Detroit Lions vs Arizona Cardinals 9/8/19 NFL Odds and Betting Preview

The Detroit Lions play the Arizona Cardinals at the State Farm Stadium on September 8, 2019, in Week 1 of the NFL’s 2019-20 season.

The Lions ranked in the top 10 in almost every statistical category on the defensive side of the floor. Because of that, the Lions should be defensively fine at the very least and very good if they can keep up with what they did last year. Detroit lost DE Ziggy Ansah, S Glover Quinn, and CB Nevin Lawson but add DE Trey Flowers and CB Justin Coleman, As for the offense, their success largely depends on how the team absorbs offensive coordinator Darren Bevell’s new schemes. Bevell is expected to run the ball more this coming season and probably lean on the Tight End position. If Matthew Stafford does have a bounce-back year and the defense can continue to play the way it did during the second half of last season, this Detroit Lions squad is good enough to compete in the NFC North.

The Arizona Cardinals hired a new coach in Kliff Kingsbury and they gave him full support by drafting the guy that he always wanted to run his team. The Cardinals picked Oklahoma  State’s Kyler Murray with the #1 overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, taking the quarterback over a handful of prospects who were supposed to be picked ahead of him. However, there are plenty of questions surrounding this team. Kingsbury has a sub-.500 record in the Big 1. Murray has all the credentials but he is undersized in the NFL and the offensive line that is tasked to protect him this coming season allowed 50 sacks last season. The offensive talent around Murray isn’t impressive although they have added Andy Isabella and Hakeem Butler. Their defense ranked 20th last season and has a new coordinator.

Who Wins?

The Lions are 3-7 SU in their last 10 games played. Detroit is 2-3 SU in their last five games played on the road. The Cardinals are 2-8 SU in their last 10 games played. Arizona is 1-4 SU in their last five games played at home. Head to head, the Cardinals are 7-3 SU in their last 10 games against the Lions but Detroit has won two out of the last three meetings between these two teams.

Detroit is 4-10 SU in their last 10 games against the NFC West and is 1-4 SU in their last five games played in September. Arizona is 1-4 SU in their last five games against opponents from the NFC Conference.

The Kyler Murray pick surely injected some hope to the Cardinals. But it’s still shaping up to be a long season for them. On the other hand, the Detroit Lions aren’t considered among the elites but they have a line-up that can compete with the best. The Lions have excellent defense and should give Murray problems all night long given the deficiencies of Arizona’s offensive line. On offense, Stafford should be able to produce enough scoring to give the NFL betting favorites Lions a win in Week 1. I like the road team to win here. I’m picking the Detroit Lions to beat the Arizona Cardinals on 9/8/19.

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Other Bets To Make

The Lions are 4-6 ATS in their last 10 games played. They are 3-2 ATS in their last five games played on the road. The Cardinals are also 4-6 ATS in their last 10 games played and Arizona is 1-4 ATS in their last five games played at home. Head to head, Arizona is 6-4 ATS in the last 10 games between these two teams. The Cardinals are also 8-1 ATS in their last nine home games against the Lions.

The trends point to Arizona here but the Lions are 2-1 ATS in their last three meetings and Detroit has outscored Arizona by 0.33 point per game in their last three meetings with Detroit winning the last two meetings between these two teams by 14 and 12 points. I like Kyler Murray in college but I’m not sure how he does in a league where size is a premium. Prediction: Lions -2.5

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The under is 9-1 in the Lions’ last 10 games played. The total has gone under in four out of the last five road games played by Detroit. The under is 9-7 in the 16 games played by the Cardinals last season. The total has gone under in six out of the eight home games played by the Cardinals last season. Head to head, the over is 6-4 in the last 10 head to head meetings between these two teams,

The under is 6-0 in the Lions’ last six games against the NFC conference. The total has gone under in six out of the last nine games of Arizona against opponents from the NFC North Division. The under is also 6-0 in the Cardinals’ last six September games. I’m not confident with Arizona’s offense even with Kyler Murray around. Not only is Murray undersized but the Arizona offensive line allowed 50 sacks last season. Murray also doesn’t have enough weapons around him to make him shine. On the other hand, I’m not convinced with Detroit’s offense as well but they have the kind of defense that can carry the team to victory. Detroit stops Arizona’s offense here. Prediction: Under 48

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