Could the Rams Expose the Cardinals in 2025?

CBS Sports' Jared Dubin gave his reasons on how the Cardinals can win the NFC West and thus, I'll give my reasons on how the Rams can stop that.

"Kyler Murray has his best season and the defensive additions hit in a major way," wrote Dubin.

"Murray has been chugging along for several years now as an above-average quarterback but has never quite broken through and had that top-five/top-10 type of season. With Marvin Harrison Jr. in Year 2, Trey McBride looking like one of the league's best tight ends and ancillary weapons like Michael Wilson and the running backs, maybe Arizona can take that significant step forward many expected last year, but a year late. The Cards tied for 10th in EPA per play last year, via Tru Media, largely on the strength of a highly efficient run game. If the passing attack can push into the top-10 as well, then maybe there's a new ceiling to be hit here."

As hard as it is to accomplish, make Kyler Murray play from the pocket. Murray's greatness comes from his ability to make off-schedule plays and off-balanced throws downfield. When it comes to quarterbacks like Murray, the lack of aggressiveness is key.

Inside penetration with edges playing contain forces Murray to back step into a compromising position or to step up into a sack. Murray hates getting hit so on read option or RPO plays, having those edges maintain gap integrity will force Murray to give the ball to someone else where the Rams can develop a trap for James Conner.

This is where Josaiah Stewart may come into play in a Michael Hoecht-type role. Stewart's speed and aggressiveness may speed up Murray, which could force him to make quicker and poorer decisions.

"Arizona took some major swings on the defensive side of the ball, drafting Walter Nolen and Will Johnson in the first two rounds, Jordan Burch, Cody Simon and Denzel Burke in the next few, and signing Josh Sweat, Calais Campbell, Dalvin Tomlinson and Akeem Davis-Gaither in free agency. We know head coach Jonathan Gannon can coax a top-flight defense out of really talented players, but the Cardinals haven't really had the talent for that since he arrived in Arizona. That's why they spent basically all of their resources this offseason upgrading on that side of the ball."

The key to defeating the Cardinals' defense is a heavy dose of short-yardage plays, either runs or quick passes that allow the offensive line to smack the Cardinals' defenders, and then using the bigger-bodied players like Davante Adams, Tyler Higbee, and Terrance Ferguson to gut the middle of the field.

There's no out-scheming the Cardinals. Their will must be broken and they must be coaxed into making a mistake.

"If everything works out as planned, maybe the Cards are this year's surprise top-10 defense."

They'll have one, so the key will be getting the ball out of Matthew Stafford's hands early and forcing Murray to be a pocket passer. If the Rams can do that, everything else should fall into place.