Raiders vs. Cardinals Pick
Following a pitiful loss to the Falcons last Sunday, the Arizona Cardinals are looking to bounce back in Week 3 when they host the Oakland Raiders. Let’s take a look at the matchup and make a prediction.
Bet Raiders vs. Cardinals Odds
Before making our prediction for this Week 3 matchup, let’s take a look at the odds.
Oddsmakers from online sports book SBGGLOBAL.com have made the Cardinals 4.5-point favorites over the Raiders this Sunday. The over/under total for this game is set at 39.5 points.
Not much went well for the Cardinals in Week 2. The Falcons absolutely hammered them 41-7 by racking up 444 yards of total offense and 221 rushing yards. The Cards also turned the ball over three times and committed 10 penalties for 109 yards.
The Raiders, meanwhile, hung onto a 16-14 win over the Rams despite benching Jason Campbell in the second half. Bruce Gradkowski came in and provided a spark for the Raiders, throwing for 162 yards and a touchdown – although he did throw one interception.
While looking at several factors while trying to make a prediction for this game, one thing that kept standing out to me is that the Cards are 4.5-point favorites after giving up 41 points last week. Granted, they are playing the Raiders so the line is probably set right in the public’s eyes, but at +4.5 points Oakland looks like a small value play here.
The Prediction:
The Cardinals are a complete and utter mess right now. They’re undisciplined, they don’t have a quarterback and their defensive front seven really struggled last week. My prediction is that Darren McFadden will have another decent outing and Gradkowski will strike for some big plays in the passing game when the Cards have to bring up their safeties to stop the run. Derek Anderson should also provide a turnover or two to keep the score close, which is yet another reason I like the Raiders +4.5.
2010 NFL Week 3 Prediction: OAKLAND RAIDERS +4.5
Bet Raiders vs. Cardinals Odds