Los Angeles Rams vs Arizona Cardinals Injury Latest
With one side facing injuries to crucial players and the other just about good to go, could it be that absentees determine the outcome?
It's the Wild Card round in the NFL playoffs, with the Los Angesles Rams facing off against the Arizona Cardinals. Here we break down the injury report.
The Rams square off against the Cardinals
The Rams aren't happy campers at the moment. Having had to stomach a bitter overtime loss in their last game of the season to the San Francisco 49ers, the fact that they actually clinched the NFC West title due to the Cardinals Week 18 loss was of little consolation. As they head into this critical Wild Card game, they will need to put last week's game firmly behind them if they are to get past a Cardinals team that has it's own motivation to prove a point.
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On the other side we have Arizona's boys, who have their own problems to deal with. The Cardinals have lost four of their last five games, including three losses against teams that haven't even made it to the post season. Add to that the fact that they have an extensive list of players who are 'questionable' coming into Monday night's game and you begin to see a concerning scenario. If there is one positive, its that one of their most important players is set to return just in time for the game. Indeed, J.J. Watt has shown steady progress this week as he looks ready to return from almost 2 months on the sideline due to injury.
Los Angeles Rams Injury Report
Unfortunate though it is, the Los Angeles Rams are set to face the Cardinals without the services of both of their starting safeties. According to his comments on Saturday, Rams head coach Sean McVay made it clear that Taylor Rapp - due to the league's concussion protocols - will now join the already absent Jordan Fuller. Fuller had previously sustained an ankle injury. It now falls to Nick Scott and Terrell Burgess to fill the gaps as the Rams prepare for the biggest game of their season. Los Angeles can still feel positive, however, as McVay pointed out that all others who were previously on the list are now ready to play.
Arizona Cardinals Injury Report
In comparison to where they were at just a week ago, the Cardinals are in way better shape as they prepare for their Wild Card showdown with the Rams. As if to punctuate the point, Arizona has just one single player absent from their practice session on Saturday. There are of course still six players listed as questionable for Monday night's game, but head coach Kliff Kingsbury can feel confident in the idea that he will be able to call on a relatively healthy roster when they face Los Angeles.