The San Francisco 49ers and the Arizona Cardinals will play an important divisional matchup on Sunday. It’s time to continue our NFL odds series and make a 49ers-Cardinals prediction and pick based on 49ers Cardinals odds.
This is another huge NFC West matchup. The Niners are already 0-1 in divisional play after dropping a Week 4 contest to the Seattle Seahawks, which makes this game even more important for them. The Cardinals have to be considered one of the best teams in the NFL and the favorite to win the NFC West after a dominant win against the Los Angeles Rams. Another win here would make Arizona a perfect 5-0 with two divisional victories, a record that would be hard for any other team to catch up to over the course of the season.
Here’s how the bookmakers have set the odds for Sunday’s matchup.
NFL Odds: 49ers-Cardinals Odds
San Francisco 49ers +4 1/2 (-110)
Arizona Cardinals -4 1/2 (-110)
Over 49 1/2 (-110)
Under 49 1/2 (-110)
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Why The 49ers Could Cover The Spread
While it’s true that the Cardinals have looked like an unstoppable force on offense, this San Francisco defense is a unit that could slow down Kyler Murray and crew. The Niners defended Russell Wilson fairly well in Week 4, holding him to only 175 total yards. Murray is obviously more mobile than Wilson, but they are comparable passers. If the offense can hold their own and keep the defense away from short fields, Murray will have a much tougher game than everyone expects. Factor this into your 49ers Cardinals pick.
Luckily for the Niners, Arizona’s defense hasn’t been nearly as good as it looks on paper this year. The Cardinals have struggled to rush the passer outside of a Week 1 explosion from edge rusher Chandler Jones, and the run defense has been poor to say the least. Over their last three contests, every single running back who’s faced Arizona has earned 5.9 yards per carry or more. San Francisco is one of the best rushing offenses in football, so this offense should be able to employ a ground-and-pound approach for much of this game.
Why The Cardinals Could Cover The Spread
The biggest factor in this game is going to be the injury situation for the 49ers. Starting quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo has already been ruled out for this contest. Tight end George Kittle hasn’t practiced either because of a calf injury, and cornerback K’Waun Williams is in the same boat. Kittle and Garoppolo are key parts of this offense, and if the Niners are forced to take the field without both of them things could get ugly pretty quickly. Rookie quarterback Trey Lance took the reins for Garoppolo in Week 4 and it was tough to watch, and there’s only so much star wide receiver Deebo Samuel can do to carry the offensive load. This Arizona defense should have a much easier time against Lance than they would against Garoppolo. This is why the 49ers Cardinals odds are where they are.
Despite San Francisco’s talent on defense, it’s hard to bet against Kyler Murray when he’s the clear leader for the MVP award right now. Murray has chewed up every defense he’s faced this season, including a Rams defense that is one of the best in football. The 49ers have allowed a 300-yard passing day to Jared Goff and a 100-yard receiving day to Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Quez Watkins. That type of defense won’t work against Murray and receiver DeAndre Hopkins, who is another elite offensive weapon. The NFL odds for this game reflect as much.
Final 49ers-Cardinals Prediction & Pick
It’s nearly impossible to trust a rookie quarterback in this spot. It’s a huge game that’s in Arizona, and Kyler Murray has looked nearly unstoppable. This won’t be a blowout, but the Cardinals should win comfortably.
FINAL PICK : Arizona Cardinals -4 1/2 (-110)
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