It’s easy to look at the LA Rams vs Cardinals matchup and see just another divisional game on the calendar. But if you’ve actually sat in the stands at SoFi or State Farm Stadium, you know there is a weird, oscillating energy to this series that doesn't exist anywhere else in the NFC West. Most fans think of the 49ers or Seahawks as the primary villains for these teams.
They're wrong.
This is one of the oldest, most nomadic feuds in professional football history. These two have been chasing each other across the map for nearly a century—from Cleveland and Chicago to St. Louis and finally to the West Coast.
What really happened in the 2025-2026 season
Honestly, the most recent chapter of the LA Rams vs Cardinals saga was a bit of a reality check for Arizona. The Rams just wrapped up their regular season on January 4, 2026, with a dominant 37-20 win over the Cards. It wasn't even as close as the score looks. Matthew Stafford looked like he’d found a fountain of youth, tossing four touchdowns and carving up a secondary that just had no answers for the Puka Nacua and Tyler Higbee connection.
Nacua is basically a cheat code at this point.
The kid finished the 2025 regular season with 129 receptions, leading the entire NFL. Think about that. In a league with Jefferson and Chase, it’s a guy in horns taking the crown. Meanwhile, the Cardinals stumbled through a brutal nine-game losing streak to end their year at 3-14.
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Expert Note: While the Rams finished 12-5 and secured the No. 5 seed, the Cardinals are looking at a total roster reset. Jacoby Brissett did what he could after Kyler Murray went down with a foot injury, but you can't win in this division with a skeleton crew.
The lopsided history nobody talks about
If you look at the all-time record, the Rams lead 55-41-2. That’s a decent gap, but it doesn't tell the story of the "streaks." This rivalry is incredibly streaky.
From 2017 to 2021, the Rams won eight straight games. Then the Cardinals jumped up and smacked them 37-20 in 2021 to break the curse. Right now? The Rams are back on a three-game winning streak.
It’s like a pendulum.
One of the weirdest bits of trivia is that the Cardinals hold the longest active championship drought in North American sports. Their last title was in 1947. Back then, they were the Chicago Cardinals. The Rams? They were in Los Angeles (the first time).
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Key players that changed the dynamic
For the Rams, it’s obviously the Stafford-McVay era. Stafford actually set a career-high with 46 passing touchdowns in the 2025 season. At 37 years old! It’s wild. Most quarterbacks are looking for a broadcasting gig at that age, but he’s out here leading the league in scores.
On the Arizona side, Trey McBride has become the only reason to watch their offense lately. He actually broke the NFL record for catches by a tight end in a single season with 126. If the Cardinals ever get Kyler Murray healthy and a decent offensive line, a McBride-Marvin Harrison Jr. duo is going to be terrifying.
- Puka Nacua: 129 catches (NFL Leader).
- Matthew Stafford: 46 TDs (Career high).
- Trey McBride: 126 catches (TE Record).
- Josh Sweat: 12 sacks for Arizona (Career high).
Why the "Home Field" is a myth here
You’d think playing at home would matter more. It doesn’t. The Rams have a habit of turning State Farm Stadium in Glendale into "SoFi East." It’s a short flight, and Rams fans travel well.
Conversely, the Cardinals are the only team in the NFL that has never lost a playoff game in their own stadium. The problem? They haven't hosted one in forever.
The physical toll of these games is also something to watch. In the January 2026 meeting, Budda Baker—who is basically the heart of that Arizona defense—went down with a shoulder injury. When he’s off the field, the Cardinals’ defense looks like a completely different (and much worse) unit.
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What to watch for in the next matchup
Looking ahead to the 2026 meetings, the narrative is going to be about the gap. Can the Cardinals close it?
The Rams are currently sitting in a "win now" window that defies logic. Everyone thought they’d be rebuilding by now, but Les Snead and Sean McVay just keep finding gems in the mid-rounds of the draft. They lost Cooper Kupp to the Seahawks in the 2025 offseason, and they didn't even blink.
For Arizona, the 2026 offseason is everything. They have the draft capital. They have the cap space. But they need to decide if Kyler Murray is the guy for 2028 and beyond.
Actionable insights for fans and bettors
If you're tracking the LA Rams vs Cardinals for future matchups, keep these points in your back pocket:
- Watch the over/under: These teams have trended toward the "Over" in four of their last five meetings. Stafford loves to push the ball downfield, and the Arizona secondary is currently a revolving door of rookies like Denzel Burke and Will Johnson.
- Monitor the Puka Nacua prop bets: Until a team shows they can bracket him without giving up 20-yard seams to Colby Parkinson or Tyler Higbee, Nacua is a lock for 8+ targets a game.
- Respect the pass rush: Byron Young for the Rams and Josh Sweat for the Cards both hit 12 sacks this past season. These games are decided in the trenches, regardless of how much the media talks about the QBs.
- Wait for the injury report: Since the Cardinals’ depth is so thin, losing one key starter (like Budda Baker or Paris Johnson Jr.) swings the Vegas line more than it would for a deeper team like the Rams.
The rivalry is currently leaning heavily toward Los Angeles, but in the NFC West, things break fast. One good draft and a healthy QB can turn a 3-14 team into a contender overnight. Just don't expect the Rams to make it easy.
Next Steps for Deep Diving:
Check the official NFL injury reserve list for the Cardinals heading into the 2026 preseason to see if Kyler Murray’s foot recovery is on schedule. You should also track the Rams’ compensatory pick status, as they’ve become masters at using those extra mid-round selections to replace high-priced veterans.