The Arizona Cardinals are more confident in their team this time, with all the changes they’ve made in the offseason. But will those be enough to take down the defending NFC champions, San Francisco 49ers? Check out our preview of this game below.
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Betting Preview for the Arizona Cardinals vs San Francisco 49ers Regular Season Week 1 Game on September 13, 2020
Where: Levi’s Stadium, Santa Clara
When: Sunday, September 13, 2020, 4:25 PM ET
Line: Arizona Cardinals (+7) vs San Francisco 49ers (-7) – view all 2020 NFL lines
TV Broadcast: FOX
Betting on the Arizona Cardinals (+7)
Regular Season Record: 0-0
This year should be more fun for the Cardinals, particularly to sophomore quarterback Kyler Murray. The Cardinals made what was perhaps the biggest move of the offseason by trading for Houston Texans wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins in exchange for just a second-round pick and damaged running back David Johnson. Last season. Murray passed for 3,722 yards and 20 touchdowns with 12 interceptions, while Hopkins had 1,165 receiving yards and seven touchdowns on 104 receptions in his final season in Texans uniform. Also last season, the Cardinals lost twice to San Francisco but were competitive in both games. They lost by just three points in the first meeting and by 10 in the next. Arizona made some adjustments on defense by bringing over Devon Kennard and De’Vondre Campbell and also used a high pick in the draft to select Isaiah Simons. Patrick Peterso is also still in Arizona and he’ll be teaming up in the secondary with another stud in Budda Baker.
The Cardinals are 2-0-1 in their last three games.
Betting on the San Francisco 49ers (-7)
Regular Season Record: 0-0
Say what you want about Jimmy Garoppolo but the man was fantastic in the two games he started against the Cardinals last year. He passed for 317 yards and four touchdowns with zero interceptions in their 28-25 win on the road in Week 9 then threw for 424 yards and four touuchdowns with two picks in a 36-26 home win over the Cards in Week 11. While Emmanuel Sanders and Marquise Goodwin are no longer with the 49ers, the team replenished its receiving corps by adding wide receivers Travis Benjamin and Brandon Aiyuk (via draft) and also signed tight end Jordan Reed. If (and it’s a big if) Reed can stay healthy, the 49ers could have the best combo in the game, as they also have George Kittle — arguably the No. 1 TE in the NFL. Given how bad Arizona was in defending tight ends last season, Kittle could be in line to dominate the Cardinals’ defense again. In the road win last year against Arizona, Kittle had 79 receiving yards and a touchdown on six receptions and eight targets. Besides the offense, San Francisco will be bringing in Week 1 the stout defense it rode all the way to the Super Bowl last season, when they allowed just 19.5 points per game.
The 49ers re 3-1 against the spread in their last four games.
Writer’s Prediction
The 49ers win, 30-23.
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