NFL picks and predictions 2014: 49ers vs. Cardinals
Experts pick the 49ers to bounce back with a key divisional win against the Cardinals.
The Cardinals have taken an early lead in the competitive NFC West with wins over the Chargers and Giants, the latter coming on the road and without Carson Palmer. Beating the 49ers on Sunday will be a much more difficult task. Not only will they be forced to go with backup quarterback Drew Stanton again, but they'll also be without the services of running back Jonathan Dwyer, who has been deactivated following his arrest on aggravated assault charges.
The 49ers suffered a brutal home loss to the Bears last week and need a win on Sunday to get back in the division race. If history is any indication, this is a favorable matchup for San Francisco. The 49ers have won nine of 10 games against the Cardinals since 2009, with an average margin of victory of nearly two touchdowns per game. The only win by the Cardinals in that span was a 21-19 decision at home in Week 14 of 2011.
The experts at CBS Sports give a slight edge to the 49ers, with five of the nine picking them on the road. ESPN's experts favor the 49ers by a 10-3 margin, while the experts at Yahoo! Sports are split on the matchup.
SB Nation’s experts, however, barely give the Cardinals a chance at home, with six of the seven picking San Francisco to win.
| Week 3 | Ryan Van Bibber | Stephen White | Joel Thorman | David Fucillo | Danny Kelly | PFT Commenter | Matt Ufford |
| SF vs. ARZ | SF | SF | ARZ | SF | SF | SF | SF |
The 49ers are slight 2.5-point favorites to win on the road, according to OddsShark.
You can find all of SB Nation's Week 3 picks here.
