When was the last time the Cardinals were favored to win a football game?
Sep 20, 2019, 11:34 AM | Updated: 2:23 pm
Arizona Cardinals head coach Kliff Kingsbury, right, speaks with quarterback Kyler Murray in the first half of an NFL football game against the Baltimore Ravens, Sunday, Sept. 15, 2019, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Gail Burton)
(AP Photo/Gail Burton)
For the first time in the Kyler Murray era, the Arizona Cardinals are favored to win a football game.
Even without a win, the Cardinals have been a pleasant surprise so far this season. Murray impressed in the fourth quarter and overtime of Week 1 against the Detroit Lions, and the team held close against the Baltimore Ravens in Week 2. Arizona has averaged over 100 yards per game more than it did last season.
Now Arizona is vying for its first win of the season.
With Carolina Panthers backup quarterback Kyle Allen likely to start in place of Cam Newton, the Cardinals seemingly have the advantage.
With two-point odds in their favor, Bovada thinks the Cardinals could get it.
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It’s one of the few times that Arizona has had the confidence of betting sites heading into a game over the last year.
Last season, the Sam Bradford-led Cardinals were favored by two points over the Washington Redskins in Week 1. Their abysmal performance scared bettors away — for good reason.
Not until Week 11 of last season was Arizona favored to win again. They had a few things going in their favor: In Week 8, the Cardinals managed to take down the 49ers (+3 odds against Arizona in that game). After a Week 9 bye, the Cardinals put together a solid performance against the seemingly unstoppable Kansas City Chiefs and soon-to-be MVP Patrick Mahomes (+17 odds going into the game).
Three straight weeks of primarily positives (and rest) heading into a game against the one-win Raiders seemed like a game Arizona could take. But the Cardinals lost.
Not only were the Cardinals not favored again, they were favored to lose by two touchdowns or more three of their final six games. They were favored to lose by less than one touchdown just once during that span.
This year, the Lions were favored by three over the Cardinals and the Ravens were favored by 13.
Arizona is the two-point favorite over the Panthers in Week 3. Can the Cardinals get their first win?
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