NFL Football Betting: Carolina Panthers at Arizona Cardinals

By BetOnline September 19, 2019

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The Carolina Panthers could not have started this season any worse than they have as they’ve lost their first two games and now might have to play their Week 3 contest without starting quarterback Cam Newton. Meanwhile, the early reports out of Arizona have been positive, evening though they have yet to win a game. Are the Cardinals getting disrespected here, being a home dog to an 0-2 team that might potentially be led by Kyle Allen?

CAROLINA PANTHERS AT ARIZONA CARDINALS
NFL ODDS: PANTHERS -2.5
NFL TOTAL: 46.5

WHY THE PANTHERS WILL COVER THE SPREAD

The Panthers’ best argument for this game is that their opponent is bound to continue to struggle. Kyler Murray might one day become a great NFL quarterback, but he is far from that standard right now. Murray was dreadful in the first half of the Week 1 game against the Detroit Lions and that continued in Week 2 against the Baltimore Ravens. He has a 60.9 quarterback rating in first halves this season. Murray is going through a necessary and unavoidable learning process, but learning lessons one week does not mean he will successfully apply those lessons the next week.

Carolina’s defense is not the problem with the Panthers as through two games, they held Jared Goff of the Los Angeles Rams under 200 yards passing in Week 1 and limited the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to a modest 20 points in Week 2 while scoring a safety. Carolina will have the better defense on the field on Sunday and if Christian McCaffrey can carry the offense for a day, they can eke out their first win.

WHY THE CARDINALS WILL COVER THE SPREAD

The Panthers’ offense is a total mess. Cam Newton is a mess, too, and it looks like Kyle Allen might be the starting quarterback. If Newton plays, it’s worth noting that nothing about him looks right. He isn’t healthy as a foot injury has derailed his technique and passes. If he can’t play, Arizona will be likely to win. Even if Newton does play, though, he will not be close to effective.

As for the Cardinals offense, Murray has struggled in first halves but he’s been scintillating in second halves. He’s compiled a 103.3 rating in second halves while completing 61.9% of his passes. He’s had back-to-back 300+ yard passing games. If the Cardinals can start better, they’ll have a chance to win against a Panthers team that simply isn’t very good right now.

TAKING A LOOK AT THE TOTAL

The Newton situation seems to point this game towards an under. Carolina’s last game involved 34 points and Arizona’s last game landed on 40 points. Keep an eye on the Allen situation as if he starts, the total should tank. In any case, it should be closer to 40 than 50, but at 46, this looks like an under game.