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Both looking to stay out of the NFC West basement, the Arizona Cardinals and San Francisco 49ers meet Thursday night for a prime-time battle at Levi’s Stadium.
Here’s a complete look at all the betting info you need to know, as well as a prediction for the outcome of the Week 5 opener:
Cardinals vs. 49ers Week 5 Betting Info
Note: All odds and numbers courtesy of OddsShark.com and are updated as of October 6
Spread: Cardinals (-3)
Betting Percentages: 58 percent on ARI (-3)
Over/Under: 42
Betting Percentages: 60 percent on Under 42
Season in Review: Cardinals: 1-3 Overall, 1-3 ATS; 49ers: 1-3 Overall, 1-3 ATS
Prediction
Back when the NFL schedule was released in April, there probably weren’t a lot of people who looked at this Week 5 matchup and guessed both teams would enter with the same record.
But here we are.
The ‘Niners being 1-3 isn’t so surprising, but the Cardinals, who were a game away from the Super Bowl last year, have been one of the major disappointments of the season. And now they’ll be without starting quarterback Carson Palmer (concussion), which historically hasn’t been good for them:
Since 2013, Cardinals 30-12 when Carson Palmer starts, averaging 26.5 ppg. When he doesn’t start, they are 5-5, averaging 15.5 ppg.
Still, two of Arizona’s losses have come by a combined six points, so it’s not as if they’re getting blown out of the water. They’ve been in position to beat both the Patriots and Rams, but a missed field goal (vs. New England) and costly late turnovers (vs. Los Angeles) have them sitting at the bottom of the NFC West.
Ultimately, even with Drew Stanton under center, the Cardinals have more talent on both sides of the ball. Offensively, they can lean on David Johnson–something they couldn’t do when Palmer missed time in 2014–against a 49ers front seven that has been gashed by Christine Michael and Ezekiel Elliott the last two weeks. Defensively, they are still elite, ranking sixth in Football Outsiders’ defensive efficiency ratings.
With his back against the wall, Bruce Arians will get it done on a short week.
Prediction: Cardinals 27, 49ers 17(Cardinals against the spread, Over 42)