Whenever the Los Angeles Rams have needed to get back on track, the Arizona Cardinals are always lingering on the schedule. After losing to the Carolina Panthers and needing to get back on track, a game against the Cardinals couldn’t come at a better time. Finding form against the Cardinals will be big for upcoming matchups against the Detroit Lions and Seattle Seahawks. Here are five keys to victory against the Cardinals.

1. Be ready for a close game

The Rams are 3-3 in one-score games this season. That’s not a bad thing, but the Rams have been accustomed to winning big and when games get close, they become 50-50. While the Cardinals are just 3-9, they have played nine one-score games, they are 2-7 in those games. They have lost five games in which they held a lead at some point in the fourth quarter and are 24th in fourth quarter scoring.

When the Rams have needed a get-right game in the past, the Cardinals have been able to play that role. It was a win in December in 2021 that sparked the Super Bowl run. It was also a win against the Cardinals that sparked the run at the end of 2023. The Cardinals’ season may be over, but they still compete every week. The Rams have to be ready for a close battle.

2. Get Pressure on Jacoby Brissett

A key aspect for the Rams defense is their ability to generate pressure. However, over the past month, they’ve been inconsistent and that was emphasized in last week’s loss to the Carolina Panthers. Brissett has played well since taking over as the starting quarterback for the Cardinals. However, he’s also been one of the more pressured quarterbacks. Since Week 6, Brissett has been the third most-pressured quarterback in the NFL. When under pressure, he averaged -0.52 EPA per pass with a passer rating of 68.2. Without pressure, he has 12 touchdowns to three interceptions with an EPA per pass of 0.37.

At the end of the day, the Rams have to find a way to pressure Brissett and make him uncomfortable. Brissett is more than comfortable with taking the easy throws and distributing the ball underneath. His average depth of target when kept clean is 6.8 yards — the ninth-lowest in the NFL — and very similar to Bryce Young’s. The Rams have to be able to disrupt that timing and get more immediate pressure. This season, the Cardinals have allowed the fourth-most pressure and the third-highest sack rate against the blitz.

Last week, the Rams lost the turnover battle 3-0 and it ended up playing a big role in the loss to the Panthers. The Rams can’t afford to lose the turnover battle once again and the Cardinals have an opportunistic defense. This season, the Cardinals have forced 17 turnovers which is the eighth-most in the NFL. They only have a +2 turnover differential, but the defense creates opportunities. They had a +4 turnover differential last week and still lost.

Under Jonathan Gannon, this is a Cardinals defense that plays opportunistic. They may force the fewest punts per drive, but they force the eighth most turnovers per drive as well. The Cardinals also have the fifth-best touchdown to field goal ratio on defense. In order to avoid key point number one, the Rams must accomplish key point number three.

4. Help Emmanuel Forbes on the boundary

Emmanuel Forbes has been good this season, but he struggles against a certain type of wide receiver. Against more physical wide receivers like Jalen Coker, Tetairoa McMillan, and AJ Brown, Forbes can struggle due to his small frame. The Cardinals won’t have Marvin Harrison Jr. against the Rams, but Michael Wilson provides his own challenges. Wilson is 6’2, 213-pounds and has a more physical play style. He has 47 targets over the last four weeks and has caught 12-of-15 contested catch opportunities. Nobody in the NFL has more during that time span.

The Rams can’t put Forbes on Wilson and expect him to consistently win that matchup on the outside. Whether it’s helping Forbes with a safety or putting Ahkello Witherspoon on Wilson, the Rams have to try something different with that matchup. Forbes may not be a shutdown cornerback and he shouldn’t be expected to be that. With that said, he needs to be put in positions to succeed.

5. Find an answer in the slot

Only five tight ends have lined up more in the slot this season than Trey McBride. McBride has the fifth-most yards per route run since Brissett took over and has been the primary threat in the passing game. The Rams will need to find an answer here, especially with Quentin Lake on injured reserve. Last week, the Panthers were able to take advantage of some of the uncertainty in the slot against Cobie Durant and Josh Wallace.

Having Durant on McBride isn’t a matchup that the Rams should want. Durant’s skillset is much better on the perimeter and he competes well there. At his size, he’s not physical enough to play in the slot. Josh Wallace has some experience, but clearly isn’t a long-term answer. The Rams have to find a solution in order to slow down McBride and get some consistency over the final stretch.