Last Minute Thoughts: Rams must bottle up Kyler Murray

With DeAndre Hopkins, Rondale Moore out, Murray will have limited options in this game

The Los Angeles Rams are headed to the desert to take on their NFC West divisional rival Arizona Cardinals for a Week 3 showdown.

Los Angeles bested the Cards in two of three contests a year ago, but Arizona will be looking for revenge after they were trounced in the Wildcard round of the playoffs. The Rams are riddled with injuries on both sides of the football, but they will need to rally if they want to come out of this game 2-1 and in first place of the division.

Blaine Grisak and JB Scott are back with another installment of Last Minute Thoughts, and they break down everything you need to know 24 hours ahead of this NFC West battle.

Listen below, or subscribe through your favorite podcast app so you never miss an episode – whether it be the instant reaction post-game, our mid-week series where we touch on all the hot button issues, and last minute thoughts pre-game.

LA made a flurry of transactions this week, and there’s plenty to catchup with on the injury front.

The Rams brought in reinforcements on offense: re-uniting with veterans Malcolm Brown and Kendall Blanton, promoting Oday Aboushi to the active roster, picking up center Matt Skura. Tremayne Anchrum (season-ending injury) and Brycen Hopkins (3-game suspension) join Van Jefferson and Brian Allen on the sidelines.

LA added CB Shaun Jolly and OLB Takk McKinley to the defense, but they’re without CB’s Troy Hill, David Long, and Cobie Durant this week. Safety Jordan Fuller is also questionable with an injury that popped up late in the practice week. The next men up in the secondary are likely second-year corner Robert Rochell and rookie Derion Kendrick.

The Cardinals are also short-handed on offense. They are still without WR DeAndre Hopkins who is suspended for the first six games. Fellow receiver Rondale Moore has also yet to debut in 2022 due to a hamstring injury. Former Rams practice squader Greg Dortch is Arizona’s leading receiver through two games, despite the Cardinals trading away a first round draft choice to acquire Marquise “Hollywood” Brown.

It all boils down to which offense can score the most points, and it turn out to be a dual between two prolific signal callers. Matthew Stafford will need to limit his interceptions. Kyler Murray will have to create something from nothing, but that’s just what he did last week in order to overcome a sizeable deficit to the Las Vegas Raiders.