The Arizona Cardinals head to New England to take on the Patriots following a down game for their elite offense. The Patriots (4-6 SU, 4-6 ATS) come into the week after a brutal loss to the Texans that all but sealed the fate of Bill Belichick’s team. The Patriots will most likely miss the playoffs for the first time since 2008.
- Date/Time: November 29, 1 p.m. ET
- Stadium: Gillette Stadium
- TV Coverage: CBS
- Sportsbook Odds: Cardinals -2 | O/U 48.5 (Line History)
- Cardinals vs Patriots Matchup Report
Sportsbook Odds Analysis
The game opened with the Cardinals (6-4 SU, 5-5 ATS) as favorites at -2 and the line has moved a half-point across the board with the Cards now favored at -2.5. The total opened at 48.5 and has moved down slightly to 48 across the board.
Arizona News & Notes
Last time out, Kyler Murray and the Arizona Cardinals fell flat on Thursday Night Football against one of the worst defenses in the league. The usually high-powered Cards were held to 21 points by Seattle, were unable to run the ball effectively and Murray seemed to be favoring his throwing shoulder at times throughout the night.
If healthy, there is no reason not to expect Murray to get back on his MVP pace this week. Murray is 11th in the league in both rushing and pass yards and has been almost unstoppable on a weekly basis. The Cardinals offense as a whole is first in total yards and seventh in points.
The Arizona defense has certainly been the weak spot for the team, but it does only rank 13th in points allowed despite ranking in the bottom half of the league against both the run and pass.
New England News & Notes
NFL fans are not accustomed to a New England team playing as poorly as it has in recent weeks. But it has been a struggle for Cam Newton and the Pats this year, particularly through the air.
The offense is based around the run game and the team is second in the league in rush attempts and fourth in yards, but the team’s pass-game struggles (27th in yards, last in touchdowns) have led to a 26th-ranked scoring offense.
The lack of pass-game weapons is a big reason for Newton’s struggles. Julian Edelman has not played since Week 7, leaving undrafted journeyman Damiere Byrd and second-year undrafted project Jakobi Meyers as the team’s top options. Both have had a big game or two this season, but the pair have combined for one touchdown and neither should be the focal point in any offense.
Betting Pick: Cardinals -2.5
The weather in New England can be an equalizer, but we would not be surprised to see this line grow in Arizona’s favor as the week goes on. The Cardinals enter the game having not played since last Thursday and present similar problems for the Pats defense that Deshaun Watson and the Texans did in their Week 11 win over New England.
- New England is 2-5 ATS in its last 7 games.
- Arizona is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games after a loss.
- The total has gone UNDER in 5 of New England’s last 7 games.
