Arizona Cardinals are substantial underdogs against the LA Rams in Week 4.
The Arizona Cardinals could kick off the season with a 4-0 record on Sunday afternoon, something they haven’t done in nearly a decade.
According to Arizona sportsbooks, the Arizona Cardinals are currently facing a 6-point underdog status for their upcoming NFL game against the Los Angeles Rams. The Rams, who are off to a 3-0 start, recently secured a 34-24 victory over the defending champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday.
After the recent legalization of sports betting in Arizona, the Cardinals will play their fourth game at 1:05 p.m. on Sunday in Los Angeles. The game will be aired live on FOX for a national audience.
Cardinals are the underdogs for the first time since Week 1.
The Cardinals, who have been favored to win every game since Week 1, are now listed as 6-point underdogs for their upcoming game by DraftKings Arizona, BetMGM Arizona, and FanDuel Arizona.
Arizona exceeded expectations by winning against the Jacksonville Jaguars (-8) and Minnesota Vikings (-3.5). In Week 1, they also surprised everyone with a victory over the Tennessee Titans as a 2.5-point underdog.
The Cardinals have covered the spread in one of their three games this season, beating the Jaguars (31-19) but failing to cover against the Vikings (34-33).
Conversely, the Rams have achieved double-digit wins against two out of their three opponents: the Chicago Bears (34-14 in Week 1) and the Buccaneers (34-24), with a 27-24 victory over the Indianapolis Colts in Week 2.
Assessing the Rams
Los Angeles continues its winning streak this season, even though the yardage totals are fairly equal.
The Rams have been averaging 388 yards per game on offense and allowing 374 yards per game on defense.
Quarterback Matthew Stafford has made a significant impact on the Rams’ offense in his debut season, averaging 314 passing yards per game and throwing nine touchdowns with just one interception.
The Rams have struggled with their running game, averaging only 83.7 yards per game this season. Darrell Henderson Jr., in his third year, leads the team with 123 yards and two touchdowns.
The Rams’ offense has been thriving in the early part of the season, largely due to the solid connection between quarterback Stafford and veteran wide receiver Cooper Kupp. Kupp, who is in his fifth season in the NFL, currently leads the league in receiving yards (367) and receiving touchdowns (5), while also being tied for the most receptions (25) in the NFL.
It is unclear if the Cardinals’ defense, which is ranked eighth in the NFL in passing yards allowed per game (202 ypg), will be able to effectively limit Stafford and Kupp.
The Cardinals’ pass rush, which is currently tied for fourth in the league with an average of 3.3 sacks per game, appears ready to disrupt the Rams’ passing game in Sunday’s upcoming matchup.
Update on Kyler Murray’s odds to win NFL MVP
Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray is having a standout season in his third year, putting himself in the conversation for NFL MVP. He ranks third in the league for passing yards with 1,005 and is tied for the fifth-most passing touchdowns with 7 through three games.
The former Heisman Trophy winner is leading the way in MVP odds at DraftKings (+750) and BetMGM (+700), while also tied for the top spot at FanDuel with five other players at +800.
Murray is on pace to set new career highs in completion percentage (76.5%) and passing touchdowns per game (2.33). Additionally, he has scored three rushing touchdowns this season, putting him in a tie for the league lead with Sam Darnold, Nick Chubb, Derrick Henry, and Chris Carson.
Unfortunate outcomes against Rams
Along with the poor betting odds, the Cardinals will also be up against a tough opponent on Sunday: a long string of losses against the Rams. Since 2017, Arizona has been defeated by Los Angeles in their last eight games, all of which ended in double-digit margins last year.
Arizona’s most recent victory over Los Angeles took place on January 1, 2017, with a commanding 44-6 win in Los Angeles.
Since then, the Rams have dominated the Cardinals, outscoring them 251-91. In five of the Cardinals’ eight losses to Los Angeles, they have been held to less than 10 points.
BetMGM, DraftKings, and FanDuel are all expecting high-scoring games on Sunday, setting the over/under at 54.5 for both teams.
The Cardinals’ ability to achieve a 4-0 record for the first time in nine years is uncertain. However, one thing that appears certain is an exciting matchup between the Cardinals and Rams on Sunday afternoon in Los Angeles.
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Author
For more than seven years, Peterson Christopher has been reporting on sports and sports betting in Arizona. His previous work includes contributions to ArizonaSports.com, the Tucson Weekly, and the Green Valley News. Currently, he is the lead writer for yengols.com.
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