NFL Futures play no role in the futures of these two NFC teams here in Week 15 of the season, however there is plenty to speculate on for bettors. The Arizona Cardinals are already out of playoff contention, so losing may give them a much more beneficial incentive in the form of a higher draft pick. But the Cardinals have pride, so they may very well punch and kick against a demoralized Atlanta Falcons, who can no longer finish the season with a .500 record. Going into the game the sportsbook heavily favors the home team, expecting the Cardinals to keep their eyes on a prime NFL Draft pick, but is 9-points (at press) going too far?
The Cardinals are averaging 1.8 turnovers per game. They only had one in their last game, but their offense still struggled mightily in a 17-3 home loss to the Detroit Lions. Rookie quarterback Josh Rosen is clearly still in the worse part of the “It’s going to be worse before it gets better,” as he threw for 240 yards and zero touchdowns with an interception on 26-of-41 completions against Detroit. It’s about to get even worse for Arizona, as one of the few bright spots on their offense has been ruled out for the rest of the season, with rookie wide receiver Christian Kirk now on the injured reserve. Still, the Cardinals have the pair of running back David Johnson and wideout Larry Fitzgerald. As bad as it has been for Arizona, these two players can’t be counted out to deal damage offensively, especially against Atlanta’s defense that seems to have no idea what it’s supposed to do, having allowed 30.3 points in its last three games.
The Cardinals are 2-1 ATS in their last three games.
Betting on the Atlanta Falcons (4-9)
Dan Quinn probably can’t use his seat anymore as it has become too hot, thanks to the Falcons’ mighty struggles. The Falcons are on a five-game losing skid. Their latest stumble came at the hands of the Green Bay Packers on the road, 34-20, over the weekend. Turnovers killed the Falcons, with Matt Ryan throwing a pick-six and center Alex Mach losing a fumble during a snap. Discipline was also a big problem for Atlanta in Week 14, committing 13 penalties for a loss of 101 yards. Having said all of that, the Falcons have mostly the better talent across the board in their upcoming matchup with the Cardinals. Ryan, who had three touchdowns and 262 passing yards against Green Bay, and wide receiver Julio Jones should be able to put up their usual numbers. The Falcons have the worst rushing attack in the league, but even that could show some life opposite Arizona’s rushing defense that ranks 30th against the run.
