Sports Forums offering Online Sportsbook Forums - Sports Betting - Free Picks - Live Odds - Online Sportsbook Reviews - Sports Articles - Fantasy Sports - Live Lines - Sports News - Handicapping Tips

NFL Betting Odds: Arizona Cardinals at St. Louis Rams

November 2, 2008

This is a game in which value has been derived on the road favorite due to an inflow of money being put on the Rams due to their short term trend of playing well for their new head coach, coupled if the notion that the Cardinals may be the most consistently under priced team in the NFC (which is no surprise that they share the best ATS record in the NFC). Until the market starts to quantify the Cardinals as being one of the best teams in the NFC, expect them to provide value throughout the season.

It’s hard to imagine the Cardinals not consistently being mentioned as having one of the best offenses in football with all the playmakers they have, but this is still a unit that has been flying under the radar. Warner has always been a streaky quarterback, and right now appears to be in his best rhythm in years. Add the motivation factor of coming back to St. Louis, and you have some favorable intangible variables that back of decisive fundamental ones the Cardinals have in the passing game. Although the Rams have been defending the pass better of late, they are far from out of the woods in this facet of the game. Their lack of depth in the secondary leaves them vulnerable against passing games that have depth in the receiver spot and are able to counter their only strength in defending the pass-getting to the quarterback. Not only do the Cardinals have the best three receiver combination in the league right now, but their improved offensive lines ability to give Warner ample time in the pocket should allow Warner the time to carve this secondary. The Cardinals have also improved their offense in the red zone, which is allowing their points to be commensurate to their yards this year- something the lacked in recent years. Although the Cardinals do not have the most potent running game in the league, it is a clutch one that has also improved this season and has the edge against an anemic run defense. The bottom line is the Cardinals should continue their hot streaks in the air, in the red zone, and improve their ground game this week, as they face one of the worst defenses in the league.

The Cardinals do not have one of the elite defenses in the league, but a potent one against one dimensional passing game in which the Rams will more than likely be forced to implement if the Cardinals have as much success on offense in which I am predicting. The Rams offensive line (although improved in recent games) is most vulnerable against pass rushes that come from various angles and implement the blitz well. Expect this to be the X factor on the defensive side of the ball in which prevents the inconsistent Rams passing game from getting into any kind of rhythm necessary to match the Cardinals in points. Although Jackson comes back to the lineup this week, don’t expect him to be much of a factor. Not only will he be far from 100 percent, but the Cardinals fundamentally match up well against his style of running. The Cardinals have defended the run well all season, have always matched up better against power backs, and has shown the ability to contain Jackson in past years. Although the Rams have shown some signs of improvement on the offense of side of the ball in recent weeks, they still have a lot of holes that can be taken advantage of. Fortunately for the Cardinals, they posses the fundamentals to take advantage of such weaknesses.

Although the Cardinals have improved since Hasslet has taken over the team, it has not gone ignored by the marketplace. This makes the Rams a very dangerous team to back, as they simply lack the fundamentals to sustain the turnaround for much longer. The Cardinals offense is simply too talented for a Rams defense to contain and for a Rams offense that is still changing to match. Expect the Cardinals to win this one comfortably.

Play: Cardinals -3

For more FREE Football Picks by buffettgambler, visit our popular Football Betting forums below:

http://forums.eog.com/nfl-arena-cfl-football-betting/175948-nfl-week-9-sunday-plays.html