ARIZONA (4 - 0) at ST LOUIS (2 - 2) - 10/4/2012, 8:20 PM
Top Trends for this game.
ST LOUIS is 121-158 ATS (-52.8 Units) in all games since 1992.
ST LOUIS is 121-158 ATS (-52.8 Units) in all lined games since 1992.
ST LOUIS is 62-88 ATS (-34.8 Units) as an underdog since 1992.
ST LOUIS is 88-124 ATS (-48.4 Units) against conference opponents since 1992.
ST LOUIS is 95-125 ATS (-42.5 Units) when playing with 6 or less days rest since 1992.
ST LOUIS is 43-67 ATS (-30.7 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record since 1992.
Head-to-Head Series History
ARIZONA is 3-1 against the spread versus ST LOUIS over the last 3 seasons
ARIZONA is 3-1 straight up against ST LOUIS over the last 3 seasons
3 of 4 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
ARIZONA vs. ST. LOUIS
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Arizona's last 6 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Arizona's last 5 games on the road
St. Louis is 1-10 SU in its last 11 games when playing Arizona
St. Louis is 2-6 ATS in its last 8 games when playing at home against Arizona
Arizona at St. Louis
Arizona: 17-5 Under as a road favorite
St. Louis: 0-8 ATS off a home game
NFL Week 5
Cardinals (4-0) @ Rams (2-2) -- Arizona has now won last 10 games that were decided by less than 7 points; three of their four wins this year came down to last minute, so long travel on short work week could be dicey, seeing how Rams won both home games (albeit both wins came vs rookie QBs). Cardinals won 10 of last 11 series games, winning last seven visits here by average score of 29-20, but these Rams aren't those Rams, having forced 8 turnovers in four games (+2). Problem for St Louis is porous OL; they've run ball for just 134 yards on 44 carries (3.0/carry) in last two games, scoring one TD, and that on 52-yard drive. Home teams are 10-12 vs spread in divisional games so far this season. Average total in last four series games was 32.5.
Armadillosports.com
NFL: Streaks, Trends, Notes
Sportspic.com
Arizona Cardinals at St. Louis Rams
The Arizona Cardinals squeaked by Miami 24-21 in overtime Sunday to remain one of only three undefeated teams on the season. Dating back to week-9 of last year, hard to find a team that has played as well as the Cardinals as they've won 11-of-13 with a profitable 9-4 mark at the betting window. History would suggest Arizona has a good chance to continue the strong start, the Cardinals sweeping Rams in 2011 have won 10-of-11 meetings (8-3 ATS) and have done a number on Rams in St. Louis winning seven straight games (5-2 ATS). The betting market has Cardinals laying 1.0 to 1.5 and with these quick turn around games being low scoring affairs averaging 38.3 PPG (3-0 'Under'), the series on a 7-1 'Under' stretch the total is set at 38.5.
Thursday Night Football: Cardinals at Rams
By Covers.com
Arizona Cardinals at St. Louis Rams (+1, 39.5)
THE STORY: The Arizona Cardinals try to become the first team to five wins as they bring their perfect record into the Edward Jones Dome to face the NFC West-rival St. Louis Rams on Thursday.
Arizona remained one of three undefeated clubs in the league with a wild 24-21 overtime victory at home over Miami in Week 4. The Cardinals extended their home winning streak to eight games, the longest run for the franchise since the 1925 Chicago Cardinals captured nine in a row.
St. Louis is coming off a spirited home triumph over Seattle in which it scored its only touchdown on a fake field-goal attempt. The rest of the offense came from rookie kicker Greg Zuerlein, who booted four field goals. Zuerlein twice set the franchise record for the longest field goal, booting a 58-yarder in the first quarter before hitting from 60 yards in the third. The Rams had lost four straight and 13 of 14 against the Seahawks prior to Sunday.
LINE: Oddsmakers opened the Rams as high as 2.5-point home underdogs but that spread has been bet down to +1. The total has climbed from 38.5 to 39.5.
ABOUT THE CARDINALS (4-0, 3-1 ATS): The team is off to its best start since 1974, when it won its first seven games while based in St. Louis. Quarterback Kevin Kolb overcame eight sacks against the Dolphins to throw three touchdown passes, including a 15-yarder to Andre Roberts on 4th-and-2 with 22 seconds remaining in regulation. The Cardinals' running game was virtually non-existent as they gained 28 yards on the ground. Safety Adrian Wilson returned to action after missing a game with an ankle injury and made eight tackles while also recording a sack. Arizona registered four sacks, marking the NFL-best 10th straight game it has notched at least two.
ABOUT THE RAMS (2-2, 3-1 ATS): Rookie punter Johnny Hekker, who was a quarterback in high school, threw St. Louis' lone touchdown pass Sunday. With Seattle expecting Zuerlein to boot his second field goal of the game, Hekker tossed the ball to a wide-open Danny Amendola for a 2-yard score. The Rams already have matched their win total from last season, when they finished tied with Indianapolis with a league-worst 2-14 record. They are 2-0 this year at home, where they were victorious just once in 2011.
TRENDS:
* Under is 7-1 in the last eight meetings.
* Cardinals are 4-1 ATS in their last five meetings.
* Favorite is 4-1 ATS in their last five meetings.
* Cardinals are 6-2 ATS in their last eight meetings in St. Louis.
EXTRA POINTS:
1. Cardinals WR Larry Fitzgerald matched Mel Gray's franchise record Sunday by catching a pass in his 121st consecutive game.
2. Zuerlein is a perfect 12-for-12 on field-goal attempts.
3. Arizona has posted five overtime victories during its eight-game home winning streak.
Cardinals at Rams
By Brian Edwards
VegasInsider.com
Arizona (4-0 straight up, 3-1 against the spread) is the NFL’s biggest surprise, joining Houston and Atlanta as the league’s only remaining unbeaten teams. The Cardinals, off to their best start in 38 years dating back to the Jim Hart Era, will take their unblemished record to St. Louis on a short week of preparation to face their NFC West rivals Thursday night at the Edwards Jones Dome.
As of late Wednesday afternoon, most betting shops had Arizona listed as a 1½-point favorite with a total of 39 for ‘over/under’ wagers.
Ken Whisenhunt’s team is coming off a non-covering 24-21 win over Miami in overtime as a four-point home favorite. Arizona trailed 13-0 at intermission and needed a 15-yard touchdown pass from Kevin Kolb to Andre Roberts on fourth down with only 22 seconds remaining.
Jay Feely stayed perfect on the year by drilling a 46-yard field goal to win the game in OT. The 45 combined points went ‘over’ the 38½-point total.
Kolb overcame a pair of interceptions to throw for 324 yards and three touchdowns. Roberts hauled in six receptions for 118 yards and two TDs, while Larry Fitzgerald had eight catches for 64 yards and one TD.
St. Louis (2-2 SU, 3-1 ATS) collected a crucial division win last week when it knocked off Seattle, 19-13, as a two-point home underdog. The 32 combined points easily stayed ‘under’ the 39½-point total.
The Rams defense stole the show by intercepting Seattle rookie QB Russell Wilson three times. Rookie place-kicker Greg Zuerlein buried all four field-goal attempts, including boots of 58 and 60 yards out. He’s now made all 12 attempts this year.
Sam Bradford threw for 221 yards. For the season, the Oklahoma product is completing 61.6 percent of his throws for 881 yards with a mediocre 4/4 touchdown-to-interception ratio.
Jeff Fisher’s team opened the season with a tough loss at Detroit, allowing a fourth-quarter lead to get away in a 27-23 defeat. Nevertheless, the Rams took the cash as nine-point underdogs.
In Week 2, St. Louis won a 31-28 decision over Washington as a 3½-point home underdog. Then in Week 3. the Rams lost 23-6 at Chicago.
Arizona has posted wins vs. Seattle (20-16), at New England (20-18) and vs. Philadelphia (27-6) prior to last week’s win over the Dolphins.
Kolb has connected on 62.6 percent of his passes for 752 yards with a 7/2 TD-INT ratio. Fitzgerald has 22 receptions for 245 yards and two TDs. The ground attack has been basically non-existent, as the Cardinals are 28th in the NFL in rushing, averaging only 68.8 yards per game.
Arizona’s stop unit is third in the NFL in scoring defense, allowing just 15.2 points per game.
The Cardinals will have back-up QB John Skelton available this week. He’s been out the last three games with a sprained ankle suffered in the season opener. However, stud defensive tackle Darnell Dockett is ‘questionable’ with a hamstring injury that kept him out last week vs. Miami.
Arizona TE Todd Heap and RB/KR Larod Stephens-Howling are ‘doubtful,’ while RB Beanie Wells remains ‘out’ with a turf-toe injury.
The ‘under’ is 3-1 overall for Arizona, 1-0 in its only previous road assignment. Totals have been a wash for the Rams both overall (2-2) and at home (1-1). The ‘under’ is 7-1 in the last eight head-to-head meetings between these teams.
The NFL Network will provide television coverage at 8:20 p.m. Eastern.
B.E.’s Bonus Nuggets
Arizona has won 10 of the last 11 head-to-head meetings against St. Louis, including seven in a row at the Edwards Jones Dome.
The Rams haven’t been over .500 through five games since starting 4-1 in 2006.
St. Louis has the second-most interceptions in the NFL with eight. Cortland Finnegan, who played for Fisher in Tennessee, has been an outstanding addition to the secondary. Finnegan had a team-high eight tackles against the Dolphins and is tied for second in the NFL with three interceptions.
Houston is the only team with a perfect 4-0 spread record, while Detroit is the only club with a 0-4 ATS mark. The Eagles are 0-3-1 ATS.
Washington is the lone team that has seen the ‘over’ go 4-0, while Seattle has watched the ‘under’ go 4-0.
Atlanta QB Matt Ryan has the NFL’s best QB rating (112.1).
Cardinals vs. Rams: Point spread, Vegas betting line and trends
By: The Linemakers
Sportingnews.com
The Arizona Cardinals (4-0) and St. Louis Rams (2-2) meet Thursday night (8:30 p.m. ET, NFL Network). Here is point spread information and trends analysis from The Linemakers on Sporting News.
Location: Edward Jones Dome, St. Louis
Weather: Dome
Line: Cardinals -1, total: 39
Line movement: This game opened as pick 'em on Sunday night, but within two hours had reached Cardinals -1.5. By Monday morning, Rams money had found its way into the books, and the line settled at Cardinals -1. The total opened 38, was bet up to 38.5, and by Tuesday afternoon, was up to 39.
Recent meetings:
11/27/2011: Arizona 23-20 (Rams -1) at St. Louis
11/06/2011: Arizona 19-13 (OT) (Cardinals -2.5) at Arizona
Series trends:
Cardinals are 6-2 ATS in their last eight visits to St. Louis.
Favorite is 4-1 ATS in the last five meetings.
Under is 7-1 in the last eight meetings.
Cardinals outlook: Arizona, which has won 10 of 11 over St. Louis, is a stunning 4-0 thanks to the league’s third-best defense (15.2 points per game). The unit has two or more sacks in 10 straight games, the NFL’s longest active streak. Dynamic LB Daryl Washington is one of four NFL players with at least eight sacks and two interceptions since last season. CB Patrick Peterson returned a punt for a TD in both meetings with St. Louis last year (99 and 80 yards). Kevin Kolb has seized the starting QB job after throwing for 324 yards and three TDs in the overtime win over Miami. Because it’s a short week, starters Darnell Dockett and Todd Heap might not have sufficient time to recover from their injuries.
Cardinals trends:
Cardinals are 6-0 ATS in their last six games vs. the NFC.
Cardinals are 1-5 ATS in their last six October games.
Cardinals are 4-0 ATS in their last four divisional games.
Under is 17-5 in the last 22 games in which Arizona was a road favorite.
Cardinals’ key injuries:
TE Todd Heap (knee) questionable
DE Darnell Dockett (hamstring) questionable
RB LaRod Stephens-Howling (hip) questionable
TE Jim Dray (knee) questionable
Rams outlook: The offense isn’t explosive – in fact, it didn’t score a touchdown in Sunday’s 19-13 win over Seattle. But QB Sam Bradford is protecting the ball and making plays when he needs to, as evidenced by five 3rd-down conversions of 10 yards or longer vs. the Seahawks. Kicker Greg Zuerlein is the NFL’s top special teams weapon: he drilled 58- and 60-yard field goals against Seattle and is 12-for-12 this season. Led by Cortland Finnegan (3 INTs), the Rams are first in the NFL with eight picks and rank seventh in stopping opponents on third down, allowing a conversion rate of just 31.1 percent. Opposing QBs have a passer rating of 64.2, second-worst in the league. New coach Jeff Fisher has transformed a lifeless bunch into a gritty team that’s winning close games.
Rams trends:
Rams are 3-0-1 ATS in their last four home games.
Rams are 2-6 ATS in their last eight divisional games.
Under is 15-6-1 in the Rams’ last 22 divisional games.
Rams are 4-1 ATS in their last five games overall.
Rams’ key injuries:
DE Eugene Sims (concussion) doubtful
DT Matthew Conrath (knee) questionable
S Matt Daniels (hamstring) questionable
T Rodger Saffold (knee) out
What The Linemakers are saying: The Rams have some good things going for them at home, where they are 2-0 straight-up and against-the-spread. One of the things you like to see from a visiting team is the ability to run the ball, and the Cardinals can't even do that at home. They've averaged only 68 yards per game rushing through four games and are fortunate to be 4-0 despite that inefficiency. We think this will be a low-scoring game, thanks to the defensive-minded leadership of Jeff Fisher, and we also give the edge to the home team here.