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Going into the final week of the regular season, these two NFC West foes will try to end things on a high note. The Los Angeles Rams are already playoff bound, and the Arizona Cardinals just need a win in the worst way.

There isn't much drama for Los Angeles in this one. The Rams will either be the No. 5 or No. 6 seed in the NFC, and they are the type of lower seed that no division winner wants to face. Matthew Stafford is playing at an MVP level, and Puka Nacua is the best receiver in the NFL this season. Exactly how much those two will play on Sunday remains to be seen, but they will get some action as they prepare for what could be a deep playoff run.

The Cardinals, on the other hand, just want to taste a victory before going on vacation. Arizona has lost eight straight games, and that 2-0 start feels like it was an eternity ago. The defense has been getting gashed, and while Jacoby Brissett has been serviceable at quarterback, he hasn't been able to outscore opponents on his own. At this point, Cardinals fans might just be rooting for one more loss to protect the team's draft position. What's one more loss?

Here is everything you need to know about this NFC West matchup.

Where to watch Rams vs. Cardinals live

  • Date: Sunday, Jan. 4 | Time: 4:25 p.m. ET
  • Location: SoFi Stadium -- Inglewood, California
  • TV: Fox | Stream: Fubo (try for free)
  • Follow: CBS Sports App
  • Odds: Rams -7.5, O/U 46.5 (via DraftKings)

Rams vs. Cardinals: Need to know

  • Rams will play starters. Coming off a shocking Week 17 loss to the Atlanta Falcons, the Rams will not be resting their starters in Week 18. That's a departure from how Sean McVay has handled these situations in the past, when he was very conservative with his stars. Perhaps Los Angeles just needs to wash the taste of that loss out of its mouth with a good showing on Sunday. If things get out of hand, will McVay plant his key players on the bench at that point?
  • Ball hogs facing off. Rams receiver Puka Nacua and Cardinals tight end Trey McBride both have 119 receptions, tied for the top mark in the NFL. Both players have been the focal point of their respective offenses, and they've shown off their spectacular hands all season. McBride has already broken the record for single-season catches by a tight end, and Nacua has at least 160 receiving yards in three of his last four games. Who will finish as the league's reception leader?
  • Cardinals looking to avoid new low. Arizona's 13 losses are already tied for a franchise record, so one more would make this the worst season in team history. That brings into question the job security of Jonathan Gannon, who is now 15-35 in his three seasons as Cardinals coach. His best season was in 2024 when he led the team to an 8-9 mark. Can he rally the troops to avoid a record-setting 14th loss?

Rams vs. Cardinals prediction, pick

The Cardinals have been a gigantic mess for a couple months now, and I get the sense the Rams didn't like the way they performed in last week's loss. Picking Los Angeles is risky because of the chance that the team sits its starters midway through the game, but I still think the Rams' backups would have more juice than this lifeless Cardinals squad. Pick: Rams -7.5, Under 46.5