How to watch the Arizona Cardinals and LA Rams game on 'Monday Night Football'

How to watch the Los Angeles Rams at the Arizona Cardinals on “Monday Night Football?”

Warily. And without the Manning brothers.

Dang it.

“Monday Night Football with Peyton and Eli” only appears for 10 games of the 17-game season; Monday night’s game won't be one of them. That means we’ll get the standard crew of Steve Levy, Brian Griese and Louis Riddick as the only TV option.

They’re fine.

What channel is the Arizona Cardinals-Rams game on?

As is “Monday Night Football,” which airs at 6 p.m. Arizona time on ABC Channel 15 in metro Phoenix and ESPN.

There’s no debate that it isn’t the event it once was — a social experiment that genuinely transformed popular culture by extending the weekend an extra night for football fans. Levy, Griese and Riddick are pros, but you wouldn’t call any of them larger than life like you would Howard Cosell.

Still, if the spotlight doesn’t shine quite as brightly as it once did, it still shines, and it’s shining on the Cardinals. It’s the only game in town, so to speak — the only NFL game on TV that night. If you want to watch football, and millions do, this is what you’ll watch.

And now for the warily part.

The last time the Cardinals had the night to themselves, it didn’t go so great. They appeared on “Thursday Night Football” on Oct. 28 and lost 24-21 to the Green Bay Packers. It was a great game from a football standpoint. From the perspective of a Cardinals fan, not so much.

On the other hand, the Cardinals beat the Rams 37-20 on Oct. 3. And this game is at home, at State Farm Stadium. On the other other hand, the Cardinals’ only two losses have occurred at home.

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Yes, Kyler Murray and DeAndre Hopkins are slated to play

We’re out of hands here. But Kyler Murray is back, which is obviously a great thing for the Cardinals. So is DeAndre Hopkins; they hooked up for a touchdown pass in last week’s 33-22 win over the Chicago Bears.

This is uncharted territory for Cardinals fans. The Cardinals are 10-2, the best record in the NFL. In December.

When everyone’s healthy they’re as fun to watch as a Phoenix Suns fast break, and for the same reasons: talent and unpredictability. The defense for both teams is exceptional, also, but who are we kidding? Scoring is fun! (In a semi-related bit of sports surrealism, the Suns have one of the NBA’s best records. Phoenix is Turnaround City if you don’t count the consistent ineptitude of the Diamondbacks and Coyotes.)

Honestly, that’s what makes the Cardinals worth watching, Monday night or any night. How long can this gravy train last? Stay tuned and find out.

What time does 'Monday Night Football' start in Arizona?

6 p.m. Monday, Dec. 13, on Channel 15 and ESPN.

What channel is ABC in Phoenix?

Channel 15 is metro Phoenix's ABC affiliate.

Reach Goodykoontz at bill.goodykoontz@arizonarepublic.com. Facebook: facebook.com/GoodyOnFilm. Twitter: @goodyk. Subscribe to the weekly movies newsletter.

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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: How to watch Cardinals-Rams on ABC and ESPN for Monday Night Football