Cardinals Packers Odds
Posted by Jimmy Boyd - Google+
The Green Bay Packers (5-3) host the Arizona Cardinals (4-4) Sunday inside legendary Lambeau Field. Oddsmakers have listed the Packers as a 10-point favorite and have set the total at 43.5.
Why Green Bay Covers
The Packers have bounced back from a slow start and have won three in a row by an average of 12.3 points. They have also won their last three at home. One of those was an impressive 23-10 victory over the Chicago Bears (6-1).
The Cardinals have lost four in a row straight up and against the spread since winning their first four games of the season. These four defeats have come by an average of 11.3 points. They lost by 21 points to the San Francisco 49ers last week. The Packers only lost to the 49ers by eight.
The fact Arizona checks if off a lopsided loss is a concern for backers because it is 0-3-1 against the spread in its last four games following a defeat of more than 14 points. The Cards are also on a 3-8-1 against the spread slide on the road versus team that have a winning mark at home.
The Packers failed to cover the 15.5-point spread in last week’s 24-15 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars, but they are an awesome 11-2 against the number in their last 13 games following a game in which they didn’t cover.
Arizona has been pathetic on offense this season. It ranks 31st in the league in both scoring and total offense with 15.9 points and 290.2 yards per game. It has only averaged 9.0 points during its four-game losing streak. It could have trouble keeping up on the scoreboard against a Green Bay offense that has averaged 30.2 points over its last five games.
Green Bay has won four of the last six meetings with Arizona. Each of these wins came by at least 17 points.
Why Arizona Covers
The Packers are often overvalued at home and are only 1-4 against the spread in their last five home games as a result. The Packers are normally overvalued following a win as well. They are just 1-5 against the number in their last six games this situation.
The Cardinals, on the other hand, are 5-2-1 against the spread in their last eight games following a loss and 8-3 against the spread in their last 11 games following a double-digit defeat at home.
Arizona’s defense is good enough to hang around in this one. The Cardinals rank fourth in the league in scoring defense with 17.8 points allowed per game and sixth in total defense with 312.8 yards allowed per game.
The Cardinals have been susceptible to the run at times this season but mostly against good running teams. The Packers, who rank 26th in the league with 90.1 rushing yards per game, don’t have the ground game to take advantage.
Green Bay prefers to move the football through the air with Aaron Rodgers, but it will be challenged by a defense that ranks fourth in the NFL against the pass with 192.9 yards allowed per game.
Green Bay has had the upper hand in the series. However, the underdog has covered the spread in four of the past five meetings.
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