The Rams will end the regular season at home against the Cardinals, with their playoff seeding potentially hinging on the result. A win and a 49ers loss or tie on Saturday would give them the No. 5 seed in the NFC, while a 49ers win would lock them into the No. 6 seed. Kickoff Sunday from SoFi Stadium is scheduled for 1:25 p.m. pacific time on FOX.
Ahead of the contest, here are 3 Keys to Winning for the Rams, presented by The Law Offices of Jacob Emrani (CallJacob.com).
1) Pound the rock
In the Rams' Week 14 blowout of Arizona, they totaled a season-high 253 rushing yards (not including kneel-downs) and averaged 7.7 yards per carry. If Los Angeles can replicate that success, they can control the flow of the game, especially if they manage to jump out to an early lead. Running backs Kyren Williams and Blake Corum are both listed as questionable for the game with ankle injuries, but head coach Sean McVay said he expects Williams to play. If either can't go, Ronnie Rivers could be next in line to take on some of those snaps in the backfield.
2) Contain tight end Trey McBride
The focal point of Arizona's offense, McBride's 161 targets this season ranks second among all players, not just tight ends. He is also tied for the league-lead in receptions with Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua (119). To truly shut down the Cardinals' passing game, the Rams will have to take away their top target in McBride.
3) Find a rhythm offensively
The Rams never truly got in a groove on offense during last week's loss to Atlanta. In Week 14, they strung together four-straight touchdown drives in the first half. That's the kind of rhythm Los Angeles needs to recapture in Week 18, not just for the sake of winning that game, but to carry some momentum into the playoffs. Part of the reason McVay wants to play the starters in the regular season finale is to get back to playing winning football, and offensive consistency has proved vital for doing so this season.
