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Previous Previews Game#1: Saints Game#2: Vikings Game#3: at Bills
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This Week's Matchup: Cardinals at RAMS The Rams are coming off an emotional victory last week in Buffalo. The team battled back from a 28-10 deficit in the second half and capped off the comeback with a Tony Banks led touchdown drive in the final two minutes to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. Head Coach Dick Vermeil said that by Monday, the celebration was over. Tony Banks, who was the hero of the comeback agreed, "It's only one game, it's not like we're headed to the playoffs." The Rams are indeed a long way from the playoffs, and they'll have to play alot more consistently than they have through the first three weeks if they hope to see the postseason this year, but coming into this weeks showdown at the TWA Dome with the Big Red, they do have a chance to run their record to 2 & 2, and head into the bye week with new hope and a clean slate with 12 games remaining on the season. The Cardinals also got their first win of the season last week, at home against the Eagles. They did it in less than impressive fashion to say the least. It was the first game in the NFL since the strike shortened season in 1987, that saw two teams play to a 0-0 tie through 3 quarters. These two teams looked abysmal through most of the game, before the Cardinals finally showed a bit of life in the fourth to pull it out 17-3. Cardinals RB Adrian Murrell finally found some daylight in that fourth quarter, after 2 1/2 games of being pent up behind a porous offensive line. The Cards weak offensive line will be the key to this game. If they can open some holes for Murrell as they did against the Eagles, and keep an envigorated Rams Dline which recorded 9 sacks last week in buffalo away from 2nd year QB Jake Plummer, then the Big Red has a chance to play with the Rams. It doesn't look likely:) The Rams will have to continue to find a way to get yardage on the ground without RB Greg Hill who was named NFC player of the week for his 158 yard, 2 TD game in Buffalo. Hill has a broken leg, is expected to miss 8 weeks, and will be replaced by rookie RB Robert 'Hoss' Holcombe from Illinois. Robert has been inactive through the first three games, but he has fresh legs and is hungry to make the best of his opportunity. Holcombe doesn't have Hill's pure speed to the corner, but he has tremendous burst to the hole. He has great acceleration and hits the holes at full speed. Once in the defensive backfield, he has some moves to make you move, including a nifty stutter step, he cuts back well in traffic, and he punishes tacklers by finnishing off his runs with power. Look for Robert to have a big day against Arizona, if Zach Wiegert and John Flannery can find a way to keep Cardinal DT Eric Swann out of the backfield, and Fred Miller and Orlando Pace can open some holes on the left side. Rams All-Pro wide receiver Isaac Bruce missed last week's game in Buffalo with a tight hamstring, and is expected to be a gametime decision this week, and QB Tony Banks has missed practice time with a sore shoulder, but should play Sunday. Look for 2nd WR Eddie Kennison to have a breakout day if Ike can't go. Statistical Breakdown
Matchups to Watch Rams LT Orlando Pace vs. Bills DE Simeon Rice - Orlando absolutely dominated Bills DE Bruce Smith last week. Smith's name was seldom called. When Pace was a sophomore at OSU, and Rice was a senior at Illinois, Pace pancaked Rice all over the field. Rice finally pulled himself out of a 9 week slump without a sack last week with 2 sacks and a fumble recovery. Rice is undersized and continues to struggle against the run. Look for Pace to keep him out of the backfield, and the Rams to run right at Rice with his former college teammate Robert Holcombe. Rams Center John Flannery & Right Guard Zach Wiegert vs. Bills DT Eric Swann - The interior of the Rams line has played very well the last couple of weeks after a shaky start against the Saints. Wiegert had a great game against Bills DT Ted Washington, with one unfortunate letdown coming on the safety, when Washington broke Greg Hill's leg. Zach will have his hands full this week against Swann, who is arguably the best defensive tackle in the league when he is on his game. Swann rushes the passer and stops the run with equal ferocity. Robert Holcombe and Tony Banks will be depending on Wiegert and Flannery to team up and keep Swann in check. Rams WR Isaac Bruce vs. Cardinals CB Aeneas Williams - This will be an awesome matchup to watch if Ike suits up on Sunday. Williams is one of the best if not THE best cover corner in the league, Ike is... well, IKE! If Ike doesn't play, Eddie Kennison will have to step up his offensive game, as he has done on special teams in recent weeks. Eddie had his best ever game as a pro against the Cardinals back in 1996. Rams MLB Eric Hill vs. Cards RB Adrian Murrell - Eric Hill had his best game as a Ram last week, recording 9 tackles, including 2 for a loss, and knocking Bills QB Rob Johnson out of the game on a QB sneak, despite playing with a broken hand. He'll be very motivated as he comes up against his former team this week. There is some bad blood here as well, as the Cardinals did not like some of Hill's comments since leaving the team. Murrell struggled in his first two games, but came on in the fourth quarter last week to gain over 100 yards and a touchdown, sealing the game. He faces a Rams defense that has been surprisingly porous against good running backs. The Rams need to step up and show they can stop the run, and force Jake Plummer to beat them through the air. GAMETIME: Sunday, 9/27/98 12:01 PM CST LOCATION: Trans World Dome, St. Louis, MO LINE: Rams by 4 Eddie's Prediction: RAMS 31, Cardinals 13 GO RAMS!!! Peace, FastEddie
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