Jan. 4, 2026, 8:33 a.m. MT
The Los Angeles Rams now have something to play for against the Arizona Cardinals. Already having clinched a playoff berth, the Rams now control their fate with playoff seeding.
Because the Seattle Seahawks clinched the NFC West title by beating the San Francisco 49ers 13-3 on Saturday night, the Rams can move up to the No. 5 seed in the NFC.
The Rams will move up to No. 5 with a win over the Arizona Cardinals. In that case, they would play their first-round playoff game on the road against the NFC South champions, either the Tampa Bay Buccaneers or Carolina Panthers, both of whom are 8-9. If the New Orleans Saints beat the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday, the Bucs will win the division.
If the Rams lose to the Cardinals, they will be the No. 6 seed and must face either the Chicago Bears or Philadelphia Eagles on the road in the first round.
Rams head coach Sean McVay has already said that the Rams’ starters will play against the Cardinals. With the No. 5 seed in play, they now might actually play the full game.
Need a news break? Check out the all new PLAY hub with puzzles, games and more!
The betting odds have changed, too. On Saturday, the Rams were 9.5-point favorites. They are now 14-point favorites since the 49ers lost.
The Cardinals and Rams kick off Sunday afternoon from SoFi Stadium at 4:25 p.m. ET (2:25 p.m. Arizona time). The game will air on FOX.
Get more Cardinals and NFL coverage from Cards Wire’s Jess Root and others by listening to the latest on the Rise Up, See Red podcast. Subscribe on Spotify, YouTube or Apple podcasts.