Cardinals vs. Panthers Free Pick
(The Spread) – Cam Newton will make his NFL debut on the road when the Panthers travel to Arizona to take on the Cardinals today.
Odds: Oddsmakers have installed the Cardinals as 6.5-point favorites versus the visiting Panthers, who finished 2010 with the worst record in the league. The over/under total for this 4:15PM ET kickoff is currently sitting at 37 points.
Line Movement: The line has moved significantly since it opened in April. The Cardinals opened as a 3-point home favorite in Vegas on April 23 and the line has climbed since then. They were 4-point favorites in late July, 6-point favorites in mid-August and 7-point favorites in early September before settling in at 6.5. Unlike the point spread, however, the total hasn’t moved much since opening at 37.5.
Public Betting: Of the 16,000-plus wagers on Sunday’s game, 73% of NFL public bettors currently favor the Cardinals -6.5. This information is subject to change the closer we get to kickoff, so make sure you click on the link provided for updated public betting numbers.
NFL Free Pick: Take Arizona. There are plenty of question marks surrounding Kevin Kolb, but at least he has some experience heading into this game. Cam Newton, however, does not. He’s going to make plenty of plays in his rookie season but he’s also going to struggle mightily at times, especially in his first game. According to latest NFL trends, the Panthers are 0-6 against the spread in their last six September games and 1-6 ATS in their last seven games versus the NFC. They’re also 0-4 ATS in their lat four games as an underdog and 1-5 ATS in their last six road games. Arizona may romp in this one.
2011 NFL WEEK 1 FREE PICK: ARIZONA CARDINALS -6.5
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