MONDAY, JAN. 17, 2022 // 8:15 PM ET // SOFI STADIUM // REFEREE: CLAY MARTIN
ON THE AIRWAVES
TV: ESPN/ABC (8:15 PM ET): TBD
NATIONAL RADIO: Westwood One: TBD
SIRIUS: 81 (Az.), 83 (LAR), 88 (National) | XM: 226 (Az.), 225 (LAR), 88 (National) | SXM App: 800 (Az.), 818 (LAR)
REGULAR-SEASON SERIES HISTORY
LEADER: Rams lead all-time series, 45-39-2
STREAKS: Rams have won 9 of past 10
LAST GAME: 12/13/21: Rams 30 at Cardinals 23
LAST GAME AT SITE: 10/3/21: Cardinals 37, Rams 20
PLAYOFF SERIES HISTORY
LEADER: Rams lead all-time series, 1-0
STREAKS: Rams won only meeting
LAST GAME: 12/27/75: Cardinals 23 at Rams 35
LAST GAME AT SITE: 12/27/75
CARDINALS NOTES
• ARIZONA clinched 1st playoff berth since 2015.
• KLIFF KINGSBURY makes postseason debut.
• CARDINALS had 4 players selected to 2022 Pro Bowl: S BUDDA BAKER, RB JAMES CONNER, LB CHANDLER JONES & QB KYLER MURRAY.
• ARIZONA became 3rd team ever (1968 DALLAS COWBOYS & 1984 SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS) to win 7 straight road games, each by 10+ points.
• CARDINALS were 1 of 4 teams (BUFFALO, KANSAS CITY & TAMPA BAY) to score 30+ points in 9+ games (9) in 2021.
• QB KYLER MURRAY makes postseason debut. Passed for 3,787 yards & 24 TDs vs. 10 INTs for 100.6 rating & had 423 rush yards & 5 rush TDs in 14 starts in 2021. Became 1st QB with 70+ pass TDs (70) & 20+ rush TDs (20) in 1st 3 career seasons all-time. Is only QB with 3,500+ pass yards & 400+ rush yards in each of 1st 3 career seasons in NFL history. Passed for 268 yards & 2 TDs vs. 0 INTs for 120.3 rating in last road meeting.
• RB JAMES CONNER had 1,127 scrimmage yards (752 rush, 375 rec.) & career-high 18 TDs (career-high 15 rush, 3 rec.) in 15 games in 2021. Had 2 rush TDs in each of 2 games vs. LAR this season. Had career-high 9 catches in Week 14 meeting. RB CHASE EDMONDS had career-high 903 scrimmage yards (592 rush, 311 rec.) in 2021. Rushed for 120 yards in last road meeting.
• WR CHRISTIAN KIRK led team with career-high 77 catches & career-best 982 rec. yards in 2021. Had 86 rec. yards in Week 14 meeting. WR A.J. GREEN had 54 catches for 848 yards & 3 TDs in 2021 & is 1 of 4 players with 500+ rec. yards in 10 of the past 11 seasons. TE ZACH ERTZ ranked 4th among TEs with 74 catches, his 6th-career season with 70+ catches.
• LB CHANDLER JONES had 10.5 sacks in 2021, his 7th-career season with 10+ sacks. Had sack in Week 14 meeting. LB MARKUS GOLDEN led team with 11 sacks. S JALEN THOMPSON (120), LB JORDAN HICKS (116) & LB ISAIAH SIMMONS (103) were 1 of 3 teammate trios (INDIANAPOLIS & MINNESOTA) each with 100+ tackles in 2021. S BUDDA BAKER is only DB with 95+ tackles in each of past 4 seasons. DE J.J. WATT has 6 sacks, 9 TFL & 6 PD in 8 career playoff games.
RAMS NOTES
• LOS ANGELES clinched NFC West for 3rd time in past 5 seasons & 4th playoff berth since 2017 under HC SEAN MCVAY.
• SEAN MCVAY led Rams to SB LIII appearance after 2018 season.
• RAMS had 4 players selected to 2022 Pro Bowl: DL AARON DONALD, K MATT GAY, WR COOPER KUPP & CB JALEN RAMSEY.
• LOS ANGELES ranked 3rd in NFC in rushing defense (103.2 yards per game allowed), 3rd in scoring offense (27.1 points per game) & fifth in total offense (372.1 yards per game).
• WR COOPER KUPP became 4th player since 1970 to lead NFL in receptions, rec. yards & rec. TDs in same season.
• QB MATTHEW STAFFORD ranked 2nd in NFL in TD passes (41), 3rd in pass yards (4,886) & 6th in rating (102.9) in 2021. Is 1 of 6 QBs all-time with 2+ seasons (2) with 4,000+ pass yards & 40+ TD passes. Had 9 games with 3+ TD passes, most in NFL this season. Has 300+ pass yards in 2 of his 3 career playoff starts. Had 3 TD passes vs. 0 INTs & 139.2 rating in last meeting.
• RB SONY MICHEL had 973 scrimmage yards (845 rush, 128 rec.) & 5 TDs (4 rush, 1 rec.) in 2021. Has 415 scrimmage yards (103.8 per game) & 6 rush TDs in 4 career playoff games. RB CAM AKERS had 272 scrimmage yards (136 per game) & 2 rush TDs in 2 playoff games during 2020 postseason.
• WR COOPER KUPP led NFL with 145 receptions, 1,947 rec. yards & 16 rec. TDs in 2021, 2nd-most catches & 2nd-most rec. yards in single-season in NFL history. Became 3rd player [HOFers MICHAEL IRVIN (1995) & CALVIN JOHNSON (2012)] with 11 100- yard games in single season all-time. WR ODELL BECKHAM JR. had 5 rec. TDs in 7 games with LAR in 2021. TE TYLER HIGBEE was 1 of 4 NFC TEs with 60+ catches (61), 500+ rec. yards (560) & 5+ rec. TDs (5).
• DL AARON DONALD had 12.5 sacks in 2021 & became 4th player since 1982 with 8+ sacks in each of 1st 8 seasons. Is only player with 10+ sacks in each of past 5 seasons. Has 6 TFL in 6 postseason games. LB VON MILLER had 5 sacks & 12 TFL in 8 games with LAR in 2021. Has 6.5 sacks in 7 career playoff games. CB JALEN RAMSEY had career-high 77 tackles & was only player with 15+ PD (16) & 5+ TFL (9) in 2021. Has 2 PD & INT in 2 career playoff games.
