Arizona Cardinals vs. Indianapolis Colts Preview
Where: Lucas Oil Stadium – Indianapolis, IN
When: Sunday, September 17, 2017, 1:00 PM ET
Line: Arizona Cardinals (-7.5) vs. Indianapolis Colts (+7.5); total 44.0 – view all 2017 NFL lines
TV Broadcast: FOX
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Betting on the Arizona Cardinals (0-1)
The Cardinals struggled on both sides of the ball in their 35-23 loss to the Detroit Lions. Quarterback Carson Palmer didn’t look great orchestrating the Cards’ offense as he coughed up three interceptions. Meanwhile, the defense couldn’t contain Matthew Stafford, who torched them for 292 yards and four touchdowns.
The offense’s struggles weren’t helped by the loss of star running back David Johnson to a wrist injury. Although initial x-rays were negative, more tests will be conducted on Monday.
If Johnson does miss time due to injury, the Cardinals could be in trouble. Although Johnson didn’t have a great game on the ground before suffering his injury, he still racked up 68 receiving yards. He’s easily the most important offensive weapon the Cards have, and without him, Palmer will need to do a lot more to carry the offense.
On the bright side, though, if there’s a defense that Palmer can still exploit even without Johnson, it’s the Indianapolis Colts’. The same sentiment goes for the defense, which was a bit disappointing against Detroit. That unit still has a bunch of talent and should be able to bounce back against an Andrew Luck-less Colts offense.
Betting on the Indianapolis Colts (0-1)
The Colts were downright embarrassed in Week 1. They made Jared Goff and the Los Angeles Rams look like world-beaters as they were drubbed, 46-9. Without injured star quarterback Andrew Luck, Scott Tolzien started for the Colts, and he was awful. He went 9-of-18 for 128 yards and had two pick-sixes.
The Colts defense, which finished No. 29 in defensive efficiency last season, has remained as porous as ever. They couldn’t put enough pressure on Goff, who recorded his first ever 300-yard passing game as an NFL QB against that Indy pass defense.
Indianapolis needs Luck to overcome all of those defensive deficiencies, but with their star still likely to be sidelined with his shoulder injury, there doesn’t appear to be any relief in sight for the Colts.
Tolzien has already proven to be disastrous, so much so that they benched him in the fourth quarter for Jacoby Brissett, who only just arrived from the New England Patriots. Brissett was passable when he got to play for the Pats, but he doesn’t have the benefit of Bill Belichick’s system and gameplanning to make him look good anymore.
Writer’s Prediction
Palmer and the Cardinals (-7.5) recover from their poor outing to take down the Colts, 24-13.
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