The Arizona Cardinals will travel to Santa Clara to finish their season against the San Francisco 49ers in an NFC West battle at Levi Stadium. It's time to continue our NFL odds series with a Cardinals-49ers prediction and pick.
The Cardinals lost 20-19 to the Atlanta Falcons last weekend. Ultimately, it was their sixth loss in a row as their bad season nears its end. David Blough completed 24 of 40 passes for 222 yards and a touchdown in his NFL debut. Meanwhile, James Conner rushed 16 times for 79 yards. Trey McBride caught seven passes for 78 yards. Likewise, Marquise Brown had six catches for 61 yards. JJ Watt made a sack in one of his last games ever, as the all-pro defensive player plays to retire after this season.
The 49ers defeated the Las Vegas Raiders 37-34 in an overtime thriller. Significantly, it was their ninth win in a row. Brock Purdy completed 22 of 35 passes for 284 yards, two touchdowns, and an interception. Additionally, Christian McCaffrey rushed 19 times for 121 yards and a touchdown while catching six passes for 72 yards. Brandon Aiyuk had nine catches for 101 yards and a score. However, the vaunted defense struggled for the first time in weeks. They did not record a single sack, and the Raiders had all day to throw.
The 49ers lead the overall series 33-29. However, the Cards have gone 6-4 in the last 10 games overall and 6-4 in the previous 10 at Levi Stadium. The 49ers smashed the Cardinals 38-10 earlier this season in Glendale. Significantly, the Cards will be without DeAndre Hopkins in this contest and are already without Kyler Murray. The Cards are 3-4 on the road, while the Niners are 7-1 at home.
Here are the Cardinals-49ers NFL odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
NFL Odds: Cardinals-49ers Odds
Arizona Cardinals: +14.5 (-115)
San Francisco 49ers: -14.5 (-105)
Over: 39.5 (-110)
Under: 39.5 (-110)
How To Watch Cardinals vs. 49ers
TV: FOX
Stream: NFL +
Time: 4:30 ET/1:30 PT
*Watch NFL games LIVE with fuboTV (click for a free trial)*
Why The Cardinals Could Cover The Spread
Blough will make another start and must showcase what he can do without his top receiver. Moreover, he will face a ferocious pass rush that is looking to bounce back from a subpar effort last week. Conner has rushed 183 times for 782 yards with seven touchdowns this season. Also, he has caught 46 passes for 300 yards and a score. Brown has 66 catches for 702 yards and three touchdowns. Unfortunately, scoring has been an issue all season. The Cards rank 21st in points per game, 20th in yards per contest, and 27th in 3rd-down conversions. Additionally, they are 11th in time of possession.
Watt will play his last game ever this weekend and will hope to cement his legacy with one more sack. Ultimately, he has not made much of an impact on this Arizona team, which ranks 29th in points allowed per game. The Cards are also 27th in sacks and 19th in interceptions.
The Cardinals could cover the spread if they can get the ball out quickly to avoid the pass rush. Moreover, they must stop McCaffrey and Aiyuk from hurting them.
Why The 49ers Could Cover The Spread
The 49ers keep winning and are doing it without Deebo Samuel, who may sit out another game. However, Purdy has been the story for the 49ers. Purdy has a 66 percent completion rate with a 101.4 quarterback rating. Additionally, he has passed for 10 touchdowns and four interceptions through eight games. McCaffrey has been the lightning rod for the 49ers, rushing 149 times for 701 yards and six touchdowns while catching 49 passes for 430 yards and three scores. Jordan Mason has rushed 35 times for 230 yards and one touchdown. Also, Aiyuk has 74 catches for 956 yards, while George Kittle has 56 receptions for 736 yards and nine scores. The 49ers are seventh in points per game, seventh in yards per contest, and sixth in 3rd-down conversions.
The defense had a bad game and must bounce back. Significantly, Nick Bosa has 17.5 sacks and will look to finish the regular season strong. Fred Warner has 73 solo tackles to lead the linebackers. Likewise, Charvarius Ward has been a fine addition to the secondary with 59 solo tackles and an interception. But the 49ers will likely be without Dre Greenlaw, who suffered a back injury last weekend. Ultimately, he has helped a defense that is the best in the league in points allowed. The Niners also rank 11th in sacks and third in interceptions.
The 49ers could cover the spread if they can dominate early enough to rest their starters in the second half. Then, they can heal in time for next week's wildcard round.
Final Cardinals-49ers Prediction & Pick
The Cards are without so many players. Likewise, the 49ers have most of their players, sans Samuel and Warner. Expect the 49ers to win their 10th in a row without issues.
Final Cardinals-49ers Prediction & Pick: San Francisco 49ers: -14.5 (-105)
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