Week 7 of the 2019 NFL season starts with a Rams-Cardinals showdown in what is expected to be one of the best games on Sunday. The Cardinals are also still without their stud running back, David Johnson, who suffered an injury last week and will not play this weekend. Who wins? What does it mean for fantasy football?
The “nfl news” is a list of the players who were selected with the Rams first-round pick in this year’s NFL Draft. The list continues to grow, with Jalen Ramsey being the latest addition.
The Monday Night Football showdown between the Los Angeles Rams and the Arizona Cardinals is one that many fans have been anticipating. In Glendale, the top two teams in the NFC West face off as Arizona attempts to stay up. With a win, the Cardinals can clinch a postseason berth and maintain their lead over the Green Bay Packers. When it turned out, their odds improved significantly as the Rams COVID-19 list swelled only hours before kickoff, with Jalen Ramsey being the most famous name on the list.
The Rams’ Jalen Ramsey and Tyler Higbee have been added to the COVID-19 list.
CB Jalen Ramsey and TE Tyler Higbee of the #Rams have been put on the COVID-19 reserve list.
December 13, 2021 — Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet)
Is there any hope for the Rams?
Because starting running back Darrell Henderson is on the COVID list, Sony Michel will be the starting running back for the second week in a row. As the roster expands to five LA players, they add standout Jalen Ramsey and starting tight end Tyler Higbee, both of whom change the gameplan significantly.
Jalen Ramsey, Tyler Higbee, Darrell Henderson Jr., Rob Havenstein, and Dont’e Deayon are currently on the Rams’ Reserve/COVID list.
December 13, 2021 — Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter)
Furthermore, the Cardinals have regained their health. Kyler Murray scored four times against the Chicago Bears in Week 13 after missing November. After missing November, James Conner is back on the field, and DeAndre Hopkins is ready to go.
It turned out that Higbee had given a positive test, but it could have been a false positive. In any case, he and Ramsey are both out for the game against Arizona.
According to a source, Rams tight end Tyler Higbee had a positive test followed by two negative tests. According to a source, if his PCR test comes back negative tonight, he will be removed off the Reseeve/COVID-19 list on Tuesday. Higbee is out tonight, despite the possibility that it was a false positive.
December 13, 2021 — Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter)
Ramsey, Higbee, and Henderson are all out for the Rams, while Murray and Hopkins are in for the Cardinals, which is not what LA had hoped for heading into this pivotal NFC West matchup.
With Ramsey out, DeAndre Hopkins should have an even greater role.
Even when the Houston Texans and Jacksonville Jaguars were playing, the Ramsey-Hopkins showdown was always entertaining.
Hopkins had just four receptions for 67 yards on seven targets when these teams played earlier in the season. Furthermore, Hopkins and Murray are both healthy, pointing to a possible monster game for the excellent QB/WR tandem as the Cardinals strive to cling on to first place.
The Rams’ fortunes have changed dramatically since Ramsey’s departure. Ramsey only covered Hopkins on 28.6% of the routes he ran in that Week 4 duel, but he still changed the Cardinals’ gameplan.
What do the Rams do with just a few hours to prepare? Who knows, but Ramsey’s absence might have a significant impact on the game’s result.
The NFC West division matchup will not be what everyone expected just a few days ago.
Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay | Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images
It was supposed to be a Monday night thriller a few days ago. Matthew Stafford, Cooper Kupp, Aaron Donald, and Ramsey are up against Hopkins, Murray, and Conner.
Ramsey’s absence will definitely be noticed by the Rams, and Michel will have to cover Henderson’s void on the offensive side of the ball once again.
Nonetheless, with this fresh bombshell news before kickoff, the Cardinals’ prospects of securing a playoff place just became a whole lot better.
The Los Angeles Rams have lost three of their last four games, while the Cardinals have won three of their last four games.
Even worse for the Rams, the Cardinals trounced them 37-20 at SoFi Stadium earlier this season, and the flavor of that game is still fresh in their minds.
There will be no Ramsey, Henderson, or Higbee in what might be a game-changing move for the San Francisco 49ers, who are only one game behind the Los Angeles Rams in the NFC West.
Pro Football Reference provided the statistics.
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