49ers Cardinals Betting – 49ers Clip Cardinals In Lowly NFC West Clash
Most sports betting players figured the San Francisco 49ers would overtake the Arizona Cardinals for the NFC West crown this year, and even though both teams are still in the hunt, it’s been a disappointing season no matter how you look at it. The 49ers still have a shot at winning the division title when they head to the desert on Monday night, and they should be able to handle the inept Cardinals.
- What: NFL betting
- When: Monday, November 29th, 8:30 PM ET
- Where: University of Phoenix Stadium, Glendale, AZ
- Pick: San Francisco 49ers -1
What’s On The Line
The 49ers (3-7) had a two-game winning streak halted in a 21-0 shutout at the hands of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at home, while the Cardinals (3-7) dropped their fifth in a row in a 31-13 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, setting up a matchup of the NFC West’s worst teams. The thing is, both of these teams are only two games out of the division lead behind the Seattle Seahawks, meaning they are somehow still in the race for a playoff spot, so this game is surprisingly important.
Offensive Matchups: 49ers Cardinals Betting
After a good couple of games with Troy Smith at quarterback, the 49ers came back to earth against the Buccaneers, gaining only 189 yards and a mere 71 yards on the ground. Smith passed for 148 yards and he was picked off once as the Bucs took away the deep plays that were successful the week before in an overtime win over St. Louis. The 49ers are 25th in the league offensively, and they really need to get Frank Gore going again. He’s run for 100 yards or more in four games this year, and two of those were in wins for San Francisco.
The Cardinals are just awful offensively, to the point that Larry Fitzgerald wants to leave, and who can blame him? Derek Anderson threw for 295 yards and a touchdown, and the Cardinals even averaged 5.1 yards on the ground, but they were 4-of-15 on third down and 1-of-3 in the red zone. The Cardinals gave up just two sacks last week to take their total to 35, which is second only to Chicago, and the line has to keep Anderson upright to even have a chance at winning this game.
Betting Edge: Draw
Defensive Matchups: 49ers Cardinals Betting
The San Francisco defense is 13th in the league and seems to be holding the team in games, although they gave up touchdowns on all three of Tampa Bay’s trips inside the red zone. The defense was on the field for far too long against the Bucs, who held the ball for over 36 minutes, and there’s only so much you can do before fatigue sets in. Linebackers Patrick Willis and Takeo Spikes combined for 25 tackles, while Willis added a couple of sacks, but the front four didn’t help much against the Tampa Bay ground game. Cornerback Shawntae Spencer will likely draft the assignment of covering Arizona’s Larry Fitzgerald, which will be a key to the 49ers’ NFL betting odds.
Arizona’s defense comes in 29th in the NFL, but they had their hands full with the Chiefs’ No.1-ranked rushing attack, allowing 159 yards, and that allowed the Chiefs to use the play-action pass to slow down an Arizona pass rush that is only subpar in the first place. Safety Adrian Wilson had seven tackles to lead the way, and his mission in this game will be to keep San Francisco tight end Vernon Davis in his pocket, although Wilson has had problems with athletic tight ends this season. Cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie will likely draw the task of covering the 49ers’ Michael Crabtree.
Betting Edge: 49ers
Notable Injuries: 49ers Cardinals Betting
Kicker Joe Nedney (leg) will be a game-time decision, but otherwise, the 49ers are pretty healthy.
Running back Beanie Wells (knee) has been hobbling all season, while receiver Early Doucet (concussion) is questionable for the Cardinals.
Betting Edge: 49ers
Outlook and Pick: 49ers Cardinals Betting
NFL betting odds have the 49ers as a 1-point favorite on the road in this Monday night affair, and they’ve won four of their last five against the Cardinals, posting a 3-2 ATS mark. At Arizona, the 49ers are 2-3 SU, but 4-1 ATS, and we’re going to give them the nod this week as the Cardinals are awful on both sides of the ball, and we think the 49ers have the advantage on defense. Arizona isn’t committed to a running game, which means the 49ers will be able to blitz at will, and we know the Cardinals’ offensive line is struggling. Offensively, San Francisco should be able to get Smith back on track as the Cardinals have problems against the pass and the run. Take San Francisco in your online betting book.
Stan’s Pick: San Francisco 49ers -1
