by Rod Pearson
Wednesday, Dec 31, 2025
Game Time: 4:25 pm ET, Sunday, January 4, 2026
Venue: SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, CA
Where to Watch: FOX
Opening Odds at USA Sportsbooks
DraftKings: Point Spread: Cardinals +7, Rams -7; Over/Under: 46.5 points
Bet365: Point Spread: Cardinals +7, Rams -7; Over/Under: 46.5 points
BetMGM: Point Spread: Cardinals +7.5, Rams -7.5; Over/Under: 46.5 points
Season Record
Arizona Cardinals: 3-13 (4th place, NFC West)
Los Angeles Rams: 11-5 (3rd place, NFC West)
Do not miss out on our expert handicapper analysis! Nelly’s Sports is on a HOT STREAK in the NFL on a 15-5-1 NFL RUN for +$9,430 PROFIT! Make sure you check out his picks and many more from the expert handicappers featured in the Shop Picks section.
Recent Form
Arizona Cardinals: lost their last game on the road against the Cincinnati Bengals 37-14.
Los Angeles Rams: lost their last game on the road against the Atlanta Falcons 27-24.
Arizona Cardinals vs Los Angeles Rams Preview and Analysis
The Cardinals are entering this game with a 3-13 record overall and they have a 0-5 record in their divisional games too. They are 1-7 in their home games, 2-6 in their road games, and they are also 0-0 in their neutral site games this season, but they will be on the road for this game. They lost their last game against the Cincinnati Bengals 37-14. Jacoby Brissett was the starting QB and he completed 21/37 passes for 212 passing yards, 2 touchdowns, and 0 interceptions. Michael Carter led the team in rushing yards with 29. Michael Wilson led the receivers with 89 receiving yards on 5 receptions and 1 TD. Dadrion Taylor-Demerson led the defense in that game with 5 solo tackles and 4 assisted tackles while Calais Campbell and Dalvin Tomlinson each led the defense in sacks with 1. No one on the defense came away with an interception for them in that one.
The Rams are entering this game with an 11-5 record overall and they have a 3-2 record in their divisional games too. They are 6-1 in their home games, 4-4 in their road games, and they are also 1-0 in their neutral site games this season, but they will be at home for this game. They lost their last game against the Atlanta Falcons 27-24. Matthew Stafford was the starting QB and he completed 22/38 passes for 269 passing yards, 2 touchdowns, and 3 interceptions. Kyren Williams led the team in rushing yards with 92. Xavier Smith led the receivers with 67 receiving yards on 4 receptions. Kamren Curl led the defense in that game with 6 solo tackles and 3 assisted tackles while no one on the defense recorded a sack for them. No one on the defense came away with an interception for them in that one.
Cardinals vs Rams Prediction
The current betting odds have the Rams listed as a 7 point favorite in this game according to Draftkings Sportsbook. The Rams have looked good in their games this season with their 11-5 record overall, but that record has them right near the bottom of the NFC West in a competitive division. They have looked a lot better on their home field this year too with their 6-1 home record. Meanwhile, the Cardinals have looked terrible in their games this season with their 3-13 record overall which has them right at the bottom of the NFC West with one of the worst records in the entire NFL. They haven't been a good road team either with their 2-6 road record this year. The Cardinals are off a 37-14 loss to the Bengals in their last one and their season has been over for weeks. They have been dealing with a ton of injuries this season and lately their defense has been terrible, giving up a ton of points. The Rams haven't looked great lately either, losing 2 games in a row now and they are off a 27-24 loss to the Falcons in their last one, but they don't want to go into the playoffs playing like this. They could be resting players in this game, but that is unlikely with how bad they have looked in their last 2 games. They had a chance to get the number 1 seed in the NFC and win the NFC West, but they let that slip away from them and now they will be looking to go into the playoffs with some momentum from a win here. The Cardinals have nothing left to play for here and that defense isn't going to stop this Rams offense. The best way to place a bet here is on the Rams to cover the spread in this game.
Cardinals Rams Prediction: Our NFL Pick for Sunday, January 4, 2026 (4:25 pm ET start time) is Rams 42 Cardinals 7.
Don't miss our champion handicappers free picks and expert football picks today. And if you enjoyed this Arizona Cardinals Los Angeles Rams prediction, be sure to drop by every day for our weekly NFL predictions and previews.
NFL Betting Trends
Arizona Cardinals: 6-11 ATS versus division opponents. 1-5 ATS revenging a same season loss against an opponent. 4-8 ATS after a loss by 14 or more points. 7-3 UNDER in games played on turf. 3-1 UNDER after 3 or more consecutive losses against the spread.
Los Angeles Rams: 31-19 ATS in all games. 20-10 ATS as a favorite. 8-3 ATS vs. bad defensive teams who give up 24 or more points/game. 5-1 ATS when playing against a terrible team (Win Pct. <=25%). 12-4 UNDER as a home favorite. 11-6 UNDER when playing against a team with a losing record.
Key Injuries
Arizona Cardinals: None.
Los Angeles Rams: None.
Notable Quotes
“I’m proud of him. He’s one of the best players out there. I’m down about the team and I know he’s down about the team, but I don’t want to overlook that. He has had a fantastic year.” - Jonathan Gannon on Trey McBride after his team’s loss against the Bengals in their last game.
“This is a humbling league and we got humbled tonight.” - Sean McVay after his team’s loss against the Falcons in their last game.
Starting Lineups
Arizona Cardinals
WR Harrison Jr., Marvin
WR Wilson, Michael
WR Weaver, Xavier
TE McBride, Trey
QB Brissett, Jacoby
RB Carter, Michael
Los Angeles Rams
WR Mumpfield, Konata
WR Nacua, Puka
WR Smith, Xavier
TE Parkinson, Colby
QB Stafford, Matthew
RB Williams, Kyren
Statistical Leaders
Arizona Cardinals
Passing: Jacoby Brissett (3,123)
Rushing: Michael Carter (315)
Receiving: Trey McBride (1,174)
Touchdowns: Trey McBride (11)
Los Angeles Rams
Passing: Matthew Stafford (4,448)
Rushing: Kyren Williams (1,192)
Receiving: Puka Nacua (1,639)
Touchdowns: Davante Adams (14)
Coaches:
Arizona Cardinals: Jonathan Gannon (3rd season)
Los Angeles Rams: Sean McVay (9th season)
Rod Pearson
About the Author:
Rod Pearson has been a rabid sports fan his entire life. He grew up in Ontario, and was skilled in both hockey and baseball, and pitched in an elite baseball league for many years. In 2022, Rod decided to hang up his glove, so that he could write about the sports he loves -- but from a gambling perspective. Join Rod every day as he breaks down the games to find the best betting value.
