Arizona Cardinals at New England Patriots Odds and Game Pick (2020)
We live in unprecedented times. The Arizona Cardinals are laying 1.5 points on the road against Bill Belichick’s New England Patriots.
This has historically been an unusual position for Belichick, but the 2020 edition of the Patriots is a far cry from the dynasty era Pats.
New England is a below-average team that’s on the outside looking in of a playoff spot. But can Belichick devise a strategy that gives Kliff Kingsbury and Kyler Murray problems? Let’s dig in.
Compare odds from all major sportsbooks for the Cardinals vs. Patriots >>
Details
- Opening Line: Arizona Pick
- Last meeting: September 11, 2016, Patriots 23-21
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ARI
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-1.5
-112
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o49.5
-110
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-125
|
|
| VIEW PICKS |
NE
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+1.5
-108
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u49.5
-110
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+105
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View consensus picks and matchup notes from top betting experts for the Cardinals vs. Patriots >>
Overview
Arizona enters Foxborough off a bye week and needs a win to stay in the NFC West race. The Cardinals lead the league in total offense and are fifth in net yards per play. Arizona boasts the league’s best running game in yards per attempt and much of that is thanks to Murray. The second-year quarterback has rushed for 619 yards, already surpassing last year’s total.
New England is coming off of a disheartening loss to the Houston Texans that essentially destroyed their playoff hopes. The Cam Newton experiment hasn’t worked out. The Patriots rank 26th in points scored and 18th in total offense. New England has been effective on the ground and has seemingly found a reliable tailback in Damien Harris. But the Patriots have no firepower in the passing game and deploy spare parts at receiver and tight end.
While New England’s offense has been disappointing, it’s the defense that’s fallen off dramatically. The Patriots rank 30th in yards allowed per play. The Patriots are below average against the run, allowing 4.3 yards per attempt. New England’s also allowed 212 rushing yards to opposing quarterbacks this season.
Trends
- The Kliff Kingsbury / Kyler Murray tandem are 5-2 ATS when traveling east for a 1 p.m. kickoff.
- The Patriots are 13-3 ATS as a home underdog under Belichick and are 1-0 in that spot in 2020.
- The Cardinals are 1-1 ATS as a road favorite this season.
Bottom Line
This isn’t a game I particularly love. Laying the short number with the Cardinals feels like the right play, but I still have some reservations about them. Most importantly, I worry about the coaching mismatch between Belichick and Kingsbury.
However, the game is played on the field, not on the sidelines. New England simply doesn’t have the personnel defensively to contain Murray and this high-powered offense.
At such a short number, I’d lay the point and a half on the Cardinals.
Pick: Arizona Cardinals -1.5
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Matt Barbato is a featured writer at BettingPros. For more from Matt, check out his archive and follow him on Twitter @RealMattBarbato.