Wish I'd jumped on this earlier, but I'll still lay a field goal with Kyler Murray versus John Wolford. The Rams will be without Jared Goff, Cooper Kupp, Darrell Henderson and likely Cam Akers. If the Packers get up big on the Bears, the Rams are in the playoffs win or lose. Lay the points with the desperate Cards.

I honestly don't like picking NFL games this early in the week, but the Rams seem to get worse news every hour. QB Jared Goff is out with John Wolford seeing his first-ever NFL action. Good-looking rookie running back Cam Akers is most likely out a second week in a row, and now fellow tailback Darrell Henderson is on injured reserve. Top wideout Cooper Kupp has been put on the reserve/COVID list. He still may be able to play if tests negative the rest of the week, but I'm taking this at a pick'em now before the oddsmakers adjust.

Rams QB Jared Goff’s broken thumb hardly represents the extent of the team's assorted worries on offense. Los Angeles WR Cooper Kupp has been shifted to the COVID-19 list, while RBs Darrell Henderson and Cam Akers are nursing ankle injuries. Goff and Henderson won't play, Akers is questionable and Kupp's status is up in the air. But because the offense has hit the skids, absentees in practice will disrupt the preparation of emergency fill-in QB John Wolford, whose next NFL pass will be his first. The Cardinals’ offense hasn't been great lately, but coming anywhere close to the team’s average of 27 points should be sufficient.