Cardinals’ Chances and Viewing Options for Preseason Matchup Against Chiefs

The Arizona Cardinals aim to clinch their second straight win in the NFL preseason when they take on Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs on Friday night in Glendale.

The launch of the new Arizona sports betting apps is still pending, but futures odds for the Cardinals and other games have already been made available.

Arizona secured a 19-16 victory over the Dallas Cowboys in their preseason opener last Friday, with veteran kicker Matt Prater making a significant impact in the win.

In Friday’s game, Prater made all four of his kicks, including a successful 48-yard field goal, contributing 13 points to the Cardinals’ victory.

Tips for Betting on Friday’s Game

One week later, Prater and the Cardinals are facing off against Mahomes and his team as the underdogs. Arizona’s NFL betting odds vary from +2.5 to +3.5 depending on the sportsbook.

The betting odds for the contest have remained consistent, with BetMGM, Unibet, FanDuel, PointsBet, and BetRivers Arizona all agreeing on an over/under of 40, while DraftKings has set it slightly higher at 41.5.

Arizona is considered the underdog in the preseason Week 2 game according to various sportsbooks, including DraftKings, BetMGM, Unibet, FanDuel, PointsBet, and BetRivers. Those looking to place a moneyline wager can find odds ranging from +120 to +135.

The Cardinals-Chiefs game is scheduled to start at 5 p.m. Arizona time (8 p.m. Eastern) on Friday. It will be televised nationally on ESPN as part of the preseason.

Sports betting in Arizona will start on September 9, just in time for the NFL season kickoff. The Cardinals’ first game of the season against the Tennessee Titans will be on September 12.

Players to keep an eye on for the Arizona Cardinals.

A major question mark for Friday’s game is whether Kyler Murray, a third-year quarterback, will see any playing time.

Murray, who had preseason odds of +2000 to win the NFL’s Most Valuable Player award, exceeded expectations in his second season by throwing for 3,971 yards and 26 touchdowns, setting personal records in both categories.

There is a possibility that JJ Watt, who has been named NFL Defensive Player of the Year three times, will make his first appearance for the Cardinals on Friday.

William Hill/Caesars currently have Watt listed at +4000 odds to win his fourth Defensive Player of the Year award. He may present a major challenge to the Chiefs’ offensive line in Friday evening’s game.

Take a look at: A Comprehensive Manual for Wagering on the Arizona Cardinals

Examining preseason games may present difficulties, however, it will be interesting to observe if Arizona enhances their passing strategy against the Chiefs, particularly following their success of gaining 157 yards on 31 attempts versus Dallas.

Should they choose to emphasize spreading the love in the passing game against the Chiefs, wide receiver Christian Kirk, who topped the team with 34 receiving yards in Friday’s game, is expected to have a more significant role.

Kirk, who was chosen by the Cardinals in 2018, has consistently recorded an average of 640 receiving yards per season. His career reached new heights in 2020 when he caught a personal-best of six touchdown passes.

If Cardinals head coach Kliff Kingsbury chooses to have Murray (or backups Chris Streveler and Colt McCoy) pass the ball often, wide receivers such as Kirk may have a good opportunity to achieve impressive stats.

Another important factor to keep an eye on in Friday’s game for the Cardinals is identifying which running back will receive the most playing time in the backfield.

Last week, Chase Edmonds, who was expected to be the starting running back, gained only 10 yards on three carries. In contrast, the second-year running backs Jonathan Ward and Eno Benjamin combined for 71 yards on 11 carries.

When asked about the possibility of increased playing time for starters like Murray and Edmonds in the team’s final two preseason games, Kingsbury was noncommittal and evasive.

Kingsbury explained that it is a fragile equilibrium. There is always a certain amount of risk when fielding those players. Some teams decide against it, while others go ahead. He cannot definitively say if it is the correct or incorrect approach, but they aim to make the most beneficial decisions for their organization and proceed accordingly.