The more I think about the Rams-Cards matchup on Sunday, the more it makes me nervous. I think the Rams are the better team right now, but something about this Cardinals team has me worried. Let’s take a look at my keys to the game, and this week more than ever, I think it’s imperative that the Rams achieve these keys if they are going to win.

Early And Often – The number one key to this game is for the Rams to jump all over the Cards early in this game. Arizona has talent, but they have shown over the last few weeks that they will roll over if you hit them in the mouth early. The worst thing the Rams can do is let the Cardinals hang around as this game moves to the fourth quarter. If we come out strong, I think it will be a good day.

That’s Fine – Going along with the first point, the Rams have to put pressure on Arizona quarterback Derek Anderson early in the game. Anderson has weapons and is capable of beating you if you let him get comfortable, so the Rams need to use the blitz effectively to keep him on his heels. Much like the rest of the team, I think he will wilt if we hit him early, but we have to have to  make sure we do it.
Running Men – I get the feeling that the Cardinals think they can run the ball effectively against the Rams, and it wouldn’t surprise me if they make it a point to hammer it down our throat. I think we can keep their backs bottled up, but if we do struggle stopping the run, it could be bad news. I know their receivers are very good, but I’ll take my chances with Anderson throwing the ball over their backs running it on a consistent basis.

Keeping Pace – It seems like every time the Rams give us a reason to be excited, they can’t follow up the next week. We are in the thick of this race, and you have to think that Seattle is going to beat Carolina. A loss here would be devastating in my opinion, so the team need to take that next step and prove they are ready to be a major player in this division.

The Cardinals are reeling right now, and we need to make sure they stay that way. As far as my prediction goes, although I do have a bad feeling about this one, I’m going to give the Rams the edge. Let’s go with a 27-20 Rams win.

The playoff race in the NFC West is really heating up with only five games remaining, so I thought it would be a good idea to compare the schedules for the contenders in the division down the stretch to see who has the best chance of winning this thing. I’m going to list each team’s schedule, discuss it a bit, then summarize at the end. Without further adieu, here we go.

St. Louis Rams: Record 5-6: At Arizona, At New Orleans, Kansas City, San Francisco, At Seattle.

The division games might almost be must-win if the Rams are going to take this thing. Obviously, traveling to New Orleans is going to be tough, and hosting the Chiefs will be as well. I think the Rams can win that Chiefs game at home, and they will be in good shape if they do so. 3-2 will probably be enough to win this thing, so they either need to beat the Chiefs or sweep the division opponents.

Seattle Seahawks: Record 5-6: Carolina, At San Francisco, Atlanta, At Tampa Bay, St. Louis

You have to think that the Carolina game is probably a win, but the rest of the games look tough. San Fran has been tough at home, and Atlanta and Tampa are probably better teams. I think this stretch is a bit tougher than the Rams since they have one less division opponent, but if they win both division games, 3-2 is a possibility. I think it’s more realistic that they go 2-2 heading into the final week, and that final game of the season might just decide who goes to the playoffs.

San Francisco 49ers: Record 4-7: At Green Bay, Seattle, At San Diego, At St. Louis, Arizona.

The Niners have a major uphill battle if they are going to win this thing. They have the toughest schedule of the three teams with trips to Green Bay and San Diego, and they are a game behind the other two to begin with. Assuming they lose to the Pack and Chargers, they would have to sweep the division games and hope no one finishes higher than 7-9. That’s a lot of hoping. They certainly aren’t out of it, but they have the toughest road, especially with Frank Gore done for the year.

So what does this mean? Obviously, no one can predict who will win which game, but something can be said for comparing the roads the teams will have to take. I really think it’s going to come down to the Seahawks and Rams in the final week, and I might have to give the Seahawks the edge since they are at home. Regardless, it should be a fun ride for the next five weeks, so just hang on and enjoy the trip. I know I will.