The Arizona Cardinals and the Jacksonville Jaguars will face off in an inter-conference Week 3 matchup. It's time to continue our NFL odds series and make a Cardinals-Jaguars prediction and pick.
When listing the hottest teams in the NFL, the Cardinals have to come to mind. Arizona dominated in their first matchup against the Tennessee Titans and then narrowly escaped with a win in a close game with the Minnesota Vikings. Kliff Kingsbury's squad is one of the only remaining undefeated teams in the league, making them one of the worst possible matchups for the Jaguars.
Jacksonville has put together two uninspiring performances, including a loss to the lowly Houston Texans. The Jags don't even need to win this game to get on the right track, as a solid performance against one of the best teams in the NFL will work wonders for their confidence. There's a lot to look for in this game, so let's get into this pick.
Here's how the bookmakers have set the odds for Sunday's matchup.
NFL Odds: Cardinals-Jaguars Odds
Arizona Cardinals -7 1/2 (-108)
Jacksonville Jaguars +7 1/2 (-112)
Over 51 1/2 points (-110)
Under 51 1/2 points (-110)
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Why The Cardinals Could Cover The Spread
While everyone expected this Arizona offense to be good, no one expected it to be quite this good. The Cardinals have dropped a combined 72 points over two games behind quarterback Kyler Murray. Murray has been a near-unstoppable force to open the season, posting 689 yards and nine total touchdowns to this point. Jacksonville has allowed huge passing days to the likes of Tyrod Taylor and Teddy Bridgewater, so it's safe to project a monster day for Murray here.
This Cardinals defense has been even more surprising than the offense. Arizona has been an absolute nightmare for opposing quarterbacks to play against, mainly because of how well they've pressured opposing passers. Over two games, the Cardinals' defense has racked up eight sacks and 13 quarterback hits. Rookie signal-caller Trevor Lawrence has committed multiple turnovers in each of his NFL starts and things don't get any easier here. Look for plenty of pressure on Lawrence that leads to turnovers.
Why The Jaguars Could Cover The Spread
Despite their fantastic ability to pressure the quarterback, it isn't guaranteed that Lawrence is under siege all day. The Jaguars have been surprisingly strong on the offensive line, particularly in pass protection. Lawrence has only been sacked twice and hit eight times this season. Those numbers are pretty good, especially when because Jacksonville just played against the Denver Broncos. Denver is one of the best defenses in all of football, and they're led by a ferocious pass rush. Don't overlook the Jaguars' offensive line in this one.
Jacksonville has been undeniably terrible at running the ball, but that could change for the better in this one. The jury is still out on Arizona's run defense after being torched on the ground by Minnesota. The Vikings managed to average 6.6 yards per carry in that game, a number that is incredibly high in any situation. Jacksonville has the offensive line to field a solid ground game, and that could emerge here.
Final Cardinals-Jaguars Prediction & Pick
This game shouldn't be particularly close, but picking the Cardinals to cover isn't the best option on the board. Instead, the under looks great here. It's unlikely that the Jaguars can put together anything significant on offense, and Arizona shouldn't need to drop over 30 points to win this game. Lock in the under confidently here.
FINAL PICK: Under 51 1/2 points (-110)
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