Arizona Cardinals vs. Carolina Panthers Preview
Where: Bank of America Stadium – Charlotte, North Carolina
When: Sunday, October 30, 1:00 PM ET
Line: Arizona Cardinals (+3) at Carolina Panthers (-3); total: 48.0 – view all NFL lines
TV Broadcast: FOX
Betting on the Arizona Cardinals (+3)
The Arizona Cardinals are coming off one of the most bizarre games of all-time. It ended in a 6-6 tie, but the final minute gave fans entertaining sequences. Will we able to see kickers mess up that badly again? God bless you, Chandler Catanzaro and Steven Hauschka.
Heading into Week 8, the Cards are hopefully able to move on from that frustrating ending. Leading them, as always, are their QB-WR-RB combo of Carson Palmer, Larry Fitzgerald, and David Johnson.
Palmer is having a respectable season, with 284 passing YPG, seven touchdowns, and five interceptions, while Fitzgerald is playing like he’s still in his mid 20s. The 33-year-old receiver is running past everyone on the team in receptions (46), receiving yards (480), and receiving touchdowns (5).
As for Johnson, the second-year back is looking like a mini Marshall Faulk, racking up 97 rushing yards and 46 receiving yards per game, along with eight total TDs.
Defensively, there is no shortage of talent, but there is on results. In seven games this season, they have allowed nine WRs and/or TEs to have games with 60 or more yards, while the pass rush only has one sack in each of the past three outings.
The Cardinals are 6-2 SU (5-3 ATS) in their last eight games on the road.
Betting on the Carolina Panthers (-3)
Losers of four straight, the 1-5 Carolina Panthers are shockingly stranded at the bottom of the NFC South. They are now hoping that the bye week can refresh the morale of the team.
Despite the string of losses, QB Cam Newton is probably confident coming in to this matchup with Arizona. The last time he was on the field against the Cardinals, he burned their defense for 335 yards, two passing TDs, and two rushing scores, en route to his first Super Bowl.
Expect him to go for his usual targets, Kelvin Benjamin and Greg Olsen, who have accounted for 1,004 of the team’s 1749 total receiving yards this year. Benjamin has returned well from his ACL injury to lead the team in TD grabs, while Olsen is averaging a career-high 102 rec. YPG.
As for the run game, it appears to be steadier than in previous weeks, with Jonathan Stewart healthy again. He had 19 carries for 85 yards and two TDs last week versus the Saints.
The defense is doing decent on the ground (89.5 YPG – 11th in the league), but their pass defense needs work (282 YPG – 26th in the league).
The Panthers are 8-2 SU (7-3) in their last 10 games at home.
Writer’s Prediction
Cards (-1) win a close one, 28-24.
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