Cardinals vs. Rams 2022 NFL Wild Card Odds, Preview & Pick

By Hank Blaine • January 12, 2022

On Jan. 17, NFC West rivals the Arizona Cardinals and Los Angeles Rams clash in the NFL’s first ever Monday night wild card game. The Rams won the AFC West, but Los Angeles begins their Super Bowl quest as the NFC’s fourth seed. The Cardinals, because they fell to Seattle in their final game, are the conference’s fifth-seed. The Rams and Cards split their 2 games this season. Which NFC West power come out on top in this?

NitroBetting presents a comprehensive preview of the Cardinals vs. Rams game down below. Find event details, team and player stats, the latest NFL betting odds, trends, and predictions.

Cardinals vs. Rams Game Information

When: Monday, January 17, 2022, 8:15 PM ET
Where: SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, CA
TV: ESPN
Radio: WDVE-FM 102.5 (Cardinals) / 106.5 The Wolf WDAF-FM (Rams)
Live Stream: NFL Network, NFL League Pass
NFL Odds: Cardinals (+3.5) / Rams (-3.5)

Why Bet on the Arizona Cardinals?

Seattle beat Arizona 38-30 in Week 18, but the key for the Cardinals wasn’t necessarily to win the division. The real key for AZ was to make sure nobody got hurt. More importantly, we should look at the fact AZ scored 30 points. Up until the 25-22 victory over Dallas in Week 17, the Cards hadn’t scored more than 16 in back-to-back losses to Detroit and Indianapolis.

In their last couple of games, Arizona scored a combined 55 points, which means Murray and his mates are finally back to playing the way they did in the first 10 games of the season. Not only that, but both J.J. Watt and DeAndre Hopkins could return for this game. If the Cardinals get back both Watt and Hopkins, they will be tough to beat.

Why Bet on the Los Angeles Rams?

Arizona blasted the Rams in the first game, but in the second game Los Angeles turned the tables. Matthew Stafford led the Rams to a 30-23 road win. Stafford was great when throwing for 287 yards and 3 TDs. The Rams’ defense forced Kyler Murray into a couple of picks.

Kyler should have trouble against the Rams’ defensive line . Murray has trouble seeing over defenders. So if the Rams employ the type of defensive pressure that keeps Murray contained in the pocket, the Rams could encourage the AZ quarterback into a couple of bad throws.

Cardinals vs. Rams Betting Trends

Cardinals are 1-4 ATS in the last 5 games.
Arizona is 1-4 SU in the last 5 games.
The total went over in 4 of Arizona’s last 6 games against an opponent in the National Football Conference West division.
Rams are 4-2 ATS in the last 6 games.
LA Rams are 5-1 SU in the last 6 games.
The total went over in 4 of LA Rams’ last 5 games against an opponent in the National Football Conference conference.

Cardinals vs. Rams Expert Betting Predictions

Los Angeles is kicking themselves after blowing a 17-0 lead against the San Francisco 49ers. A victory would have handed the Rams the AFC West division and the 2-seed in the playoffs, which means LAR would face Philadelphia on Monday instead of the Cardinals. Instead, the Rams must take on an NFC West rival. Although Los Angeles beat the Cards in the last head-to-head, Arizona dusted the Rams in the first meeting.

The Cardinals appear to be back on the right track. During the Week 18 loss to Seattle, you could tell Arizona was sort of pulling back. The players may have known that the Rams were on their way to an NFC West division title. So AZ had no reason to lay it all on the line to beat the Seahawks. The Cardinals had no idea the 49ers rallied for the win until after their game.

If Watt returns, the Cardinals should win this straight up. Matthew Stafford imploded against the 49ers. He didn’t play well at all and the Rams struggle to run the football. Arizona moneyline is the play.

Check out our latest sports betting guides for the 2021 NFL Regular Season. Stay tuned for more Football previews and articles and don’t forget to check out the latest football betting odds at our online Bitcoin sportsbook.

*All odds stated are subject to change without prior notice.