Arizona Cardinals vs Buffalo Bills Betting Pick & Prediction 9/8/24
The over/under line is set at 48 points as the Bills host the Cardinals at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park, NY. The Bills are favored on the money line at -271, and the point spread favors the Bills by -6. Kickoff is at 1:00 ET on Sunday, September 8th, with the game being televised on CBS. This is the first game of the season for both teams.
ARIZONA CARDINALS VS BUFFALO BILLS BETTING PICK
The Pick: Arizona Cardinals +6
This game will be played at Highmark Stadium at 1:00 ET on Sunday, September 8th.
WHY BET THE ARIZONA CARDINALS:
- We have the Cardinals winning this one by a score of 25 to 22
- Not only do we have the Cardinals winning straight-up, we have them covering the spread at +6
- We see this game finishing below the line of 48 points
Will The Cardinals Pull Off An Upset As Road Underdogs
The Cardinals’ disappointing 2023 season included just four wins, as they went 4-13 overall. Within the NFC West, they were winless at 0-6, finishing at the bottom of the division. Arizona’s only wins came in non-conference games, where they went 1-4. On the road, they were 2-7, and at home, they were 2-6.
As underdogs in every game, the Cardinals were 9-8 against the spread, including a 5-3 mark as home underdogs and 4-5 when favored at home. Their over/under record was 10-7, with the average over/under line in their games at 43.9. Their games averaged 46.2 combined points. Arizona went 3-10 against teams with winning records and 1-3 against teams with losing records.
Arizona’s offense struggled last season, finishing 24th in the league with 19.4 points per game. They were also 24th in the passing game, averaging just 184.9 yards per game. The Cardinals were more successful on the ground, ranking 3rd in rushing yards per game with 139.1. However, their 32.6% red zone conversion rate was one of the worst in the league, ranking 10th from the bottom.
Overall, the Cardinals averaged 324.1 yards per game, ranking 19th in the league. They also finished 17th in passing yards per attempt and 12th in third down conversion percentage. Arizona will look to improve their passing attack this season, as they had the 2nd highest rushing yards per attempt in the league last year.
Arizona’s defense really struggled at home last season, giving up 29.8 points per game. Overall, they allowed 26.8 points per game, ranking 31st in the league, just ahead of the Falcons. The Cardinals finished the season as the 32nd ranked defense, and they struggled to pressure the quarterback, finishing near the bottom in both sacks and quarterback hits.
Opposing quarterbacks had a collective passer rating of 101 against the Cardinals, putting them 31st in that category. Additionally, opponents converted on 47.3% of their third down attempts, which was 27th compared to other defenses.
Are The Bills Going To Defend Home Field Advantage?
The Cardinals’ 2023 season was a tough one, as they won just four games, going 4-13 overall. They didn’t win a single game within their division, going 0-6 in the NFC West, which put them in 4th place. Arizona struggled against teams with winning records, going 3-10, but they did manage a winning record of 3-1 against teams with losing records. Their ATS record for the season was 9-8.
As underdogs in every game, the Cardinals were 5-3 vs. the spread at home and 4-5 on the road. Their over/under record was 10-7, with their games averaging 46.2 points per game.
Arizona’s passing game struggled last season, finishing 26th in passing yards at just 184.9 yards per game. They were also 24th in the league in scoring, averaging 19.4 points per game, and 24th in our offensive power rankings. The Cardinals were more successful in the running game, averaging 139.1 rushing yards per game, the 3rd best in the league, and 5.0 yards per attempt, the 2nd best in the league.
Overall, the Cardinals averaged 324.1 yards per game, ranking 19th in the league. They also ranked 12th in third down conversion percentage, moving the chains on 39.1% of their third downs.
Arizona’s defense struggled to get to the quarterback last season, finishing 19th in sacks and 25th in quarterback hits. Overall, they were the 32nd-ranked defense in the NFL, giving up 26.8 points per game, which was 31st in the league. Their struggles were particularly evident at home, where they allowed 29.8 points per game.
The Cardinals gave up 355.7 yards per game, ranking 25th in the league. Opposing offenses consistently attacked them through the air, as they had the 3rd-fewest passing attempts against in the league, but still managed to allow the 8th most passing yards.