The San Francisco 49ers made a trade for a potential franchise quarterback on Monday, but he’s probably going to be a famous spectator in this one. Jimmy Garoppolo was acquired from the Patriots for a second-round pick right before the deadline. But it’s going to take Garappolo some time to learn the offense so it will likely be rookie Chase Beathard under center again in Week 9 against the Arizona Cardinals.
The 49ers’ fortunes look brighter but they are still sitting at 0-8 this season. However, they do have a chance to win this game against a depleted Cardinals team. Arizona lost starting quarterback Carson Palmer for eight weeks due to a fractured arm last time out and will start backup Drew Stanton.
Even so, the Cardinals will be slight road favorites as they aim to reach 4-4 with a win.
Kickoff for this regular season Week 9 game is set for Sunday, November 5, 2017, at 5:05 p.m. ET at Levi’s Stadium.
Opening NFL Odds at BookMaker.eu
Arizona Cardinals
Houston Texans
Over/Under
Odds Analysis
The spread has been taken off the board after the Garoppolo trade, but it seems like learning the playbook this quickly is too much to ask. There isn’t a lot of urgency to play him immediately. The Cardinals will likely be slight road favorites.
The scoring total could be quite low as both teams have shaky offenses and poor quarterback situations. Check back soon as the line should be figured out once there is more clarity in San Francisco.
Injury Report
Palmer- The Cardinals placed their veteran signal-caller on injured reserve, where he must stay for eight weeks. Stanton will get the first chance but Blaine Gabbert is on the roster and played well in the preseason. It wouldn’t be a surprise for Gabbert to see the field at some point this year.
Joe Staley- The 49ers’ left tackle is expected to miss this game with an eye injury. He is the team’s best offensive lineman and is a big loss. San Francisco is light on offensive lineman, which could be a big problem for their rookie quarterback.
Solomon Thomas - San Francisco's rookie defensive lineman sprained his knee and is expected to miss several weeks. Thomas avoided a more serious injury but he will miss this game. He was the third overall pick and had five tackles and a sack in the first matchup against the Cardinals.
Revenge Angle
This game brings up a similar scenario to last season. Back then, Palmer was sidelined with a concussion, which forced Stanton into action in his stead. It was a shaky first half for Stanton but he threw a couple of touchdown passes as the Cardinals cruised to a 33-21 win in San Francisco.
The Cardinals relied a lot on star running back David Johnson to win that game, but he won’t play in this one due to a dislocated wrist. Adrian Peterson was added to the backfield via trade and has looked good, and the Cardinals will aim to ride him.
The 49ers would love to get revenge for that game and for the one earlier this season. They took the lead in overtime in Arizona, but Larry Fitzgerald caught a game-winning touchdown as the Cardinals escaped. San Francisco has been in a lot of close games this season and would love to finally get over the top in this one.
Free ATS Pick
The 49ers’ home field advantage isn’t much of one because the crowds are sparse. The offenses will be ugly, but the Cardinals have the better defense. Stanton won’t be great but he should take care of the ball better than Beathard.
Take the Cardinals to win this one behind a strong defensive performance.
NFL Odds: Cardinals 23, 49ers 13
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