It is officially playoff season and the Los Angeles Rams are hosting the Arizona Cardinals in the final game of the Wild Card round.
To make matters even more interesting, this is set to be the first Monday Night Football Wild Card game in the history of the NFL.
These two teams split their two meetings during the regular season with both the Rams and Cardinals winning on the road.
In this decisive third clash, the Rams are at home after seeing their five-game winning streak snapped in Week 18 against the 49ers, while the Cardinals finished the season as the NFC’s No. 5 seed despite losing four of their last five games.
Let’s dive right into it and take a look at the best prop bets for this game to bet on.
Jake Ellenbogen’s betting record is currently 68-59-2 across all sports, including 28-34-2 with NFL bets.
Please note that all NFL odds and lines are current as of 1:00 p.m. ET on January 13, 2022, and are courtesy of Caesars.
Cardinals vs Rams Prop Bets: NFL Wild Card Prop Betting Picks
Van Jefferson Over 36.5 Receiving Yards (-115) at Caesars
Wager: 2 Units
Van Jefferson is the Rams deep-threat and overall field-stretching wide receiver.
The second-year man out of Florida racked up over 800 yards on 50 receptions and scored six touchdowns this year.
He also ranked sixth in the NFL with 16 yards per reception. He only needs 37 yards (so maybe three catches) to win you this bet.
- Read our full NFL Wild Card Prop Bets
Jefferson has 148 yards on eight receptions in two games against the Cardinals this season to go with two touchdowns, which means he is averaging 18.5 yards per reception against the Cardinals.
While Jefferson has not been a consistent prop pick guy considering he has fallen below the current 36.5 prop in three of his last five games, it’s important to remember what is role is.
When the Rams need a big play, they will look to him. While the second-year receiver has struggled with drops this season, he’s certainly capable of stepping up in the big moment and to add even more incentive, his father Shawn Jefferson will be on the other sideline as the receivers coach for the Cardinals.
In both games this year, Jefferson has eclipsed 37 receiving yard against the Cardinals. I would be stunned if he didn’t do it again. Take Jefferson on the over with confidence.
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Matt Gay Over 2.5 Extra Points (-115) at Caesars
Wager: 1.25 Units
Rams kicker Matt Gay is one of the absolute best in the league.
He finished the regular season seventh in the league with an extra point percentage of 98 percent and ranked third in points scored.
All you need is for him to make his extra points and for the Rams to score touchdowns for you to hit this bet.
- Read our NFL Wild Card Best Bets
Gay eclipsed 2.5 extra points in 9 of 17 games this season and only had one game in which he missed an extra point.
The last time he played the Cardinals, Gay had three opportunities and hit all three.
I expect the Rams to score at least three touchdowns if they want to win this game, so I’m taking Gay on the over here.
Rams kicker Matt Gay could be busy when Los Angeles hosts the Arizona Cardinals on Monday Night Football. (Image: USA TODAY Sports)
First Scoring Play: Rams Touchdown (+135) at Caesars
Wager: 1 Unit
This is a risky pick, but one that could pay dividends.
The first points of a Rams game have come courtesy of a Rams touchdown five times this season, with the most recent occurrence happening against the Minnesota Vikings in Week 16.
The Rams offense is capable, and to be honest, I expect them to come out with fiery energy in front of their home crowd this time around after getting out to a 17-0 lead last week and losing in overtime.
It’s a clean slate come playoff time and the Rams’ struggles in any facet no longer matter. Arizona is not going to be easy to beat so expect Sean McVay to draw up a nice opening game script and get on the board first with a touchdown.
Should the Cardinals get the ball first, one should expect the Rams defense to be able to bounce back from their second-half meltdown against the 49ers and channel their first-half dominance we saw last week.
Check out more of our Cardinals vs Rams Predictions
Winning Margin: Rams by 7-12 Points (+275) at Caesars
Wager: 1.25 Units
It may seem risky, but when you think about this margin all that needs to happen is for the Rams to win by a touchdown and extra point.
I have the Rams winning 31-24, so this margin fits my prediction. I could also see the Rams winning by more, so even if it’s a 10-point win we’re covered here.
Not to mention, the odds make for a very nice payout if this hits. I think this is more likely than a Cardinals win, but there is a bit of risk in play here taking this over the 1-6 point win margin.
