Stafford, Rams look to end 2-game skid by hosting reeling Cards to wrap up regular season

Arizona (3-13) at Los Angeles Rams (11-5)

Sunday, 4:25 p.m. EST, Fox.

BetMGM NFL odds: Rams by 7 1/2.

Against the spread: Cardinals 6-10; Rams 10-6.

Series record: Rams lead 52-41-2.

Last meeting: Rams beat the Cardinals 45-17 on Dec. 7, 2025, in Glendale, Arizona.

Last week: Cardinals lost to Bengals 37-14; Rams lost to Falcons 27-24.

Cardinals offense: overall (19), rush (29), pass (7), scoring (23).

Cardinals defense: overall (26), rush (25), pass (24), scoring (29)

Rams offense: overall (2), rush (8), pass (2), scoring (1).

Rams defense: overall (17), rush (13), pass (17), scoring (8).

Turnover differential: Cardinals even; Rams plus-9.

WR Michael Wilson has thrived over the last half of the season and has the chance to hit 1,000 yards receiving for the first time in his career. He needs 93 yards against the Rams to reach the mark, which seems realistic considering he had five catches for 89 yards and a touchdown last week against the Bengals.

Rams QB Matthew Stafford dominated the Cardinals defense for 281 yards and three touchdowns when the two teams met on Dec. 7. Stafford threw a season-high three interceptions on Monday, but should be able to bounce back against one of the league’s worst defenses, as the Cardinals have given up 35 points per game during their eight-game losing streak.

Rams momentum vs. health. Coach Sean McVay has to juggle two different but important objectives in the regular-season finale, trying to recapture the form that had Los Angeles looking like a Super Bowl favorite three weeks ago while also making sure everyone is available for the postseason. Two consecutive losses mean the Rams will be on the road for a NFC wild-card playoff game next week, leading the usually cautious McVay to declare he needs to play his starters. Whether that means the likes of Stafford, WR Puka Nacua and RB Kyren Williams will be on the field for all four quarters isn’t certain.

Cardinals: CB Kei’Trel Clark (back) was put on injured reserve Tuesday. WR Marvin Harrison Jr. is out and on injured reserve with a foot injury. S Budda Baker (concussion/thumb) didn’t play last week.

Rams: WR Davante Adams (hamstring) will miss his third straight game with the expectation he should be ready for the playoffs. … S Quentin Lake got a full practice in Thursday as he returns from an elbow injury that put him on injured reserve. Lake won’t play against the Cardinals but should be available in the postseason. … RG Kevin Dotson (ankle) remains out, and his status for the wild-card round isn’t clear.

The Rams have won 15 of the past 18 in the series going back to 2017. However, two of those losses to the Cardinals have come in the five regular-season games at SoFi Stadium since the building opened in 2020. … The Rams scored a season-high 45 points in the first meeting against the Cardinals four weeks ago.

The Cardinals started the season with a 2-0 record, but have since lost 13 of 14, including their past eight. ... If the Cardinals lose, they could finish with more losses than the rest of the NFC West combined. ... Third-year coach Jonathan Gannon has a 15-35 record over nearly three full seasons. ... QB Jacoby Brissett has thrown for a career-high 3,123 yards and 21 touchdowns since becoming the team’s starter in Week 6. Brissett has a 1-10 record in 11 starts. ... Cardinals CBs Denzel Burke and Will Johnson are two of only four rookie CBs in the league with at least 10 passes defended. ... Cardinals TE Trey McBride has caught 119 passes this season, which is an NFL record for a tight end. ... Cardinals DL Calais Campbell will play his 278th NFL game on Sunday. The only DLs with more career games are Jim Marshall (282) and Hall of Famer Bruce Smith (279). The 39-year-old Campbell has not decided if he’ll return for a 19th season. … Stafford has 42 touchdown passes to set a single-season high. He had 41 scoring throws in 2011 and 2021. … WR Puka Nacua had five receptions for 47 yards versus Atlanta, his lowest output this season in a game he was able to finish. … The Rams have allowed 27 points or more in four of their past five games after doing so just once in the first 11 games. … OLB Jared Verse scored his first regular-season touchdown when he returned a blocked field goal 76 yards against the Falcons. Verse had a 57-yard fumble return for a score in the wild-card victory over Minnesota on Jan. 13, 2025. … OLB Byron Young has two sacks in his past nine games. He had nine sacks through the first seven weeks. … The Rams have four takeaways in their past five games, three of which came in the 38-37 overtime loss at the Seahawks on Dec. 18. … Stafford needs one touchdown pass to tie Dan Marino (419) for seventh in NFL history. Stafford is also 15 completions away from passing Matt Ryan (5,551) for sixth most in league history.

Rams rookie TE Terrance Ferguson has become more of a factor in the two games since Adams aggravated his hamstring pull, getting three receptions for 33 yards and a touchdown against the Seahawks and two receptions for 54 yards and a touchdown against the Falcons. He could see even more targets if Los Angeles chooses to minimize Nacua’s workload, making him an intriguing final week option.

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Arizona Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon watches from the sideline during the first half of an NFL football game against the Cincinnati Bengals, Sunday, Dec. 28, 2025, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Joshua A. Bickel)

Cincinnati Bengals defensive tackle T.J. Slaton Jr. sacks Arizona Cardinals quarterback Jacoby Brissett during the second half of an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 28, 2025, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Jeff Dean)

Los Angeles Rams linebacker Jared Verse (8) blocks a field goal attempt by Atlanta Falcons place kicker Zane Gonzalez (45), that he returned for a touchdown, in the second half of an NFL football game, Monday, Dec. 29, 2025, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)

Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford (9) passes under pressure from Atlanta Falcons defensive tackle Ruke Orhorhoro (98) and defensive tackle David Onyemata (90) in the second half of an NFL football game, Monday, Dec. 29, 2025, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)

Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Tutu Atwell (5) can't pull in a pass as he is defended by Atlanta Falcons cornerback Dee Alford (20) in the second half of an NFL football game, Monday, Dec. 29, 2025, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)

ATLANTA (AP) — The Atlanta Falcons and New Orleans Saints have similar goals of trying to complete lost seasons on high notes that offer hope that the momentum can carry over into next season.

The bad news for the NFC South rivals is that even extending a winning streak in Sunday's final regular-season game would come far too late to make this a successful season.

The Falcons (7-9) have a season-best three-game winning streak and will try to complete their first season sweep of the Saints since 2016.

The Saints (6-10) have won four straight with rookie quarterback Tyler Shough. His strong play may already have convinced management there is no need to devote a high draft pick on another quarterback.

The Falcons will try to build on Monday night's 27-24 upset of the Los Angeles Rams. It was by far the most impressive showing of the late-season upswing that also included wins over Tampa Bay and Arizona.

“They’re playing well,” Shough said of the Falcons. "They’re on a really good winning streak. So, I think it’ll be a great matchup for us to kind of finish off the year strong.”

Atlanta's surge came too late to repair damage done by a five-game losing streak that set the groundwork for its eighth consecutive losing season.

After Michael Penix Jr. suffered a season-ending knee injury, veteran Kirk Cousins took over as Atlanta's starting quarterback for a 24-10 win at New Orleans on Nov. 23. The win in the first matchup with the Saints started a 4-2 run for the Falcons, but questions remain about the status of second-year coach Raheem Morris and general manager Terry Fontenot.

It's unknown if a fourth straight win would convince owner Arthur Blank to give Morris a third season.

Saints receiver Chris Olave is expected to miss the game after needing treatment of a reported blood clot in his lung.

The loss of Olave leaves the Saints without their top receiver. Olave caught eight passes for 119 yards and a touchdown in last week's 34-26 win at Tennessee and is having his best year with career-high totals of 100 receptions for 1,163 yards and nine touchdowns.

Olave's success is even more compelling in light of head injuries that sidelined him for the last half of last season.

Before this week's medical development, Olave said he was “super grateful” to play in the first 16 games. He will be denied appearing in 17 games in a season for the first time in his career.

Falcons running back Bijan Robinson has an opportunity to add to his team-record 2,255 scrimmage yards after setting the mark with 229 yards rushing and receiving against the Rams, including a career-high 195 yards rushing.

Robinson's big night included another team record with a 93-yard touchdown run. He said he's motivated to sweep the season series with the Saints and finish the season with a winning streak.

“That would be huge,” Robinson said. “That would mean a lot.”

The Saints failed to score touchdowns on any of their three red zone possessions in the first game against the Falcons. On two of those series, they didn’t score at all, missing a field goal and turning the ball over on downs at the 1-yard line.

At that point in the season, New Orleans had scored touchdowns on just 10 of its 29 red zone opportunities. In their past five games, the Saints have gone 8 of 13.

“It’s better chemistry, better feel of each other and just operating the plan,” Shough said. “It comes down to execution in that way. We’ve been able to do that and we’re going to have to do that again.”

Atlanta's defense has improved as rookie starters James Pearce Jr., Jalon Walker and Xavier Watts have gained confidence. Pearce and Walker lead NFL rookies in sacks. Watts has a rookie-best five interceptions, including two against the Rams.

“We want to win this game for this year, and for all that means,” defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich said. “But the bigger picture is really laying the foundation for something special going forward. ... So this game will mean a lot in that way that we are building something special.”

Several high-profile Saints veterans are playing their final game of their contracts. They include defensive end Cam Jordan, linebacker Demario Davis and defensive back Alontae Taylor.

Jordan is a 15-year veteran who has a team-high 9½ sacks and has indicated no interest in retiring at age 36.

Davis, 37, has a team-leading and career-high 137 tackles and also sounds interested in continuing to play.

Taylor, a 2022 draft choice and four-year starter, has been plagued by inconsistency as he has moved around in the defensive backfield.

AP Sports Writer Brett Martel in New Orleans contributed to this report.

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Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank embraces head coach Raheem Morris after an NFL football game against the Los Angeles Rams, Monday, Dec. 29, 2025, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)

Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins talks to reporters after an NFL football game against the Los Angeles Rams, Monday, Dec. 29, 2025, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)

New Orleans Saints quarterback Tyler Shough (6) celebrates after an NFL football game against the Tennessee Titans, Sunday, Dec. 28, 2025, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)

Atlanta Falcons running back Bijan Robinson (7) carries for a long gain in the second half of an NFL football game against the Los Angeles Rams, Monday, Dec. 29, 2025, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)

New Orleans Saints quarterback Tyler Shough (6) passes against the Tennessee Titans in the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 28, 2025, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/John Amis)