The Arizona Cardinals are facing an uphill climb in week six against the Los Angeles Rams.
Not only is Arizona coming off a humiliating loss, the Rams are seeking to bounce-back from a loss of their own.
One of the major storylines heading into the game (from both sides) is the status of RB Jeremiyah Love. The rookie has spent the week sitting out of practice amid recovery from a lingering right ankle injury. While he is struggling to gain consistent production, the 21-year-old’s activity is crucial to the Cardinals having the best shot to win.
Read more on the final status of the Notre Dame product below.
Mike LaFleur Makes Final Call on Love’s Status
Love sitting out of the first two practices of the week wasn’t a positive sign when reflecing on his status.
Now, he is officially out according to head coach Mike LaFleur (Darren Urban, azcardinals.com).
This will be the first career game that the rookie is inactive in after taking “questionable” tags into multiple contests. While there’s no plan to place Love on IR, the franchise is showing an abundance of caution here.
There’s certainly a possibility that the Cardinals get their lead back next week, but constant monitoring will be necessary in tracking his status.
How Cardinals Can Respond to Major Absence
What was already an uphill climb for Arizona’s offense becomes an even steeper one.
The Cardinals are likely to have two running backs active this week – Tyler Allgeier and Bam Knight.
Expect the first-year member of the franchise in Allgeier to be the lead back. While the BYU product is reliable in a pinch, he is on pace to average under three yards per carry for a second straight season. This isn’t a great sign against a Rams defense that possesses a stout defensive line.
How exactly do LaFleur and the offensive staff respond to this major blow?
As mentioned above, the Rams own an incredible defensive line. Aaron Donald will be very active, especially against an Arizona o-line that is wearing thin.
This makes the Cardinals’ game script all the more crucial this week. LaFleur and staff will need to take “chunk” plays of three-to-four yards in the run game early. This will create a stable floor for QB Jacoby Brissett to operate from, instead of forcing an extreme volume of third-and-long situations.
Also expect Trey McBride, Michael Wilson, and Kendrick Bourne to be steady targets in the passing game. If one area of the Los Angeles defense can be exploited, it’s the secondary. Star cornerback acquisition Trent McDuffie has been up-and-down this season.
Watch how Arizona attacks the L.A. defense early. If Brissett can get into a groove, and Allgeier eats up volume, there’s an opportunity for the Cardinals to be competitive.
Arizona and Los Angeles are squaring up at SoFi Stadium at 1:05 P.M. MST on Sunday. The game is being broadcast regionally on Fox.
Cardinals Make Decisive Verdict on Jeremiyah Love’s Week 6 Status