In a surprising battle of undefeated, the Philadelphia Eagles visit the Arizona Cardinals Sunday in a matchup that has a surprising point spread.
Philadelphia Eagles Vs Arizona Cardinals: Betting Odds, Preview and Prediction
Michael Vick gets some fresh meat on the offensive line for Sunday’s battle with Arizona. Do the Eagles deserve to be road chalk against a 2-0 Cardinals team that has won nine of 11 games overall?
The Eagles, the luckiest 2-0 team in decades after rallying twice for 1-point victories, opened as 5.5-point road chalk back on Monday, but a steady stream of Arizona money has the line at -3 or -3.5 at most sportsbooks tracked by OddsShark.com.
The game sees former Eagle pivot Kevin Kolb faciing his old mates and sees the Eagles trying out more new faces on the offensive line, after injuries have decimated it.
”A patchwork O-Line doesn’t give many bettors a lot of comfort, especially if it means less protection for Michael Vick,” said football analysts Jack Randall of OddsShark.com. “And Arizona has quietly won nine of 11 games and have dominated the spread at home lately, going 8-3 ATS.”
Conventional football wisdom states that you can’t win games if you don’t protect the ball, but the 2012 Philadelphia Eagles don’t believe in conventional wisdom. After turning the ball over five times in a 1-point win over Cleveland in Week 1, the Eagles turned the ball over four times in a 1-point win over Baltimore last week.
Vick has thrown six interceptions on the young season, but has also led his team to wins in the final two minutes of each of their first two games. The Eagles are 2-0 SU but 0-2 ATS as a result.
Every year there is an "any given Sunday" moment that reminds NFL bettors that anything can happen, and it came early this year when the Arizona Cardinals went into New England and beat the Patriots outright as a 13-point underdog last week.
This effort came just one week after an upset win as a 2.5-point underdog at home against Seattle. Arizona’s defense has allowed just 17 points per game through these two games.
With equally improbable roads to 2-0, which of these teams will make its way to 3-0? On paper (and going on preseason expectations), Philadelphia should be able to beat the Cardinals handily. But from what we’ve seen on the field, there isn’t any reason to expect that Arizona’s defense can’t keep this one close.
In four meetings since 2005, Arizona has a 3-1 SU and ATS advantage over Philadelphia, including a 21-17 win last year in Philadelphia as a 12.5-point underdog.
Both of these teams finished last year strong (Philadelphia 4-0 SU, Arizona 5-1 SU) and have seemingly carried that momentum into 2012. At home, with the points, we like Arizona to keep this one close; even if Vick steals another game in the closing moments.
PICK: Arizona +3.5
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