San Francisco’s offense is now in the hands of Blaine Gabbert, and he hopes for better results against Arizona than his predecessor Colin Kaepernick had in Week 2. The Cards routed the Niners 47-7 in that game with two pick-sixes. The Niners are pathetic on the road, but have at least been competitive at home with all three wins coming at Levi’s Stadium.
NFL Odds at BookMaker.eu
Arizona Cardinals -10
San Francisco 49ers +10
Over/Under 45
ODDS ANALYSIS
Arizona is in unfamiliar territory as 10-point chalk. The Cardinals have only been favored by more than a touchdown on the road four times since 1980. Arizona is a hot over team playing above the final total eight times in 10 games. All three of San Francisco’s wins have come at home and the Niners are 3-2 ATS at Levi’s Stadium.
KEY INJURIES
Patrick Peterson – Suffered an ankle injury late in the fourth quarter last week and is questionable to play on Sunday. Jerraud Powers and Justin Bethel will step into the cornerback spot if Peterson can’t go.
Frostee Rucker – The depth of Arizona’s defensive line could be an issue with Rucker and Cory Redding not practicing this week and questionable to play on Sunday. The Cards have three healthy defensive tackles in Calais Campbell, Rodney Gunter and Xavier Williams.
Glenn Dorsey – San Francisco’s defensive lineman went down on Seattle’s first play from scrimmage with a torn ACL and is done for the year, dealing a big blow to the Niners defense. Tony Jerod-Eddie is next up on the Niners’ depth chart.
KEY MISMATCH
Two weeks ago, the Cardinals scored 39 points against the Seahawks, the NFL’s second-ranked defense in terms of scoring at the time. Last Sunday, they scored 34 against the Bengals, who were ranked No. 1. Still, coach Bruce Arians isn’t happy. The offense was shaky in the first half last week, scoring only one touchdown. Quarterback Carson Palmer had two passes intercepted and the run game was stifled. The Cardinals exploded for three touchdowns in the third quarter and held on for the win. Arians wants more consistency from his offense, but that seems to be greedy. The Cards scored four touchdowns in each of the last two games while starting 20 of 26 possessions in their own territory and the Cards lead the NFL in scoring and total offense. While some defenses, even the best in the league, can slow them down, it’s very difficult to keep the Cardinals off the board for an entire game.
KEY STAT
62.79 – Arizona’s red zone touchdown percentage to rank eighth in the NFL. The Niners are 25th in the NFL allowing opponents to score a touchdown 62.5 percent of the time inside the 20.
BETTING ANGLE
The Cardinals have lost six straight road games against the Niners, but the most recent was a 20-17 loss Dec. 28 in which Palmer did not play. They lost their previous five visits by a combined 144-56 score and haven’t won a road game in the series since a 23-13 victory Sept. 7, 2008. “They’re still the Niners. It would mean a lot to this franchise,” linebacker Kevin Minter said. Arizona is 4-1 SU and ATS on the road this season, and has won two of the past three overall meetings, including a 47-7 Week 3 decision in Glendale. The Niners are a different team in their yard going 3-2 SU and ATS at Levi’s Stadium.
ANALYSIS AND ODDS PREDICTION
The Niners have looked a bit better offensively with Gabbert at quarterback, but they are still pathetic on that side of the football. The defense has had its moments, but not enough to prevent the Niners from being one of the worst in the league. The loss of Dorsey opened the door for the Seahawks to run for 255 yards with backup Thomas Rawls getting 209 on his own, and SF never really threatened. The Cards keep coming at you with a balanced offensive attack and Palmer is having a career year. The score may be close through the first half simply because the Niners play a much better brand of football at home. But the Cardinals are a stronger second half-team, with Palmer owning a 124.0 passer rating after the break, and that’s not good for the Niners. The Cards will take control in the third quarter and roll to an easy cover win.
Arizona 28, San Francisco 12
Load your betting bankroll from your smartphone or tablet with BookMaker’s new cashier feature! Depositing and withdrawing funds from your account has never been easier. BookMaker's live betting platform means you always have access to odds and lines to every sporting event. Click here and start wagering today! The game between the Arizona Cardinals and San Francisco 49ers is scheduled for Sunday, November 29, 2015, at 4:05 p.m. ET at Levi’s Stadium. The contest will be broadcast regionally on FOX.
