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Atlanta Falcons vs. Arizona Cardinals NFL Sports Betting Guide

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The Cardinals pulled off their first win of the season at Cincinnati last week, pushing their record to 1-3-1 this year. However, we still need to consider that Arizona is feeling their way through this 2019 campaign with a new head coach, rookie quarterback, and bottom-five defense. We need to take into account that star running back David Johnson is questionable along with wide receiver Christian Kirk. Cornerback Patrick Peterson will remain sidelined while serving the final game of his suspension. 

The Falcons fell to 1-4 on the season, which coincidently represents their record against the spread as well. Last week’s 53-32 beatdown at Houston was particularly embarrassing. Atlanta has been vulnerable against the pass lately, and that was present last Sunday when Texans’ quarterback Deshaun Watson tossed for 426 yards, five touchdowns, and no interceptions. Arizona quarterback Kyler Murray and company will be determined to expose that weakness in this home draw. 

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Details

  • Opening Lines: The spread opened at Falcons -3, dropping marginally since then. The over/under rose from it’s open at 47. 
  • Current Line: Falcons -2.5 at FanDuel Sportsbook
  • O/U: 51 at FanDuel Sportsbook
  • Location: State Farm Stadium – Glendale, AZ
  • Start Time: 4:05pm ET
  • Television: FOX
  • Last Meeting: December 16, 2018 – Falcons defeated Cardinals 40-14 in Atlanta

View consensus picks from 100+ experts for the Falcons at Cardinals >>

Overview

Okay, so both teams have been struggling on defense…especially against the pass. Something has to give in this likely high-scoring contest, and whichever team can exploit that vulnerability better should come out ahead. That essentially distills this decision down to the quarterbacks, Kyler Murray versus Matt Ryan. The Atlanta signal-caller has a QBR of 62.1 with 11 touchdowns and seven interceptions. Meanwhile, Murray has struggled through the air with a QBR of 50.5 to go along with four touchdowns and four interceptions. 

Trends

  • The Falcons are 1-4 ATS this season.
  • The Falcons are 5-16 ATS on the road over the past two years. 
  • The Falcons are 17-11 to the under against NFC opponents through the past two years. 
  • The Cardinals are 17-10 to the under against NFC opponents through the past two years. 

Prop Bets

Calvin Ridley OVER 61 Receiving Yards
As mentioned earlier, this game makes for a great environment for both passing games to fire up serious numbers. Atlanta wide receiver Julio Jones has been mediocre lately, and we have to wonder whether his hip injury has been a factor. Of course, defenses will continue to key on him, which creates favorable situations for fellow pass-catchers like Calvin Ridley, Mohamed Sanu, and Austin Hooper. Ridley is a big-play guy who could torch the Arizona secondary to push this yardage prop over with only a few receptions. 

Bottom Line

I believe the Falcons will come out swinging on the road. Last week’s demoralizing loss at Houston could serve as a wake-up call, and facing the Cardinals represents a favorable bounce-back situation. I’m trusting Atlanta quarterback Matt Ryan to fully exploit Arizona’s defensive shortcomings, while rookie quarterback Kyler Murray doesn’t have the ability to stretch the field at this stage in his career. The Falcons will pick up a much-needed road victory on Sunday afternoon. 

Pick: Falcons -2.5 at FanDuel Sportsbook

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Spencer Limbach is a featured writer at BettingPros and FantasyPros. For more from Spencer, check out his archive and follow him @spencer_jl.