NFL Football: Arizona Cardinals vs Las Vegas Raiders Prediction, Odds and Preview - 09/18/2022

 

Game Time: 4:25 pm ET, Sunday, August 18th, 2022

Venue:  Allegiant Stadium, Phoenix, Arizona

Where to Watch: FOX

 

DraftKings:  Spread:  Raiders -5.5, Cardinals +5.5; O/U 51.5

BetMGM:  Spread:  

PointsBet:  Spread:  

 

Cardinals: 0-1 NFC West

Raiders: 0-1, AFC West

An interconference battle of the West.  These are the deep dusty West teams.  Two desperately landlocked desert dwelling teams.  Both lost their opening game of the season.  Vegas has shrugged and given you a 5.5 spread… meanwhile adding in a 51.5 Over/Under line.  They want you to believe that they can’t separate these teams by a touchdown… but can say they both will score the ball effectively.  One of these incongruous ideas will fold.  The Great Betting Opportunity will be found in the numbers… and we are either betting the spread or betting the Over/Under.. Not both… for GD sake!  This is a one bet endeavor.

The Arizona Cardinals lost Game 1 of the season to the Kansas City Chiefs.  This loss came after lots of hemming and hawing over the star QBs contract.  It ate the whole offseason.  The end result is the QB got paid… but the front office does not think he is a leader or that he will do any homework while not supervised.  The Coach, Kliff Kingsbury has overseen a couple seasons of starting hot and dropping late,.. This season they aren’t starting hot. Last week Kansas City Chiefs quarterback threw for 360 yards and 5 touchdowns against the Cardinals defense.  Mahomes is historically good in season opening games…  but still.  The Cardinals quarterback answered with 22 of 34 passing for 193 yards and two touchdowns.  He is missing star receiver Deandre Hopkins (who will be gone for half the season because of a drug suspension).  Kyler is not supposed to be the BEST passer in the league… he is certainly not top ten even.  He is however a dual threat because of his running. Kyler rushed 5 times for 29 yards, 0 TDs.. with a 5.8 average… but since his long run was 21 yards… that means the other 4 rushes were abject failures. It did not go well… and he is still not doing much homework.

The Las Vegas Raiders also lost Game 1 of the season to the Chargers… The Raiders and Chargers are a real rivalry which is all because they are both AFC West teams and they were both located in California for decades.  Raiders quarterback Derek Carr threw for 295 yards and 2 TDs… He also had 3 interceptions.  The interceptions directly contribute to the loss.  Derek is a quality guy who has always been undervalued, but if turnovers are going to become commonplace?... then WR Devonte Adams (zero TDs) should have stayed in Green Bay.  The Raiders got almost nothing out of the running game and maybe Josh McDaniels should consider opening that part of the game up so Derek isn’t stuck plugging tight holes in the passing game.  A thing to remember about this team is just how tumultuous last season was… with the firing of a racist sexist coach, with a star player and first round draft pick killing a woman and her dog in a fiery drunk driving crash, and another first round pick cut because of threatening others with pictures of machine guns… add a new coach… add high expectations from the newish city of Vegas… and you could have a pressure cooker.

 

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Cardinals: 0-1, 1 OVER, 0-1 at home.

Raiders: 0-1, 1 UNDER, 0-1 on the road.

 

The Cardinals came out of Game 1 16th in scoring with 21 points, 24th in yards with 282, and 26th in passing yards with 179… also the rushing yards were 16th with 103…. 3 turnovers.

The Raiders came out of Game 1 24th in points scored with 19, 21st in total yards with 320, 12th in passing yards with 256, and 29th in rushing yards with 64…. 3 turnovers.

 

The Cardinals defense was a sloppy mess… and it was missing the ancient JJ Watt.  They finished week 1 31st in total yards allowed with 488!!!, 32nd in passing Yards allowed with 360!!!, and 22nd in rushing yards allowed with 128… It helps that the Chiefs hardly ever try to run when they could pass.

The Raiders defense was OK but could not overcome all the offensive turnovers.  They came out of Game 1 ranked 17th in yards allowed with 355, 25th in passing yards allowed with 279, and 8th in rushing yards allowed 76, sadly they ended 24th in points scored on with 24… and dead last in takeaways with 0.

Our Prediction for the Sunday, September 18th game is… Raiders 30 - Cardinals 18

 

The bet here is on the Raiders at home.  Both teams struggled in week one especially on defense.  So, the question immediately begs that against a BAD defense which quarterback will be prepared and relieved.  The better prepared will be Derek Carr.  One team will clean up the turnovers and one team will double down. Who do you trust?

 

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The Cardinals are 6-1 ATS as an underdog of 3.5 to 9.5 points the last 3 seasons.

The Raiders are 0-4 ATS as a home favorite of 3.5 to 9.5 points the last 3 seasons.

 

Cardinals: QB Kyler Murray

Raiders: QB Derek Carr

Whichever one of these guys cleans up the turnovers will win this game.  They both are talented. 

Cardinals: QB Kyler Murray, RB James Conner, WR Marquise Brown, WR AJ Green, WR Greg Dortch, TE Zach Ertz, LT DJ Humphries, LG Sean Harlow, C Rodney Hudson, RG Will Hernandez, RT Kelvin Beachum

Raiders: QB Derek Carr, RB Josh Jacobs, WR Mack Hollins, WR Hunter Renfrow, WR DeVonte Adams, TE Darren Walter, LT Kolton Miller, LG John Simpson, C Andre Simpson, RG Dylan Oarham, RT Jermaine Eluemunor

 

Cardinals: Kliff “culture means nothing” Kingsbury

Raiders: Josh “They’re still being sued by the last guy” McDaniels

 

Sunny.  93*, humidity 17%, Wind 15 mph, ZERO percent of precipitation.  If it keeps not raining… many many more mob bodies will be revealed in the lake…. Which is hardly a lake anymore.