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The Arizona Cardinals will take on the Detroit Lions in a Week 15 battle. It’s time to continue our NFL odds series and make a Cardinals-Lions prediction and pick.
This is a rare instance in which the Cardinals are coming off of a loss. Arizona dropped a crucial divisional matchup against the Los Angeles Rams in Week 14, but luckily this is the perfect opportunity to rebound from that loss. The Lions are still the owners of the worst record in the entire NFL, even after their recent victory over the Minnesota Vikings. Despite their record, Detroit always plays to win, and in this case, to spoil Arizona’s chances of earning the top seed in the NFC.
For more insight on the Cardinals-Lions matchup in Week 15, listen below:
Here are the odds for the Cardinals-Lions game, courtesy of FanDuel.
NFL Odds: Cardinals-Lions Odds
Arizona Cardinals: -12.5 (-110)
Detroit Lions: +12.5 (-110)
Over: 47.5 (-110)
Under: 47.5 (-110)
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Why The Cardinals Could Cover The Spread
There’s a reason the Cardinals own one of the best records in the NFL. Quarterback Kyler Murray has been absolutely electric, leading one of the league’s best offenses. The Lions were just hammered for 38 points by the Denver Broncos in Week 14, so it’s easy to see Arizona dropping 40 points here. The running game has also drastically improved in Arizona, which should play well against a Detroit run defense that ranks as the fifth-worst in the league.
The defense shouldn’t have too many issues here either. The Lions looked completely incompetent on the offensive side of the ball last week, giving the ball away twice while allowing constant pressure on quarterback Jared Goff. Now they have to face an Arizona defense that has completely destroyed offenses that are comparable to Detroit’s. The Cardinals only gave up ten points to the Houston Texans and 19 points to the Jacksonville Jaguars earlier in the season, so it seems likely that the Lions are held to less than 20 points here.
Why The Lions Could Cover The Spread
While their record is obviously horrendous, the Lions haven’t been all that bad when it comes to covering the spread. Detroit is 8-5 against the spread, one of the best records in the league. To make matters even better, the Lions are 4-2 ATS when they play at home, and 2-0 in that category when they play with the rest advantage like they will here. Detroit has faced a multi-score spread seven times this year, and they’ve covered in five of those games.
Home field advantage should play a big factor in this game. The Cardinals have been one of the best teams in the league on the road, but the elements won’t be in their favor here. It should be close to freezing when kickoff comes around, with strong winds hitting the stadium too. Everyone saw how much the weather can impact a game on Monday Night Football a couple of weeks ago, and things shouldn’t be too different here. The wind and the cold will help neutralize Arizona’s passing game and level the playing field between these two teams.
Final Cardinals-Lions Prediction & Pick
The Lions have a track record of covering in spots like this, but they aren’t the best pick on the board here. Instead, the over is the safest bet. The Cardinals should do a majority of the heavy lifting while the Lions contribute just enough to break it.
Final Cardinals-Lions Prediction & Pick: Over: 47.5 (-110)