49ers Again Big Favorites Against Cardinals Despite Coming Off First Loss

The San Francisco 49ers (8-1) are unbeaten no more and will be hosting the Arizona Cardinals (3-6-1) on a short week Sunday as the teams meet for the second time in three games overall. The 49ers were the NFL’s last team without a loss before falling 27-24 to the Seattle Seahawks in overtime as 6.5-point home favorites on Monday Night Football.

Sportsbook Odds Analysis

The injuries are piling up for San Francisco, and viewers of the team’s loss to Seattle saw the result. The 49ers are still double-digit home favorites, but the line has dropped nearly a field goal based on that plus their close call on the road against the Cardinals on October 31. The total has also risen a couple of points, with bettors remembering that first meeting as well.

Arizona News & Notes

Arizona may not be winning a lot of games, but the team has been outstanding against the spread recently. The Cardinals have gone 5-1 ATS in their last six games, winning three of them straight up as underdogs.

Their current three-game skid has seen them play some competitive football as well, covering their last two in a pair of three-point losses. One of those was a 28-25 home loss to San Francisco as a 10-point dog, as Arizona rallied back from 14-point deficits on two occasions to beat the number.

Rookie quarterback Kyler Murray has shown just enough moxie to keep the Cardinals in games, which is all you can really ask for with a first-year player like him and a first-year head coach in Kliff Kingsbury.

San Francisco News & Notes

This appears to be an obvious letdown spot for the 49ers off their disappointing setback to the Seahawks, but it is still a divisional matchup that they cannot afford to lose.

The ending of the last meeting at Arizona showed San Francisco that this opponent should not be taken lightly, and this team must regroup quickly on short rest with several key injuries on the offensive side of the ball.

Wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders (ribs) is expected to be a game-time decision while tight end George Kittle (knee/ankle) may or may not return this week. Remember, Kittle had six catches for 79 yards and one touchdown in the first meeting against the Cardinals, and quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo has looked lost without his top target.

Betting Pick: UNDER 46

Before Arizona helped the total go OVER in the most recent meeting with San Francisco, the UNDER was on a 4-1 run in the series. Look for that trend to return in a lower-scoring affair.