It has been a really up and down season for the Arizona Cardinals this season, but lately, things have started to trend upwards for the Redbirds. They have won four straight games after starting the season out with a 2-4 record, and the main driving force behind this has been their superstar QB Kyler Murray, and a defense that has decided it wants to actually show up to football games.
Over at BetMGM Sportsbook, the odds for the Cardinals to make the playoffs have changed dramatically after their crushing victory over the New York Jets last weekend. They were +130 before that game, and now, they are actually a -120 favorite to make the postseason.
Murray is outstanding, and I think often he is underrated by many people as to just how good he really is. In fact, he has a 75.7 QBR this season. Can you guess where that ranks in the NFL? Spoiler alert: That is the second highest rating in the league, ahead of everyone else outside of a dude named Lamar Jackson.
He’s thrown for 2.058 yards and 12 touchdowns, to just three interceptions. He’s used his legs to rush for 371 yards and four more scores. People need to be paying attention to what he is doing, especially with a team that is not nearly as talented as many others.
Another factor as I mentioned has been the improved play of this Arizona defense. Over the last two weeks, they have allowed less than 10 points in each game. This is a defense that allowed 42 points to the Commanders and 34 to the Packers and Bills earlier in the year. However, they have seemingly found a formula for success, and have allowed less than 20 points in three of their last four games.
Taking a look at their upcoming schedule is what most people are going to be doing when determining if they want to bet them to make or miss the playoffs. They have a bye week this week, and then get a date with the Seahawks in Seattle. Winning on the road against a division rival is never easy, and this will be their first meeting with the Seahawks this season, so they play them twice the rest of the way.
They have to go on the road against a tough 7-2 Vikings team, but I have lost a bit of faith in Minnesota recently. They have two cupcake games against the Carolina Panthers and New England Patriots, although nobody tell the Saints and Bears about that. They will end their season against two division rivals, at the Rams and home against the 49ers.
Right now over at BetMGM, 89% of bets are on the Cardinals to make the playoffs, so that is a very public play. I would venture to say they will at least beat the Panthers and Patriots, giving them eight wins. They might split with Seattle, which gives them nine wins. I’m not convinced they will beat the Rams or 49ers at the end of the season, since they already beat them the first go around. Minnesota is a toss up.
Honestly, I think the best value is taking whichever side is getting plus money, which would be for them to miss the playoffs right now.
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