Keyshawn Johnson bets Burns & Gambo that the Cardinals won’t win 8
Sep 25, 2020, 3:44 PM | Updated: 10:37 pm
ESPN personality Keyshawn Johnson looks on before the last regular season game played at Candlestick Park between the San Francisco 49ers and the Atlanta Falcons on December 23, 2013 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Stephen Dunn/Getty Images)
(Photo by Stephen Dunn/Getty Images)
Keyshawn Johnson doesn’t believe in KeeSean Johnson’s team.
The former NFL wide receiver said on ESPN’s Keyshawn, JWill & Zubin that the Arizona Cardinals look more like pretenders after a 2-0 start.
“They are a 6-7 game win-type team, even though they got two under their belt already,” Keyshawn Johnson said on his radio show Tuesday. “I like the fact that their offense is high octane, explosive, but when you look at the time of possession on this team, it certainly makes me scratch my head.
“I like Kyler Murray within this system … long-term I don’t think the Arizona Cardinals are made for the NFL to make a run.”
Naturally, Arizona Sports’ own Burns & Gambo wanted to turn that declaration into a wager.
Well, our John Gambadoro did, dragging co-host Dave Burns into it.
Wonder if @keyshawn has watched a Cardinal game? He kills me.
— Ginny Williams (@gsw8) September 22, 2020
This dude man 🤣
— Keyshawn Johnson (@keyshawn) September 22, 2020
What’s wrong @Burnsy987 can’t kick up $250 to match my $500?? C’mon man…for charity
— Keyshawn Johnson (@keyshawn) September 22, 2020
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After a lengthy Twitter exchange, the professional opinion men set up this bet: Gambo will give $500 to a charity of Johnson’s choice if the Cardinals win fewer than seven games.
Johnson upped the ante for himself, committing $500 if Arizona wins eight or more games and $1,000 if the Cardinals take the NFC West. He also dragged co-host Dave Burns into it. Burns will commit $250 if he loses the bet on the Cardinals’ behalf.
On Friday, Johnson joined Burns & Gambo to explain why he’s not buying the Cardinals.
“All I’m saying is slow down. Slow down. I understand it’s exciting. I understand this offense is supposed to be the greatest thing ever,” Johnson said. “I understand the excitement.”
Johnson reiterated he’s worried the Cardinals can’t win with their offense, which might tend to go three-and-out against better teams. Their time of possession, Johnson said, is a concern even though Arizona controls the ball 32:35 per game, seventh-best in the NFL.
He worries the defense — which is top-10 in yards allowed and DVOA — and rushing game aren’t good enough when games slow down. That’s Johnson’s belief even though the Cardinals had the second-best rushing average per carry last year and are seventh this year at 5.0 yards per run through two games.
The NFC West competition matters to Johnson, too.
“I just know when you got Seattle and you got a raging Rams teams … that’s going to be tough,” he said. “I don’t like that style of offense to win long-term in the National Football League. That offense, when it starts to snow and it gets cold … can you run the ball and can the defense get the stops that you need?”
