Cardinals safety Tyrann Mathieu has eight picks his first three years but is yet to complete a full season
The Arizona Cardinals did almost everything right last season but they were hit by a wrecking ball in the Conference Championship game at Carolina, losing 49-15. It was one of the Panthers’ best games in history and the Cards bore the brunt, but they’ve dusted off and are once again ready to challenge for a Super Bowl.
LAST YEAR’S RECORD & 2016 NFL FUTURES
Win-Loss: 13-3 SU and 9-7 ATS
Over/Under: 9-7 O/U
Noteworthy: The Cards were a ‘fade’ in their past three games but still hold a 27-6 SU and 21-11-1 ATS (66-percent) record when Carson Palmer starts since Week 8, 2013.
Odds to Win Super Bowl: 12 to 1
Season Win Total Odds: 9.5 Over (-170); 9.5 Under (+140)
Arizona ranked near the top of the league in scoring (29 PPG), total yardage (399 YPG) and third down conversions (46%). They were also top 10 inside the red zone and they return a familiar group of starters. Evan Mathis (Broncos) bolsters an O-Line that ranked fifth overall last season, allowing sacks on just 4.9% of dropbacks (7th).
QB Palmer doesn’t complete a high percentage of passes (T-17th at 63.1), but the modus operandi of O-Co Harold Goodwin is to keep his star healthy.
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The Cardinals D registered 19 interceptions, with at least one in 13 of 18 games. FS Tyrann Mathieu (knee) returns and second round CB Brandon Williams will get his shot, but depth in the secondary remains a concern.
Arizona’s D-Line is not setup to stop the run but with the number of yards/points the Cardinals usually score per game, opponents are often forced into a pass-first mentality by the second-half anyway. DE Chandler Jones (Pats) was acquired to help the pass rush, which should help take some pressure of the DBs to consistently make big plays.
CARDINALS BOTTOM LINE: PUBLIC DARLINGS
During an 18-game run from 2013 up to Week 3, 2015, Arizona cashed 15 tickets (16-2 SU) with Palmer under center and the average spread was Cardinals -2.5. Since then they are 6-9 ATS, including a 2-7 ATS record when favored by -5 points or more. Early Vegas projections ghost the Cards -6 or more in six games this year, starting in Week 2 (Rams). Be cautious laying big wood with Bruce Arians’ squad this season. The books have caught on and I’m sure a few defensive coordinators will start to, as well.