The Arizona Cardinals are heading into Sunday’s Week 6 matchup against the Los Angeles Rams with a roster that still has some uncertainty baked into it.
Arizona already ruled out running back Jeremiyah Love along with safeties Wydett Williams and Andrew Wingard on Friday. The questionable group includes safety Budda Baker, outside linebacker Zaven Collins and punter Blake Gillikin.
The practice squad activity around the roster suggests the Cardinals may feel better about Collins and Gillikin than they do about Baker, since neither of those spots got an upgrade over the weekend. Baker, though, still looks like a true 50/50 call.
The Cardinals are trying to snap a four-game losing skid when they go to SoFi Stadium on Sunday. For head coach Mike LaFleur, the trip carries some familiarity - he spent the last two years there as the Rams’ offensive coordinator.
LaFleur’s first stretch leading Arizona has been rocky enough that outside voices have already started calling for changes, including at quarterback and defensive coordinator. But when asked this week why he hasn’t made sweeping moves, he laid out a simple approach.
“My philosophy is to approach each week to try to give our team the best chance to win a football game. My philosophy as a coordinator was to put together the best plan that you could to have the offense go have success. Same thing with the defensive coordinator, same thing with special teams and then a position coach - the philosophy of making sure those players are ready to go on Sunday, mentally and physically," he said.
"To go back to what I said, every decision I’m going to make is based on what is best for Sunday if we’re playing on that Sunday. Then after that, re-evaluate and figure out what the next week entails.
I can’t look further ahead. I’ve told you guys that.
I told you guys that a couple of months ago. That’s still the way I feel.
It’s what is going to give us the best chance to have success this Sunday. We are in a one-game season every single time.
It is my job to look to the future. I do believe the work that we put in today will impact us not only for Sunday, but for the future.
"We’re working our butts off to get this thing fixed and we’re not going to stop until we do.”
In Other News...
Cardinals Fans Have Every Reason To Debate This NFL Punishment
The NFL added another point of frustration for a Cardinals team trying to find its footing, fining tight end Elijah Higgins for unnecessary use of the helmet on a play last week. It was a hefty penalty, and one that stood out in a week when the league handed out 23 fines across the NFL. Higgins has been a modest but useful part of Arizonas passing game through the first five weeks, with eight catches for 96 yards and a touchdown.
For Cardinals fans, the debate is less about the dollars and more about where the line gets drawn on contact in a physical league. Higgins fine ranked among the largest in that weeks batch of punishments, which only makes the scrutiny sharper for a player who is still carving out his role in the offense. It leaves Arizona with yet another reminder that even routine-looking plays can carry real consequences long after the whistle blows. [Read more 🡒]
Cardinals Fans Know What Makes This Rams Matchup Feel Different
The Week 6 meeting with the Rams carries a little extra edge for the Cardinals, even if both sideline leaders are trying to keep the spotlight on the matchup itself. Arizona head coach Mike LaFleur is preparing to see Sean McVay from the other side for the first time since working on his staff, which adds a layer of familiarity to a game that already has plenty of familiarity built in.
For Cardinals fans, though, the bigger backdrop is the recent history in this rivalry. Los Angeles has owned the series for years, and Arizona has spent plenty of Sundays trying to flip that script. With LaFleur now leading the Cardinals and McVay still setting the tone in Los Angeles, this one feels a little more personal than your usual NFC West game. [Read more 🡒]
Cardinals Face A Familiar Rams Problem They Still Havent Solved
The Rams have been a recurring problem for Arizona ever since Sean McVay took over in 2017, and the numbers have only reinforced the point. Los Angeles has controlled the matchup in a way few division opponents can, and even with a new look in Arizona, the Cardinals are still walking into a familiar test at SoFi Stadium.
Jacoby Brissett is still searching for his first win over the Rams, and the Cardinals know the margin for error is thin whenever these teams meet. Mike LaFleur is about to face Los Angeles for the first time as a head coach, which adds another layer to a matchup Arizona has not solved, even as the rivalry keeps coming back around. [Read more 🡒]