Navigate

San Francisco 49ers at Arizona Cardinals Odds & Game Pick

by |

In the first seasonal matchup between these NFC West teams, the unbeaten San Francisco 49ers will head to the desert to take on Kyler Murray and Arizona Cardinals. The Niners are obvious favorites to come away with the victory straight up, but the current spread could make this an interesting bet for Thursday night.

Get a risk-free bet up to $500 at FanDuel Sportsbook >>

49ers vs Cardinals Odds and Info

All odds taken from FanDuel Sportsbook.

  • Opening Lines: SF -8, O/U 43.5
  • Moneyline: SF: (-420) | ARI: (+340)
  • Spread: SF: -9.5 (-110) | ARI: +10 (-110)
  • Total: 42.5 – Over: (-115) | Under: (-105)
  • Location: State Farm Stadium – Glendale, AZ
  • Start Time: 8:20 pm ET
  • Coverage: FOX/NFL Network

Injuries

  • San Francisco 49ers: FB Kyle Juszczyk (Out), HB Matt Breida (Q), HB Raheem Mostert (Q), OT Joe Staley (Q), CB Ahkello Witherspoon (Q), TE Levine Toilolo
  • Arizona Cardinals: RB Chase Edmonds (D), RB David Johnson (Q), TE Charles Clay (Q), TE Darrell Daniels, LB Haason Reddick (Q), DE Zach Allen (Q), WR Trent Sherfield (Q)

View consensus picks from 100+ experts for the 49ers at Cardinals >>

Overview

The 49ers enter this game alone atop the NFC with the only undefeated record in the conference. They have been led by this talented defense, which ranks second in points allowed. Offensively, the running game has been leading the charge, despite injuries to the offensive line and their fullback. The weakest part of this Niners team was the passing game, which was given a boost by trading for Emmanuel Sanders. This helped improve the entire offense, shown by their 51 points scored last week against Carolina. With the passing game becoming more efficient, San Francisco is a team to be feared on both sides of the ball.

The Cardinals made one of the more notable trades before the deadline, acquiring dual-threat running back Kenyan Drake from the Dolphins. While this will complicate the backfield when everyone is healthy, the depth as the running back position is not there right now. Chase Edmonds is expected to be out and David Johnson will likely be limited if he plays. This immediately throws Drake into a large role where he is unfamiliar with the plays and calls which could complicate things in pass protection for Kyler Murray against this talented defensive front for the Niners. After getting sacked three times last week, this is bad news. This also throws a wrench into what is already an inconsistent offense, facing one of the best defenses in the league. While playing at home helps, this will be a tough game for Arizona.

Trends

  • San Francisco is averaging 29.6 points per game (PPG) this season (No. 3 in the NFL).
  • San Francisco is surrendering 11.0 PPG this season (No. 2 in the NFL).
  • San Francisco is 5-2 against the spread (ATS) in its last seven games.
  • The total has hit the under in four of San Francisco’s last five games.
  • Arizona is averaging 21.3 PPG this season (No. 19 in the NFL).
  • Arizona is surrendering 27.9 PPG this season (No. 29 in the NFL).
  • Arizona is 6-3 ATS in its last nine games.
  • San Francisco leads the all-time series with Arizona, 29-26.
  • Last Meeting: October 28, 2018 — The Cardinals defeated the 49ers, 18-15, at State Farm Stadium.

Prop Bet

All odds taken from FanDuel Sportsbook.

Anytime Touchdown Scorer: Tevin Coleman (-190)
Let’s take the easy money on this one. Since returning from injury, Coleman has found the end zone in three of his four games, including a four-touchdown performance last week. The 1B to Coleman’s 1A, Matt Breida, is banged up with an ankle issue and may not play. Even if he does, it could be wise to limit his workload in a game that should easily be won. This could lead to even more opportunities for Coleman against a defense that has struggled to stop the run, giving up 130.1 rushing yards per game (No. 25 in NFL).

Bottom Line

The Cardinals’ offense has looked good against three teams: the Giants, Falcons, and Bengals. These are also regarded as three of the worst defenses in the league. Against everyone else, they have been inconsistent, at best, averaging just 16.6 points. The running game for Arizona is a question mark, with newcomer Kenyan Drake possibly needing to shoulder all of the work, while the 49ers have shut down all passing attacks. Defensively for Arizona, they have not been able to stop the run, which will make for a long Thursday night against a team that averages the second-most rushing yards per game (181.1). Look for San Francisco to make a statement in prime time against a divisional opponent, giving Richard Sherman another opportunity to call out those who did not believe in them early on.

Pick: San Francisco 49ers -9.5

FanDuel Sportsbook: View our review and access special sports betting offers >>

Zach Brunner is a featured writer at BettingPros. For more from Zach, check out his archive and follow him @FantasyFlurry.