Cardinals vs. Rams NFL Week 4 spread, odds, pick: Matthew Stafford's team favored to be last unbeaten this season, Kyler Murray's club long shot

While Buccaneers-Patriots will for obvious reasons garner most of the attention on Sunday, the more important game is actually a battle for first place in the NFC West as the 3-0 Arizona Cardinals and MVP candidate Kyler Murray visit the 3-0 Los Angeles Rams and MVP candidate Matthew Stafford. Los Angeles is a 4.5-point favorite and also the favorite to be the last unbeaten team in the NFL this season.

Entering Week 3, the San Francisco 49ers were the +280 favorites to be the last unbeaten, followed by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (+300) and then the Rams (+400). The Niners lost at home to Green Bay and the Rams impressively beat the Bucs, and now Los Angeles is the +175 favorite on that unbeaten prop, followed by Denver (+250), Las Vegas (+400), Carolina (+450) and Arizona (+500).

It should be noted that the Rams have a very tough test Thursday in Week 5 at Seattle. The Broncos could easily lose at home Sunday to Baltimore. Ditto the Raiders on Monday night at the Chargers, and the Panthers are solid underdogs Sunday in Dallas. So we may be down to just one unbeaten by late Monday.

How dominant have the Rams been thus far? They are the first team to start the season 3-0 against three playoff teams from the previous year since the 2007 Packers. Los Angeles also has scored first in every game and trailed for only 2:04 minutes – that was Week 2 at Indianapolis. LA has led for 120:37 of a possible 180:00 minutes.

Stafford is up to a +750 third-favorite to win his first MVP Award. The offseason trade acquisition is No. 2 in the league in rating (129.8), tied for second in TD passes (nine), second in yards per attempt (10.0) and fifth in passing yards (942). He has fit Sean McVay's offense perfectly.

Speaking of McVay, he is 8-0 career against the Cardinals, who have not covered the spread in any of those games (one push). L.A. has outscored Arizona 251-91 over the past four seasons.

Murray is a +700 co-favorite to win his first MVP. A former No. 1 overall pick like Stafford, Murray is completing 76.5 percent of his passes for 1,005 yards and seven scores, but he does have a concerning four interceptions, at least one in every game. Murray also has rushed for three scores.

The combo of Murray and Coach Kliff Kingsbury is 10-3-2 against the spread in 15 games as underdogs of at least three points. In all other games, the duo is 8-12 ATS.

The one major injury note is to Rams running back Darrell Henderson, who is expected to play after missing Week 3 with a ribs injury. Cards Pro Bowl receiver DeAndre Hopkins is clearly less than 100 percent and missed some practice time this week – he probably will all year – but will play. 

Free NFL pick: This writer is backing the Rams. 

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