2012 NFL Picks: Arizona Cardinals @ St. Louis Rams Vegas Odds and Predictions – Free NFL Picks 10/4/2012: A pair of NFC West rivals will go head to head Thursday night when the Arizona Cardinals visit the St. Louis Rams. While the 2-2 Rams have somewhat exceeded expectations under new coach Jeff Fisher, the 4-0 Cardinals are the early surprise of the 2012 season. Playing in a division that was supposed to be dominated by the San Francisco 49ers, both St. Louis and Arizona are right in the thick of things a fourth of the way through the year. Picking up a win within the division Thursday night would be big for either side. The Cardinals are one-point favorites.
On paper, it is amazing that these two teams have fared as well as they have. St. Louis and Arizona rank 20th or worse in the league in both rushing yards and passing yards, and the Cardinals actually rank 25th or worse in both categories. However, respectable defenses have allowed both sides to keep their games close, and timely plays have led to wins. There is a good chance that Thursday’s meeting ends up being a lower-scoring, close game that is decided by a few plays in the fourth quarter.
The Cardinals Win If:
Arizona’s defense has been stout at the line of scrimmage and made big play after big play, and that will have to continue Thursday. Defensive tackles Darnell Dockett and Calais Campbell are one of the best duos on the interior in the NFL, and they have already helped the Cardinals hold the high-powered offenses of New England and Philadelphia to a combined 24 points. With the still unproven Sam Bradford at quarterback and a banged up Steven Jackson in the backfield, the Rams’ offense isn’t exactly scary. In other words, Arizona’s defense has the ability to control this game, and as long as QB Kevin Kolb doesn’t screw things up by turning the ball over, the Cardinals should be able to win with only a few scores of their own.
The Rams Win If:
Although the Rams have been terrible at stopping the run this year, they catch a break Thursday because Arizona basically has no running game. St. Louis has a solid secondary led by free agent acquisition Cortland Finnegan and a pass rush led by three former first-round picks, and the Rams should be able to keep Arizona’s mediocre offense pretty much in check. Scoring won’t be easy, but if Bradford doesn’t turn the ball over and connects on a few big plays with his young receivers, the defense should be able to do the rest. If St. Louis can get the lead early and turn its pass rush loose on Kolb, the Rams will the upper hand. The Rams’ ace in the hole in a close game could be rookie kicker Greg Zuerlein. He is 12-for-12 on the season and has hit four attempts from beyond 50 yards.
Bottom Line:
With struggling offenses on both sides, the battle for field position is going to be crucial. This could easily become a game of field goals where one touchdown ends up tipping the scales. Arizona has the best offensive playmaker on the field in wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald and the best defensive playmaker/kick returner in Patrick Peterson. These two players, along with a strong defense, are the reason why the Cardinals have been pulling out wins all year. The recipe for success will remain the same Thursday night against a St. Louis team that just doesn’t have enough offensive firepower.
Prediction: Arizona Cardinals (-1) Cover the Spread
Arizona Cardinals @ St. Louis Rams
Line: Arizona -1.5
Total: Over/Under 39.5
Time: 8:25 PM EST on NFL NETWORK
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