San Francisco 49ers vs Arizona Cardinals Betting Pick & Prediction 1/5/25
The 49ers and Cardinals will face off on Sunday, January 5th at 4:25 ET on FOX. The Cardinals are favored at -207 on the money line and -4 on the point spread. This week 18 NFC West matchup has an over/under line set at 42.5 points. The game is being played at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, AZ.
SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS VS ARIZONA CARDINALS BETTING PICK
The Pick: San Francisco 49ers +4
This game will be played at State Farm Stadium at 4:25 ET on Sunday, January 5th.
WHY BET THE SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS:
- We have the Cardinals winning this one by a score of 20 to 19
- Even though we like the Cardinals to win, our ATS pick is to take the 49ers at +4
- We see this game finishing below the line of 42.5 points
Will The 49ers Pull Off An Upset As Road Underdogs
With a 6-10 record, the 49ers have dropped three straight games, including a 40-34 loss to the Lions in week 17. San Francisco was unable to take advantage of being at home, and they also failed to cover as 3.5-point underdogs. The combined scoring of 74 points easily surpassed the 50-point line, marking the 49ers’ second straight over.
Heading into week 18, the 49ers rank 8th in our power rankings despite having a -1.5 scoring margin. They are 5-11 against the spread and have lost three straight ATS. San Francisco has a 0.0% chance of making the playoffs or winning the NFC West.
Heading into week 18, the 49ers are 12th in our offensive power rankings, averaging 22.8 points per game, which ranks 13th in the NFL. They are 5th in the league in yards per game (372.6) and 4th in passing yards per game (246), despite being 24th in passing attempts. On the ground, San Francisco ranks 14th in rushing attempts and 11th in rushing yards per game (126.6). They are 9th in the NFL in 3rd-down conversions, with a 42.9% success rate, and 23rd in red zone conversion percentage.
Brock Purdy threw for 377 yards and 3 touchdowns in week 17, completing 27 of 35 passes, but he also had 2 interceptions. Ricky Pearsall led the team with 8 catches for 141 yards and a touchdown, while Isaac Guerendo had 34 rushing yards on 9 carries. San Francisco scored on all 5 of their red zone trips and converted 62.5% of their 3rd-down attempts against the Lions.
In the 49ers’ 40-34 loss to the Lions, their defense allowed 287 passing yards on 26 completions. The 49ers gave up three passing touchdowns and allowed the Lions to complete 76.5% of their passes. On the ground, the 49ers allowed 152 rushing yards on 33 attempts, with Detroit averaging 4.6 yards per attempt. San Francisco also struggled on third downs, allowing the Lions to convert 64.3% of their third down attempts. The 49ers did have two sacks in the game.
Are The Cardinals Going To Defend Home Field Advantage?
Heading into week 18 with a 7-9 record, the Cardinals are 15th in our power rankings and have a -0.1 scoring margin. They have lost two straight, including a 36-30 loss to the Panthers in week 16 and a 13-9 loss to the Rams in week 17. Arizona was a 6.5-point underdog against LA but managed to cover the spread despite the loss.
With no playoff chances, the Cardinals will look to end the season on a high note when they host the 49ers in week 18. Arizona is 10-6 against the spread this year, including a 7-2 record as an underdog. Their O/U record is 7-8-1, with their games averaging 44.2 points compared to a 46.8-point line.
Heading into week 18, the Cardinals sit 14th in our offensive power rankings. They are 15th in the NFL in scoring, averaging 22.1 points per game, and 11th in total offense with 356.1 yards per game. Arizona has leaned on the run game, ranking 7th in rushing yards per game (143.8) on 27.2 attempts per contest. On 3rd down, they are converting 43.4% of the time, which is 7th-best in the league.
In week 17, Kyler Murray threw for 321 yards on 33/48 passing, with 1 touchdown and 2 interceptions in a loss to the Rams. He was sacked 4 times. Trey McBride led the team with 12 catches for 123 yards, while Michael Carter had 70 rushing yards on 13 carries. Arizona struggled to score, managing only 9 points, all in the second half.
In their 13-9 loss to the Rams, the Cardinals’ defense held the Rams to just 3.1 yards per attempt on 22 rushes, totaling 68 yards. Arizona also limited the Rams to 189 passing yards on 17 completions, with a 53.1% completion percentage. However, they were unable to record any sacks and lost the quarterback hit differential by -4.
The Cardinals’ defense was solid on third downs, allowing the Rams to convert just 40% of their third down attempts. Despite this, the Cardinals’ offense struggled, and the team as a whole was unable to come out with a win.