Bet on Cardinals vs Patriots: Expert Prediction

It’s been a strange online betting season in the NFL, so having the Arizona Cardinals head across the country to face the New England Patriots and be favored is just par for the course. Behind the play of quarterback Kyler Murray and wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins, the Cardinals are right in the mix for the NFC West title. They’re coming off a tough loss at Seattle but hope to bounce back in this one.

Meanwhile, the Patriots have fallen on hard times following the free-agent departure of Tom Brady in the offseason. Little has gone right for New England this season, and it comes into this one with its postseason hopes hanging by a thread. This should be an exciting contest, with plenty of opportunities to make some coin, so let’s take a closer look at the matchup.

NFL Betting Lines

 Moneyline:

Arizona Cardinals  | New England Patriots

Heading to the East Coast for an early start isn’t an easy thing for a team to do, but is especially hard when going to cooler conditions in late November. The Cardinals won on the road against the New York Jets (who doesn’t?) but fell at Carolina, with Murray passing for just 133 yards. Look for Bill Belichick to have a number of defensive schemes dreamed up to confuse the second-year quarterback in this one.

Pick: Patriots to win

Point Spread: Cardinals -1½

The NFL odds are always strange to see when the Patriots are underdogs at home. There’s no doubt that will be motivation for this team. Cam Newton is coming off one of his best games of the season with 345 passing yards, and the Patriots should be getting Sony Michel returning to the backfield for this one. It’ll be close, but New England squeaks out a home win as an underdog.

Pick: Patriots to cover

Over/Under: 49½ points

These two defenses are almost identical in their numbers, with the two tied for 13th in the league, giving up 23.8 points apiece. The yardage numbers are nearly the same as well, which means this one could be a low-scoring affair. The ground games of both teams will be key, especially with a pair of mobile quarterbacks who can gain yardage on their own.

Pick: Under 49½

Final score: Patriots 24, Cardinals 21

Props for Arizona Cardinals vs New England Patriots

As explosive as the Cardinals offense can be at times, it has been inconsistent. The fantastic game-winning catch by Hopkins a couple of weeks ago was necessitated because Arizona couldn’t keep Buffalo out of the end zone when it needed to in the final minutes. New England showed some spark last week, and that could turn into a better-than-expected performance in this one.

Let’s take a look at some NFL betting props for the game.

Team To Score Longest TD: Cardinals -135

The Cardinals have the big-strike capability of Hopkins and Christian Kirk in the passing game and Murray with his speed running the ball. The Patriots are more methodical, with wide receivers accounting for just two of the team’s six receiving touchdowns this season. We like Arizona to hit on a long shot at least once in this one.

Total TDs in the Game: Over 5½ -110

In making your NFL picks, remember that Arizona not only scores a lot but also gives up a lot, especially recently. The Cardinals had scored at least 30 points in a contest in five straight games before managing just 21 points in last week’s loss to Seattle. New England will do its best to control the clock by running the ball, keeping Arizona’s offense off the field. Still, these teams should just barely get over the over/under for total touchdowns in this one.

First Scoring Play: Patriots FG +325

As we’ve covered, the Cardinals are going to be making a long trip for an early start, which means their start to the game is going to be a little slow. The Patriots usually start well defensively too, ranking 11th in the league in first quarter scoring allowed with 4.6 points per game. New England will get on the board first, but it won’t be by getting in the end zone.