It's funny, because for the longest time, no matter who was playing defense for the Cardinals or who their defensive coordinator was, a Rams tight end would cause issues when the two teams played. But the Cardinals have their own tight end now, and while the week has been spent wondering about Marvin Harrison Jr., the Cardinals also want to generate more from Trey McBride.

It wasn't as if he wasn't targeted in Buffalo. He had a team-high nine passes thrown his way. But only five were completed and more importantly, they were for only 30 yards.

McBride, not surprisingly, deflected the idea he should have gotten the ball more. "Not that at all," he said. "Kyler is going through his reads. The ball has to go where the coverage dictates. We needed to move the ball better in the second half, but we'll do that this week against the Rams."

There will be a spotlight on what happens with MHJ this week, but McBride remains a key. Coach Jonathan Gannon called McBride "as consistent as they come" and that's not just as a pass catcher but off the field as well.

That was apparent the second half of last season as McBride's star went on the rise, and it will be apparent soon enough in 2024.

-- Home-field advantage at State Farm Stadium has proven to be real. I was fortunate enough to be down on the field at the end of the 2008 NFC title game and the 2015 Packers divisional game. Yes they were postseason contests but having been in every other stadium, there is no question to me the Cardinals' home is equal to the loudest out there in such circumstances. Finding that groove again in their home building would mean a lot – and the momentum (there's that word again, JG) would build from there.

The Cardinals have to find a way to topple the Rams there, though. The last time that happened was the game Carson Palmer tore his ACL in 2014 and Drew Stanton came off the bench to rescue the win. Since then, the Cards have been searching in this matchup.

-- Puka Nacua is out. But Cooper Kupp is still around, and as sexy of a rookie season as Nacua had last year, Kupp is still their No. 1 receiver. He had 14 catches in the opener against the Lions (although only 110 yards, less than 8 yards a grab) on 21 targets. He also had two rushing attempts. Of those 16 touches, 12 came after Kupp was in motion, and he went in motion on 42 total snaps – for a total of 436 yards, according to Next Gen Stats.

"They gotta be number one in the league in motioning," safety Budda Baker said, adding that often it prevents press coverage – in this case, with Kupp.

-- At Florida State, Cardinals running back Trey Benson and edge rusher Jared Verse were roommates. And the competition between the two was everywhere. On the field. In offseason workouts. "Everything," Benson said. "Stairmaster. Video games. Eating grapes."

Verse had a great first game as a pass rusher for the Rams. Benson only played eight snaps offensively for the Cardinals, who continue to lean on veteran James Conner. But Benson is hoping to get a chip or two on his friend (Benson also went to Florida State with fellow Rams defensive lineman Braden Fiske) and Verse said this summer about Benson he would be "taking the paint off his helmet." There is some pent-up frustration there, Benson said, because at FSU he was in the no-contact green jersey in practice all last season "trying to keep me healthy."

"It's going to be funny, that's all I know," Benson said. "It's gonna get real competitive. I know that."

-- Rams running back Kyren Williams was excellent in 2023, earning second-team All-Pro honors. The Cardinals had a lot to do with that – Williams had 158 yards on 20 carries in the teams' first meeting and 143 on only 16 carries in the second. Overall, Williams only played 12 games but had 1,144 yards and 12 TDs, averaging 5.0 yards a carry. He only had 50 yards on 18 carries against the Lions last week; how Williams produces will go a long way in determining the outcome Sunday.

-- Gannon has brought back the Tillman jersey in practice every week for the scout team player who earned it through the best practice the week before. This week, after Week 1, it was running back Michael Carter. After this year's practice jerseys received the player's individual names on the back, Gannon said there was one upgrade the Cardinals thought about doing this season to the Tillman jersey – put Tillman's name on atop the camouflaged No. 40. In the end, the jersey stayed the same, but in-house considerations to add "sauce" to the honor are ongoing.

-- In light of the Cardinals trying to find solutions to the pass rush, it will be noteworthy to see if outside linebacker Julian Okwara is active this week. Signed to the practice squad after the preseason once the Eagles released him, Okawara had nine sacks in limited defensive snaps over four seasons in Detroit.

"Whenever my number gets called, I will be ready," Okwara said. "I have shown flashes, but I feel like I haven't reached my full potential. I am open to another chance to play out here."

-- Cardinals running backs coach Autry Denson will miss Sunday's game with a family matter. Pass game specialist Spencer Whipple will fill Denson's role against the Rams.

-- The Cardinals will wear their all-red look on Sunday.

-- The last word comes from left tackle Paris Johnson Jr., who was happy with how the offensive line started in Buffalo but knows it didn't hold up the whole way through the game.

"I am seeing the film and I am very hopeful that when we begin to clean that stuff up, we will be in a good place. As a line I am happy with the fire we played with, but again, it has to directly translate to a win."

See you Sunday.