While the NFL world gets excited about Week 1 of the season, we must admit that not all matchups are created equal. There are some fantastic Week 1 games, such as the Detroit Lions and Kansas City Chiefs, but also some not-so-inspiring matchups.
The Arizona Cardinals vs Washington Commanders is a perfect example of an NFL Week 1 matchup that doesn’t excite many NFL fans.
Local interest may be high due to the departure of disliked owner Dan Snyder; the rest of us will have to rely on betting against and beating the NFL odds Week 1 because even the worst games can be exploited for profit.
The current NFL lines list the Commanders are -6 (-110) favorites on the spread. The full-game betting total is 44½.
These teams haven’t played since 2020, when the Cardinals beat the then Washington Football Team 30-15 and covered easily as -7 favorites. The Over/Under is 0-3 against the NFL odds in the last three meetings since 2017.
Regarding home and away splits, the Commanders finished the 2022 season with a 4-4-1 record against the NFL spread at home for a return on investment of -4.04%. The Cardinals finished with a similar record on the road at 4-4 and an ROI of -4.57%.
Cardinals vs Commanders Offensive Comparison
If the 2022 stats for these teams is anything to go off of, both teams will struggle to move the ball behind ineffective offenses. Both rank among the bottom third in points per game, yards per game, and yards per play.
The Cardinals scored well in the red zone last season with a conversion rate of 56.82% compared to the Commanders’ 51.06%. But neither makes it inside the 20 often enough for it to make much of a difference.
Washington rushes the ball much more but averaged a pitiful 4.0 YPC, ranking them 28th in the league. Arizona is a pass-heavy group but was last in the NFL with 5.5 yards per pass.
Cardinals vs Commanders Defensive Comparison
While the offenses for these teams are bad enough, their weak defenses make risky bets on the NFL week 1 odds. The Cardinals allowed the 31st most points per game and the 26th worst TD margin per game as a result.
It’s not all awful, as the Commanders allowed the fourth-fewest passing yards per game and had the sixth-highest sack rate. Conversely, Arizona quarterbacks were sacked on 6.48% of plays.
Fun facts about the Arizona Cardinals
- The Bidweel family has owned the Arizona Cardinals since 1932, starting with Charles Bidwell.
- The franchise is one of the oldest in football, dating back to 1898, and is one of two remaining teams from the American Professional Football Association.
- Despite being one of the oldest teams in American football, they have only two NFL championships and zero wins in the Super Bowl.
Fun facts about the Washington Commanders
- The Redskins franchise began in 1932 in Boston and used the nickname “Braves.” They became the Redskins in 1933, the Washington Football Team in 2020, and the Commanders in 2021.
- The 1991 Washington Redskins are considered one of the most talented teams in NFL history.
- Dan Snyder sold the team in 2023 after owning it since 1999.
