Los Angeles Rams

Facing Cardinals gives Foles chance to relive best start with Rams

Published Dec. 3, 2015 10:09 p.m. ET

foxsports

Case Keenum's lingering concussion issues are providing a reprieve for Nick Foles, who gets another chance to salvage an ugly inaugural season with the St. Louis Rams.

That it will come against the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday is tinged with irony. Foles had his best game of the season at Arizona in Week 4, guiding the Rams to a 24-22 win by throwing for three touchdown passes and zero interceptions while posting a season-high passer rating of 126.9.

Since that victorious Sunday in the desert, Foles has been on a downward spiral. In his last six starts, he has thrown for only two touchdown passes and been picked off eight times, capped by last weekend's three-interception debacle in a 31-7 drubbing at Cincinnati.

As it is, Foles only got a chance to start against the Bengals after Keenum was hurt in his first start of the season. Foles had been benched followed a 37-13 home loss to Chicago in Week 9 and his performance in Cincinnati hardly merited another look.

Maybe the sight of the Cardinals will provide a spark. Even though St. Louis has lost four games in a row, it is the only team in the NFC West with a perfect division record (3-0).

"Anytime you’re in a conference and you’re playing one another twice a year, it’s going to be a rivalry. It was a great atmosphere to play in - loud, fun," Foles said Wednesday in recalling that first meeting. "We need it to be loud this weekend. When it’s loud, it disrupts the other team’s quarterback and his play calls and snap counts."