The New England Patriots (3-10) visit the Arizona Cardinals (6-7). After surprisingly taking over first place in the NFC West in Week 10, Arizona has lost three straight. Our Patriots vs Cardinals prediction is for underdog New England to cover the 6-point spread and for the teams to score less than 46.5 points.
Head-to-head, the Patriots have won nine of the teams’ 16 meetings.
Offshore Odds: Desperate Arizona is a 6-Point Favorite
| Team | Spread | Money Line | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Patriots | +6 (-113) | +220 | O 46.5 (-110) |
| Cardinals | -6 (-107) | -260 | U 46.5 (-110) |
New England Continues Its Rebuild and Evaluation
While there might have been a minor distraction and some chortling around the Patriots when former football czar Bill Belichick abandoned his quest to get another NFL job and accepted an offer to become head coach of the University of North Carolina, it was a brief respite from their ongoing rebuild.
Although New England has shown positive signs this season, they have lost three consecutive games after a dominating performance over the Bears. They did put up a fight in losses to the Los Angeles Rams and Indianapolis. Now, however, the focus is on looking at their roster, deciding on their needs, and preparing for the offseason and the draft.
Rookie quarterback Drake Maye is improving week-to-week. In the 25-24 loss to the Colts, he had his best completion percentage in a game this season at 80%. Indianapolis scored a touchdown and a two-point conversion with 12 seconds remaining.
The Patriots can play the spoiler. After Arizona, they play Buffalo, the LA Chargers, and Buffalo again. Undoubtedly, head coach Jerod Mayo will emphasize the importance of playing hard for the sanctity of the playoff chase.
Arizona’s Season is on the Brink
After its Week 10 blowout win over the Jets, Arizona had taken over first place in the NFC West. The next three games were expected to be determinative in its season. They lost all three — two to Seattle and one to Minnesota.
Their playoff hopes are hanging by a thread. They are two full games behind first-place Seattle and have lost both head-to-head games with them. They are 1.5 games behind the streaking LA Rams.
On a positive note, their next two games are against the Patriots and Carolina. After that, they play divisional foes Los Angeles and the 49ers. The 49ers will likely be eliminated by Week 18 and have nothing to play for.
Quarterback Kyler Murray has thrown five interceptions in the three-game losing streak. Run defense is a Patriots’ weakness and against New England, Arizona must run the ball with James Conner. Murray needs to keep the ball out of the opposing defense’s hands.
Patriots vs Cardinals Prediction: Expect an Arizona Win in a Close Game
Arizona has played close games all season and this matchup will not be any different. New England will keep it within six points. It will also be low-scoring with the teams accumulating fewer than 46.5 points.
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