Arizona Cardinals (9-1, 8-2 ATS) @ Seattle Seahawks (6-4, 4-6 ATS)
*ATS= against the spread
BETDAQ Line: Seattle -6.5 (41)
Significant Injuries
Arizona: WR Larry Fitzgerald (questionable– knee), DT Ed Stinson (out– toe)
Seattle: G James Carpenter (questionable– ankle), DE Demarcus Dobbs (doubtful– knee), C Max Unger (out– knee), CB Marcus Burley (out– hamstring)
Recent Trends
Arizona is 5-1 ATS in their last 6 road games
Arizona is 5-0 ATS in their last 5 games overall
Seattle is 18-7 ATS in their last 25 home games
Seattle has won 21 of their past 23 home games
Seattle is 1-5 ATS in their last 6 games overall
The home team is 11-5 ATS in the last 16 meetings between these 2 teams
The UNDER is 5-1 in the last 6 times these teams have met in Seattle
The OVER is 4-1 in Seattle’s last 5 home games
The OVER is 5-1 in Seattle’s last 6 games overall
Three reasons to back Arizona
1. The Cardinals have the NFL’s best record this season yet they’ve been consistently undervalued, which is why they’ve covered in 8 of their 10 games. Nothing appears to have changed this week, as Seattle is favored by a touchdown despite losing their last 3 games against quality opposition (meaning teams not named the Panthers, Raiders, and Giants).
2. Arizona has a dominant defense that is surrendering just 17.6 points per game this season, which is fewer than every team in the league with the exception of the Detroit Lions. They shouldn’t have any trouble with the one-dimensional Seattle offense, a unit that ranks 30th in pass yards per game and is dealing with injury issues on the line.
3. The Seattle defense has simply not lived up to its reputation this season. In the last 6 weeks alone, the Seahawks have surrendered 30 points to Dallas, 28 to the St. Louis Rams, and 24 to both Kansas City and Oakland (yes, Oakland). The Cardinals have an explosive tailback and an elite wide receiving corps, so they have the potential to give the Seahawks some serious issues. Bettors who think Seattle should be favored by as many as they are in this game may want to take a closer look.
Three reasons to back Seattle
1. The Seahawks absorbed a tough loss in Kansas City last week but they had won three straight games prior to that, so it’s not like they’re coming unraveled. They’re 6-4 now and they desperately need a win this week, but fortunately they’re playing at home, where they’ve won 21 of their past 23 games overall and have covered in 18 of their past 25 opportunities.
2. The Cardinals lost starting quarterback Carson Palmer to a season-ending knee injury two weeks ago, and his replacement, Drew Stanton, is a career backup for a reason: Stanton simply doesn’t throw the ball very well, or at least not nearly as well as Palmer. After two first-quarter touchdowns last week the Cardinals were totally unable to move the ball for the final three-and-a-half quarters, and this week, on the road against Seattle’s 3rd-ranked defense, more of the same is expected from Stanton and the Cards. Considering that Arizona averages fewer than 80 rushing yards per game, just how they’re going to move the ball on Sunday remains a mystery.
3. Arizona has been vulnerable in the secondary this season, surrendering more pass yards per game than all but 3 teams leaguewide, so Seattle quarterback Russell Wilson will have opportunities in the passing game. Wilson is one of the NFL’s best young quarterbacks and should certainly be trusted over Drew Stanton, who is surely out of his depth here.
Prediction
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