacker James Laurinaitis told reporters. "There's definitely momentum right now, and we just have to keep fighting and keep stacking wins." Arizona remains tied with Green Bay for the top spot in the NFC but is just a game clear of Seattle in the division and the Seahawks already have one head-to-head win with another meeting coming next week.
LINE HISTORY: Oddsmakers opened the Rams as field goal faves but that's moved to -4.5. The total opened 40.5 but is down a full point.
INJURY REPORT: Cardinals - G Paul Fanaika (Questionable, ankle), CB Antonio Cromartie (Questionable, ankle), S Tyrann Mathieu (Out indefinitely, thumb), RB Andre Ellington (IR, hip).
COVERS POWER RANKINGS: Cardinals (-4.25) + Rams (-0.75) + home field (-3.0) = Cardinals -0.5
WHAT CAPPERS SAY: "Arizona retained its one game lead in the NFC West and has a short week heading to St. Louis on Thursday. 12-2 ATS L14 against teams with a losing record. St. Louis has won two straight games but against teams a combined 5-21 and host Arizona Thursday night. 2-10 ATS L12 after allowing 250 or less yards." Covers Expert Matt Fargo.
ABOUT THE CARDINALS (10-3 SU, 9-4 ATS, 4-8-1 O/U): Arizona has stayed afloat despite losing quarterback Carson Palmer for the season, but the Cardinals will need Drew Stanton to be more consistent. Stanton didn't throw an interception last week but was 15-of-30, while practice squad call-up Kerwynn Williams was impressive in his first action carrying the ball, racking up 100 yards on 19 carries. Arizona's secondary could be depleted, as safety Tyrann Mathieu (thumb) is out and cornerback Antonio Cromartie (ankle) is day-to-day.
ABOUT THE RAMS (6-7 SU, 6-7 ATS, 7-6 O/U): A renewed pass rush has played a huge rule in St. Louis' defensive revival, as the Rams have recorded 13 sacks over the past two games and 34 over the past eight. Quarterback Shaun Hill's play the past two weeks has been overshadowed by the defense, but the veteran has compiled a 124.8 rating with four TDs and no interceptions in the back-to-back victories. The Rams have found consistency in the running game in the form of Tre Mason, who leads NFC rookies with 628 rushing yards and has two 100-yard games in the past four contests.
TRENDS:
* Cardinals are 10-4 ATS in their last 14 meetings.
* Rams are 4-0 ATS in their last four games overall.
* Under is 21-5-1 in Rams last 27 games in December.
* Under is 9-4 in the last 13 meetings.
COVERS CONSENSUS: According to Covers Consensus, 55 percent of bettors are backing the Cardinals.
Cardinals at Rams
By Kevin Rogers
VegasInsider.com
The NFC West race has come down to two teams with the Cardinals and the defending champion Seahawks looking to claim the division crown. Arizona kicks off Week 15 action tied for the best record in the NFC along with Green Bay, but a tough test heading to its old home of St. Louis to battle a Rams’ squad that has absolutely dominated on the defensive side of the ball recently.
St. Louis (6-7) is coming off consecutive shutouts of Oakland and Washington the past two weeks to get within one game of the .500 mark. The Rams wiped out the Raiders two weeks ago at home, 52-0, building a 38-0 halftime lead while forcing five turnovers. Last Sunday, St. Louis traveled to Washington as a 2½-point favorite and cruised to a 24-0 blanking of the Redskins. The Rams limited Washington to just 206 yards of offense, while Shaun Hill connected with tight end Jared Cook for a pair of touchdowns.
Arizona (10-3) began the season at 9-1, but back-to-back losses at Seattle and Atlanta derailed any thoughts of cruising to home-field advantage in the NFC. However, the Cardinals rallied past the Chiefs last Sunday, 17-14 as 2½-point underdogs to win 10 games in consecutive seasons for the first time since 1975-76. Arizona overcame a pair of Jamaal Charles touchdowns and a 14-6 deficit by receiving 11 third quarter points, capped off by a Drew Stanton 26-yard touchdown strike to Jaron Brown to give the Cardinals the lead for good. Under Bruce Arians, the Cards own a 5-1 SU/ATS record as a home ‘dog, including a 3-0 SU/ATS mark this season.
The first meeting between these teams in early November proved to be a costly victory for the Cardinals, as Carson Palmer tore his ACL and was lost for the remainder of the season. Arizona trailed 14-10 heading into the fourth quarter, but the Cardinals rallied for three touchdowns, including a pair of defensive scores from Patrick Peterson and Antonio Cromartie to go ‘over’ the total of 43 in a 31-14 triumph. The Cards covered as seven-point home favorites, as Stanton stepped in relief for his third win of the season.
Arizona has lost each of the past two visits to the Edward Jones Dome, including a major meltdown on opening day of 2013 in a 27-24 defeat to St. Louis. The Cardinals squandered a 24-13 lead going into the final quarter, as Sam Bradford found Cook for a one-yard touchdown strike, while Greg Zuerlein connected on a pair of field goals to give St. Louis the win. However, the Cardinals captured the cover as 3½-point ‘dogs.
The Rams began this season with three consecutive losses at home to the Vikings, Cowboys, and 49ers. However, Jeff Fisher’s team has bounced back with three straight wins at the Edward Jones Dome, including underdog triumphs over the two teams that played in last February’s Super Bowl, the Seahawks and Broncos. St. Louis has covered five of the past six games, while being listed as a favorite in three straight contests for the first time since the end of the 2010 season.
Arizona’s offense has been non-existent since Palmer’s injury, as the Cardinals have scored 14, 3, 18, and 17 points in the past four games. Going back to the Rams game last month, Arizona put up just 17 points on offense prior to the two late defensive touchdowns, as points will be at a premium in St. Louis against a team that has allowed seven points or less in three of the past four contests. The Cardinals better find a way to get things straight on the road against division foes, putting together a 1-6 SU/ATS record on the highway within the NFC West since 2012.
St. Louis has an excellent chance to finish at .500 for the first time since 2006 by picking up two wins in their final three games. Week 17 will be a tough task at Seattle, who is fighting for a playoff berth, but the Rams are likely to be favored against next week at home against the 4-9 Giants. The Cardinals need every win they can get to solidify a playoff berth and possibly a first-round berth. However, Arizona hosts Seattle next week and heads to San Francisco in the season finale.
From a totals standpoint, the Cardinals are 8-4-1 to the ‘under,’ while going 3-2-1 to the ‘under’ away from University of Phoenix Stadium. The Rams have been up and down in this category, posting a 7-6 mark to the ‘over,’ while cashing the ‘over’ in four of the past five home contests. On Thursday nights, the ‘over’ began 7-1 the first eight games, but the ‘under’ has come back to hit in four of the past six weeks.
The Rams are currently 4½-point favorites, as they have failed to cover in their last opportunities as a home favorite against division opponents. The total is set at 40½, the second-lowest total for St. Louis this season (lowest came at Tampa Bay in Week 2 – 37½). The game kicks off at 8:25 PM EST and can be seen on the NFL Network.
NFL: Streaks, Tips, Notes
Sportspic.com
Arizona Cardinals at St. Louis Rams
In this weeks Thursday Night'r NFC West leading Arizona Cardinals will look to stay atop the division while St Louis Rams look to play spoiler. Cardinals off a 17-14 squeaker over Kansas City cashing as 2.5 point favorite head into the contest 10-3 on the year with a 9-4 mark against the betting line. Rams off back-2-back shutout wins over Raiders and most recently Redskins are 6-7 on the campaign, 7-6 against the spread. Rams playing as good a football as anybody at the moment have been given the nod by oddsmakers as they're 4.5 point favorite. Betting Thursday favorites has been the right choice this season as chalks are 10-6 against the betting line. But before you jump all over Rams a few things to ponder. Division games are always tough, spotting points within the division can be dangerous as division home favorites are just 20-21 ATS on the year. Final few betting nuggets. Cardinals have thrived on the road cashing 7-of-10 and have a smart 7-3 ATS stretch last ten visits to St. Louis.