Arizona Cardinals vs. Seattle Seahawks – Week 16 NFL Betting Analysis
Arizona Cardinals (4-9 8-5 ATS) at Seattle Seahawks (11-3 7-6-1 ATS)
The Seattle Seahawks are a 9.5-point home favorite hosting the Arizona Cardinals, who they soundly beat earlier in the season in the desert. The total for this NFC West matchup is set at 51.
The public has slightly backed the Cardinals in this game, as they opened as a 10-point underdog and as of Thursday are a 9.5-point dog.
The Seahawks are 11-3 along with the Saints, 49ers, and Packers but have the #1 spot in the NFC after the 49ers’ loss in their last game. They host them in their season finale and with two games left they still are important for playoff seeding.
The Cardinals had lost six in a row before their last game where they beat the Cleveland Browns 38-24. Kyler Murray has put together a solid rookie campaign and he has not gotten much help from the run game, he leads the team in rushing yards, and the Arizona defense ranks last in the league.
Earlier this season in Seattle in Week 4 the Seahawks beat the Cardinals 27-10.
The Cardinals are 4-1-1 ATS in their last six games facing the Seahawks but did not cover facing them in the Week 4 loss.
Back in the W Column
The Seahawks got back in the win column in their last game after they had previously lost badly to the L.A. Rams with a 30-24 win over the Carolina Panthers.
Russell Wilson passed for 286 yards with two TD and no INT in the Carolina game. Tyler Lockett led the team with 120 receiving yards and while nearing 1,000receiving yards on the season he had only totaled 107 receiving yards in his previous four games.
Chris Carson is the lead rusher for the Seahawks, and he rushed for over 100 yards in the win over Carolina, which was the 2nd time in his last three games that he has done that.
Wilson passed for 240 yards with a TD and no INT in the win over Arizona a few weeks back and Chris Carson rushed for 104 yards.
Arizona’s defense has been bad against the pass and the run on the season, so Murray better have a big game for the Cardinals to pull off the huge upset.
Murray Could Use Help
Murray has a solid rookie campaign going and while he has the 14th ranked QBR Green bay QB Aaron Rodgers ranks 17th and is in the Pro Bowl. He passed for 219 yards with a TD and an INT in the win over the Browns and also rushed for 56 yards.
The ageless Larry Fitzgerald and Christian Kirk, who is questionable for this game with an injury, have combined for 1,360 yards this season and Murray needs to find them early and often. The Cardinals have had issues running the ball this season besides Murray. However, Kenyan Drake being the lead rusher for RB with 591 yards helped out plenty rushing for 137 yards in the win over the Browns.
Arizona will be facing a Seattle defense that only ranks 29th in the league defending the pass while 15thdefending the run.
Our Prediction
The Seahawks still have a lot to play for in terms of playoff seeding. However, Murray looks to finish the season strong on leading the Cardinals to their 2nd win in a row. That will not happen as Wilson and company will be efficient on offense and solid on defense and you add that up you get a Seattle win and they will also cover in their house as well.
PICK: Seahawks +9.5