The Carolina Panthers are 0-3 SU and ATS over their last three playoff games. The Panthers host the Arizona Cardinals on Saturday at Bank of America Stadium in a 4:35 p.m. ET kickoff on Wild Card Weekend.
Cardinals vs. Panthers: Odds, spread, Wild Card betting preview and prediction
Carolina favored over Arizona despite finishing regular season with an under .500 record.
Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports
Carolina is a 5.5-point favorite, according to sportsbooks monitored by OddsShark.com. While the Panthers are a solid favorite at home, Arizona's defense is good enough to keep the game close as a 5.5-point underdog -- and the computer thinks they can win outright.
OddsShark Computer Prediction: Arizona 18.1, Carolina 17.2
At 7-8-1 SU and 8-8 ATS, the Carolina Panthers don't have the record of a standard playoff team or division winner. But the Panthers have been playing like one of late, winning each of their last four games including two divisional road blowouts in a 41-10 win over New Orleans and a 34-3 win over Atlanta. After struggling on defense through most of the season, the Panthers have allowed only 10.8 points per game over their current 4-0 SU and 2-2 ATS stretch. Carolina is just 1-3 ATS in its last four games at home.
Led by a shutdown defense and the play of Carson Palmer, the Cardinals emerged as one of the NFL's top teams this season with a 9-1 SU and 8-2 ATS record through their first 10 games. But injuries to both Palmer and backup Drew Stanton have caused Arizona's offense to stall down the stretch leading to a 2-4 SU and 3-3 ATS finish. With both quarterbacks still out with injuries, Ryan Lindley will be under center again this Saturday. Arizona enters this game with a 2-12 SU and 5-9 ATS record in its last 14 games against NFC South opponents, according to the OddsShark NFL Database.
Saturday's total is set at 38 points at the sportsbooks. The UNDER is 6-2-1 in Arizona's last nine road games and 5-0 in Carolina's last five home games.
All signs point to a low-scoring game in this one. With both defenses playing well and neither offense possessing much explosiveness, points should be hard to come by on Saturday. As a result, the Cardinals getting 5.5 points should possess good value as this game could end up being a close one to the end.
