Cardinals Raiders Betting – Poor Arizona Quarterbacks Give The Edge To The Silver And Black

Sports betting players watched Arizona start three quarterbacks last year, but it looks as though they finally have a decent starter. However, it’s the preseason and he probably won’t play that much, which won’t help them in their opener in Oakland on Thursday night.

What: NFL Betting
When: Thursday, August 11th, 10:00 PM ET
Where: O.co Coliseum, Oakland, CA
Pick: Oakland Raiders -3.5

Why Bet On Arizona Cardinals

The Kevin Kolb era has begun in Arizona, and you could hear the sigh of relief coming from the desert all over the country. Granted, the Cardinals really don’t know what they’re getting in Kolb, but it has to be better than Derek Anderson. That’s great news for receiver Larry Fitzgerald, who did an incredible job last season despite being double and triple-teamed constantly. It remains to be seen how much these two will play in this game, along with running back “Beanie” Wells, who reportedly looks explosive in camp and tight end Todd Heap, who came over from Baltimore. The key for the offense in this game will be the receivers as Steve Breaston is gone to Kansas City. Also, look for rookie back Ryan Williams to get some work. Defensively, everyone is waiting to see rookie corner Patrick Peterson and on paper, Arizona’s defense should be better this year. However, someone has to step in for strong safety Adrian Wilson, who has a torn bicep and the Cardinals are just hoping he’ll be back this year. Arizona is also surprisingly loaded at inside linebacker, especially with the pickup of Stewart Bradley.

The problem is, Bradley battled injuries in Philadelphia, so you never know how much he’s going to play. It’s also not fair to put a lot of pressure on Peterson, who may take some time to get used to the league, but hopes are very high for the former LSU star. And NFL betting players following the Cardinals likely don’t want to see quarterbacks behind Kolb, as John Skeleton and Max Hall will be lucky to be career backups.

Why Bet On Oakland Raiders

Hue Jackson finally gets a shot at a head-coaching job as being the offensive coordinator in the NFL since 2001, including last year in Oakland under Tom Cable, and he has to keep the momentum of last season going as they won three of their last five. Jason Campbell should be more comfortable as the starter, but Trent Edwards and Kyle Boller should get most of the snaps as they battle for the No.2 role. Darren McFadden exploded last year, but the back will miss the preseason with a fractured orbital bone, although he’ll be back for the regular season. The Raiders also picked up tight end Kevin Boss to replace Zach Miller, which gives the Raiders a threat over the middle and down the seams to combat the speed that they have on the outside. This game will be a matter of depth at receiver.

The major questions for the Raiders will come on defense and specifically, how do they replace the departed Nmandi Asomugha? The talented cornerback essentially shut down one half of the field and the secondary is going to be challenged early and often. Also, did the Raiders overpay for Kamerion Wimbley, giving him a five-year, $48 million deal? Wimbley is heading into the prime of his career at 27 years old, but we’ve seen players go downhill after receiving a big contract. This just seems like one of those crazy contracts that only Al Davis gives out.

How It Will Play Out

The Raiders are 3.5-point NFL betting favorites at home in this contest, and they’ve split their last four meetings at home (two in Oakland, two in Los Angeles) against the Cardinals, going 1-2 ATS and two of the games went under the posted total. It’s tough to figure out how this game is going to go down as you don’t know who is going to play. It would be nice to see the Kolb-Fitzgerald on the field for more than two series, but that’s probably all you’re going to get.

The Cardinals’ sad state at quarterback outside of Kolb will give the edge to the Raiders, and if you can find a prop that considers Arizona turnovers, check it out because Hall and Skeleton could throw up some ducks, even against a sub-par Oakland defense. Go with the Raiders in your online betting book.