Standing in front of his locker, Christmas lights dangling from above, Starling Thomas V admitted he loved playing football this time of year.
“Everybody wants to do good on the holidays and give everybody something to smile about,” the cornerback said.
Well, not everybody. When the team travels to Los Angeles, they’re hoping the only ones left smiling are Cardinals-adjacent.
“We definitely want to be a spoiler,” Thomas said. “Everybody is still on that same mission of being winners and just trying to continue to change the narrative on how people see the Cardinals.”
After the Cardinals fell to the Panthers last weekend and were eliminated from playoff contention, the stakes of Saturday’s matchup against the Rams significantly changed. What was expected to be a battle for a postseason berth is no longer the case for the Cardinals. However, it’s still the case for their NFC West foe.
The Rams, who sit in first place with an 9-6 record, could clinch the division with a victory over the Cardinals. With the Seahawks’ win over the Bears on Thursday night, Seattle’s hopes remain slight. The Rams and Seahawks do play in Week 18, but the Rams end that hope with a win and the right results this weekend that would give them the strength of victory tiebreaker — the fifth measuring tiebreak to decide a division winner.
“I’m going to be a big Kyler Murray fan on Saturday. If they get it done, they get it done,” Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith said after Seattle’s win Thursday night.
The Cardinals are disappointed that they are no longer in the dance. This primetime game was a prime opportunity to make Week 18 a bit more eventful for the entire division. But defensive lineman Naquan Jones still recognizes they can shake up the division.
