New England Patriots at Arizona Cardinals Betting Preview
12 December 2022
What the New England Patriots are known for is their stout defense. Although their offense isn't one of the best, they've been able to keep up with some great teams.
This week, they'll face Kyler Murray and the Arizona Cardinals. With an overall record of 6-6, the Patriots are fourth in the AFC East. A win over the Cardinals on Monday night could help them change that.
The Arizona Cardinals have a record of 4-8 and are third in the NFC West. This has been another disappointing season for the Cardinals. Having lost their last two games, Arizona desperately needs a win for morale.
To avoid any more arguments breaking out, a win could satiate them for a short time. So, which of these teams has what it takes to win?
New England Patriots: Patriots' defense is the key here
Before we get into just how good the Patriots' defense is, we're going to talk about their offense. Over the last few weeks, they've played a few high-scoring teams.
One of these teams was the Minnesota Vikings, and they scored 26 points against them. Although the Patriots lost the game, it was still a great showing for their offense.
Defensively, the Patriots rank sixth in the NFL in points allowed per game (18.8). With a strong defense, this team has been able to stop their opponents from scoring.
Tonight, they'll keep an eye on Kyler Murray and try to prevent him from extending plays. On average, the Patriots only allow 220.8 passing yards per game and 111.2 rushing yards per game.
Arizona Cardinals: Cardinals' defense has struggled lately
When you look at the last five games of the Cardinals' schedule, you'll see a 1-4 record. Their most recent game was a 25-24 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers.
In this game, QB Kyler Murray threw for 191 yards, two touchdowns, and an interception. The problem, however, wasn't with the Cardinals' offense in this game.
Their defense allowed the Chargers to rally back and win this game. A two-point conversion is what won the game for the Chargers. When looking at their defense, the Cardinals rank last in the NFL in points allowed per game.
On average, they're giving up 26.8 points per game, which will be a big problem here. With that being said, let's make our pick for Monday night's game.
New England Patriots vs. Arizona Cardinals Betting Pick
In our opinion, this game is all about defense, in which the Patriots take the edge in. They're one of the best in the league and can stop their opponents from scoring easily. Because of this and the fact they'll only need to cover 1.5 points, they're our pick for this one.
The Arizona Cardinals' defense will give the Patriots several opportunities to score. Over their last four games, the Cardinals have allowed 27.75 points each game.
With a defense that continues to underperform, we have to take the Patriots. We'd also recommend taking the under in this game as well.
DunkelIndex Free Pick: New England Patriots +1.5, UNDER
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