The Arizona Cardinals have only been under .500 once in the past five seasons but the oddsmakers believe a rebuilding year is on the horizon. The team’s coach, Bruce Arians, and its quarterback, Carson Palmer, both retired in January which has ushered in a new era.
Panthers defensive coordinator Steve Wilks was hired to be the new head coach while Sam Bradford was added in free agency to take over at quarterback. The Cardinals also drafted Josh Rosen in the first round as he is the heir apparent and could take the field sometime this year.
It is hard to know exactly how competitive the Cardinals will be this season but they have a tough schedule and the projections aren’t expecting much in NFL betting.
Arizona Cardinals Opening Futures Odds at BookMaker.eu
Cardinals Over 6 Wins -124
Cardinals Under 6 Wins +103
2018 Cardinals Offense Preview
The Cardinals have a pair of stars leading the way on offense. Star running back David Johnson returns to the fold after missing all but one game last season with a dislocated wrist, while Larry Fitzgerald is still among the league’s best receivers even at 35 years old.
Bradford has dealt with myriad knee injuries throughout his career and played in only two games a year ago because of more issues. He is healthy right now but it’s unknown how he can last before hitting the shelf. Keep an eye on Rosen’s progress because he could be needed to take over the reins at some point in the season.
2018 Cardinals Defense Preview
The team should be led by its defense, which has quietly been one of the more effective groups in the NFL the past few years. The Cardinals released safety Tyrann Mathieu in the offseason but still boast Pro Bowl cornerback Patrick Peterson and reigning NFL sack leader Chandler Jones to lead the way. Safety Budda Baker is a burgeoning star while safety Tre Boston was signed right before training camp to solidify the back end. Wilks has switched the base defense from a 3-4 to a 4-3 but the league has moved to nickel formations so often that it shouldn’t make a huge difference.
The Cardinals’ defense has talent at all three levels and should keep the team in the majority of games even if the offense runs into some turbulence. It will likely need to create turnovers and give the offense some short fields on a consistent basis in order for some wins to compound.
2018 Arizona Cardinals Schedule Analysis
The Cardinals have one of the more challenging schedules in the NFL. It starts favorably with three of the first four at home, with each of those games -- against the Redskins, Bears and Seahawks -- winnable. After that the competition level ramps up.
The second half of the year is particularly formidable. It includes road games against the Kansas City Chiefs, Los Angeles Chargers, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings and the Seattle Seahawks. The Cardinals need to start fast in order to have a shot at surpassing six wins on the year.
The Final Verdict
The Cardinals are better defensively than they are given credit for, and Johnson is such an elite back that he can keep the chains moving almost by himself. The health of Bradford is huge, but the reality is that he will likely be shelved at some point in the season
Rosen has talent but playing this type of schedule is a lot to ask. The Cardinals could finish near .500 if Bradford manages to stay healthy but the knee problems are too hard to ignore. It should be close, but the choice is the “under” as the offense may have trouble putting up points consistently in NFL gambling.
NFL Odds: Arizona Cardinals Under 6 Wins ( +103)
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