The Arizona Cardinals travel to Charlotte to take on the Carolina Panthers at Bank of America Stadium. It is time to check out our NFL odds series with a Cardinals-Panthers prediction and pick.
The Cardinals fell 20-12 to the Los Angeles Rams 20-12 last weekend at State Farm Stadium. Kyler Murray completed 37 of his 58 passes for 314 yards but did not have a touchdown or interception. Also, he ran only two times for eight yards. James Conner rushed 13 times for just 39 yards. However, the receiving game excelled despite the loss. Marquise Brown caught 14 passes for 140 yards, while Greg Dortch caught nine for 80 yards. Additionally, Zach Ertz caught six passes for 45 yards. The Cards went 6 for 18 on third-down conversions.
The Panthers defeated the New Orleans Saints 22-14 behind a good ground game. Moreover, Christian McCaffrey supplied the power with 25 rushes for 108 yards. Laviska Shenault caught two passes for 90 yards. Baker Mayfield completed just 12 of his 25 passes for a touchdown. However, he also took three sacks.
The Panthers have dominated this series, going 12-4 against the Cards through 16 games, and have won four in a row. Moreover, they defeated the Cardinals on the road last season. Murray did not play in that contest but is 0-2 against Carolina. Meanwhile, McCaffrey ran wild in that showdown, rushing 13 times for 95 yards. He also caught 10 passes for 66 yards. Also, Robbie Anderson caught four passes for 37 yards. The significant difference in that game was the time of possession. The Panthers controlled the ball for just under 38 minutes and had 341 yards to Arizona's 169.
Here are the Cardinals-Panthers NFL odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
NFL Odds: Cardinals-Panthers Odds
Arizona Cardinals: -1.5 (-105)
Carolina Panthers: +1.5 (-115)
Over: 43.5 (-110)
Under: 43.5 (-110)
Why The Cardinals Could Cover The Spread
The Cardinals have started slowly and could be 0-3 had they not rallied to stun the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 2. Ultimately, not having DeAndre Hopkins has hurt their offense, especially Murray.
Murray has a quarterback rating of 82.6 with 784 yards, three touchdowns, and one interception. Moreover, he has not run the ball well, either. Conner has rushed 30 times for 90 yards and a touchdown in 2022 while also catching 10 passes for 73 yards. Likewise, Eno Benjamin has 17 rushes for 75 yards. Brown has 24 receptions for 251 yards but has not found the endzone yet. Additionally, Dortch has 20 receptions for 198 yards. Ertz has 16 receptions for 134 yards and a touchdown.
The defense has not done well, failing spectacularly against the Chiefs and allowing the Raiders and Los Angeles Rams to move the ball against them almost effortlessly. They must find ways to stop an explosive running back and force the quarterback to beat them. Likewise, JJ Watt is their best player on defense, with three solo tackles and two sacks.
Why The Panthers Could Cover The Spread
Mayfield must do better. Moreover, he must avoid mistakes and stop taking sacks. Murray has a passer rating of 80.8 with 550 yards, three touchdowns, and an interception. However, he has taken nine sacks. The offensive line has not done him any favors, and he has struggled to evade pressure. Ultimately, McCaffrey has succeeded despite a lack of open lanes. He has 50 rushes for 243 yards and a touchdown while also catching 10 passes for 57 yards. Additionally, Robbie Anderson has nine receptions for 148 yards and a touchdown.
The defense has thrived. Likewise, it is the heart of the team and is likely to carry them in the near future. Shaq Thompson has 12 solo tackles. Meanwhile, Brian Burns has nine solo tackles and two sacks. Jeremy Chinn has added one sack with 13 tackles. The Carolina defense has held its ground and not allowed teams to dominate them. Now, they look to replicate the success against an Arizona offense that is struggling to put points on the board.
The Panthers must avoid self-inflicted mistakes. Moreover, penalties and turnovers can hurt their chances. Carolina will thrive if they can force Murray into mistakes and prevent big plays from generating. Likewise, the Panthers will cover the spread if they can develop a good ground game and relieve pressure off Mayfield.
Final Cardinals-Panthers Prediction & Pick
Making a Cardinals-Panthers prediction is difficult. Initially, Arizona should win this as they have more talent and should take care of opponents like the Panthers. However, they have struggled for years against the Panthers. The Cards are the favorites. However, they have struggled against Carolina recently, and Murray is not performing well without Hopkins. They faltered severely at home against the Panthers last season and will not handle a long trip to Charlotte. Thus, it likely will continue. Expect the Panthers to cover the spread and win their second game in a row, putting the Cards in an uncomfortable hole early in the season.
Final Caerdinals-Panthers Prediction & Pick: Carolina Panthers: +1.5 (-115)
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