TNF: Cardinals vs Saints Prediction and Game Thread

Thursday Night Football, Week 7. Tonight the Arizona Cardinals host the New Orleans Saints in an NFC showdown. The Cardinals are 2.5 point favorites at home according to DraftKings Sportsbook.

These two teams have both struggled this season. The 2-4 Cardinals have lost three of their last four games, including an ugly 19 - 9 loss to the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday. The Cardinals’ defense has for the most part been solid, surrendering 20 points or less in each of their last four games, but the offense has not kept its end of the bargain, scoring 17 points or less in three of the last four games. Quarterback Kyler Murray has not looked good this year, putting up career lows of an 82 passer rating and a 47 QBR thus far this season. It’s difficult to win in this league when the quarterback is underwhelming. Throw in a negative turnover differential and the result is a 2-4 record for a team thought to be a playoff contender coming into this season.

The 2-4 Saints have struggled just as much as the Cardinals. The Saints have dropped four of their last five games. Unlike the Cardinals’, the Saints’ primary problem has been on defense, where they have surrendered 28 or more points in each of their last three games. The Saints have had one of the most productive running attacks in the NFL this season, and their passing attack has been adequate. But the defense hasn’t been able to stop opponents, and, like the Cardinals, the Saints have been on the short end of the turnover differential.

In what shapes up on paper as yet another Thursday Night game between two bad teams with limited appeal, somebody has to come out on top (unless, of course, the game ends in a tie). I’m taking the Cardinals at home against the Saints. The Cardinals have lost all three games they have played at home this year; now is as good a time as any to get in the home win column.

I have submitted my pick using the widget from our partners at Tallysight. You can follow all my picks throughout the season, as I prove for another season how I’m not made to be a gambler. Seriously, I cannot stress enough how bad an idea it would be to bet real money based on my picks. Don’t do it. Don’t even consider it. Make your own picks, and good luck. And if you do bet, consider using our friends at DraftKings Sportsbook.