Arizona Cardinals Odds - Don't be so quick to write them off for 2009
In a story no online sports book saw coming, the Cards came oh-so-close to beating the Steelers in Super Bowl XLIII. Considering the Cards’ defensive question marks and atrocious running game, most NFL betting sharps are dismissing Arizona’s chances for 2009. But that might be a mistake.
Arizona Cardinals odds: +2000 to win Super Bowl XLIV
- Looks like Boldin is staying, so the passing game should dominate again
- Rookie running back Chris Wells could be an upgrade over Edgerrin James
- Arizona got defensive help in the draft, but the rooks will still be green in 2009
Few passing games bring fans to their feet like the Cardinals’ attack. Wasn’t Kurt Warner supposed to be finished? Keeping Matt Leinart glued to the pine, Warner was a throwback to his Rams glory days last season, throwing for 4,583 yards and 30 touchdowns. 23 of those scores went to Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin, who form the NFL’s best receiving tandem. Fitzgerald’s blend of athleticism and size are virtually unmatched, while Boldin is perhaps the toughest wideout in the NFL, having bounced back from reconstructive face surgery to keep dominating. NFL betting fans worried that the perennially disgruntled Boldin was on his way out of town but, after he fired agent Drew Rosenhaus, it appears Boldin will stay in the desert. That means the Cardinals’ passing game, which ranked second in the league last year, should be a force again.
The running game, however, was as bad as the passing game was good in 2008. Amazingly, Arizona reached the Super Bowl despite placing dead last in the league at 73.6 yards per game. The Cards cut Edgerrin James in the offseason and may have found their back of the future in first-round pick Chris Wells. The bulldozing runner has a Jonathan-Stewart-like upside but bruising backs are often busts in NFL betting, so who knows what he can bring? It’s at least safe to bet on a marginal improvement at your sportsbook online, as it’s pretty easy to improve from 32nd.
Though it really rose to the occasion in the playoffs – Darnell Dockett in particular - the Cards’ “D” was pretty poor overall last season, allowing the most points per game of any playoff team. It’s not that Arizona has no playmakers – we all know what Adrian Wilson can do to anyone coming over the middle and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie has lots of potential – but the defense lacks depth and seriously struggles to pressure the quarterback. No Cardinal had more than five sacks in 2008. The pass rush likely won’t be much better this year; defensive end Cody Brown was a solid draft pick but he’s no guarantee to make a big splash as a rookie. Free-agent signing Bryant McFadden should be an upgrade over Rod Hood, who got lit up like a Christmas tree last season.
The Cards are by no means a perfect team, and they don’t look like a Super Bowl team again in NFL betting this year. But they deserve a bit more respect than they’re getting; let’s remember that this is a dynamic passing team that essentially has nowhere to go but up in the running game and on defense. It’s also the NFC West, folks. Another nine or 10 wins from the Cards is entirely reasonable.
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Stan Simmons first tasted football through the college game, but his football handicapping has strictly focused on the professional sport. Not many people devote as much time to the NFL as Simmons. For six days a week he works, labors and handicaps the sport, and on the seventh he rests as the games play out. Thoughts or questions? Email Comments@BetOnline.com.
