After Monday’s loss, Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay didn’t hold back when it came to his plans for Week 18’s finale with the Arizona Cardinals.
Even though L.A. doesn’t have much to fight for, McVay told the media he plans to play his starters, including quarterback Matthew Stafford, who fell out of the lead in the MVP race after throwing three interceptions in Week 17.
I break down my early Cardinals vs. Rams predictions and NFL picks for this Week 18 clash below.
Cardinals vs Rams predictions
Here are our early thoughts on the spread and total for this week’s game. We will have a full game preview (with a best bet and SGP) later in the week.
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Early Cardinals vs Rams spread pick: Rams -7.5
The Los Angeles Rams' belly flop on MNF parks them in the No. 6 seed in the NFC, sending them to Philadelphia for the Wild Card Round. They can improve to No. 5 if they win and Seattle beats San Francisco on Saturday.
McVay has always leaned toward caution in season finales, opting to rest his starters when he could, but after Monday’s ugly loss at Atlanta, the Rams coach needs to see more from his team before the postseason.
Shaking off the Week 17 loss isn’t the only motivation for L.A. on Sunday. Quarterback Matthew Stafford put in a poor showing with three interceptions against the Falcons and fell from the top of the NFL MVP odds. He now sits behind Patriots quarterback Drake Maye, according to the oddsmakers.
The Arizona Cardinals won’t provide much pushback. The Cardinals are among the worst defenses in the NFL, and watched Stafford throw for almost 300 yards and three touchdowns in their first meeting back on December 7. Arizona hasn’t won since November 3, going 1-7 ATS in that eight-game slide.
That pesky half-point hook on the touchdown could keep Rams action at bay. Perhaps the best play is to lay the points in the first half, once the derivative markets open. The first-half line will be padded heavily, but could be a better option knowing the starters will go in the first 30 minutes.
Early Cardinals vs Rams total pick: Under 46.5
This Cardinals offense hasn’t done much in the second half of the season. Arizona has scored more than 20 points just once in its last five games and is one of the worst red zone teams during this skid.
The Rams will be out to put up points early and often, shaking off the stink of the past two weeks while allowing the starters to sit in the second half of a blowout. Stafford will have the green light against a pass defense decimated by injuries and sitting near the bottom of most metrics.
That said, he’ll try to boost his MVP resume early before getting the hook in the final 30 minutes. I could see the Rams doing the lion’s share of the scoring, but taking their foot off the gas and keeping the final score just shy of the closing total.
If you like the Under, you can wait and see if the total ticks up to the key number of 47, but most shops have the Under padded, and that indicates a possible move down to 46 rather than a jump up.
Cardinals vs Rams odds
- Cardinals vs. Rams spread: Rams -7.5
- Cardinals vs. Rams moneyline: Cardinals +300, Rams -380
- Cardinals vs. Rams Over/Under: 46.5
How to watch Cardinals vs Rams
- Cardinals vs. Rams matchup
- Date: Sunday, January 4, 2026, 4:25 p.m. ET
- City: Inglewood, CA
- Venue: SoFi Stadium
- TV: FOX
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
Not intended for use in MA.
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