Arizona at Miami Spread, Betting Pick & TV Info

The Arizona Cardinals will be essentially eliminated from the NFC playoff chase with a loss on Sunday at Miami, while the Dolphins’ hopes for an AFC wild-card spot would take a big hit with their second straight loss. But Miami is short favorite on NFL odds.

Arizona at Miami Spread, Betting Pick & TV Info

We’re holding opposing QBs to a 76.6 passer rating this season. That’s third-best in the @NFL. pic.twitter.com/1Qv7y07dWq

— Arizona Cardinals (@AZCardinals) December 7, 2016

When: Sunday, Dec. 11, 1 PM ET Where: Hard Rock Stadium, Miami TV: Fox Radio: Arizona / Miami Stream Option: NFL Live Opening NFL Lines: Dolphins -1 (43.5)

Why Bet on Arizona?

The Cards (5-6- 1) beat Washington 31-23 last week. Carson Palmer threw for 300 yards and three touchdowns and David Johnson scored twice. Washington drove to the Arizona 28-yard line before Patrick Peterson’s interception of Kirk Cousins’ pass with 41 seconds left sealed the victory. Palmer hooked up with Johnson on a 25-yard score to give the Cardinals the lead for good, and he found J.J. Nelson on a 42-yard bomb which put the game away. Palmer now has multiple touchdowns in four of his last five games, and he has topped 300 yards in three of those contests. Cards WR Larry Fitzgerald, who is tied for the NFL lead with 88 receptions, had 10 catches for 78 yards in the Cardinals’ win. Fitzgerald has 1,106 career receptions and surpassed Pro Football Hall of Famers Marvin Harrison (1,102) and Cris Carter (1,101) for the third-most catches all-time. Since entering the NFL in 2015, Arizona’s Johnson leads the league with 28 total touchdowns, including 19 rushing touchdowns, eight receiving scores and a kickoff-return TD. With a rushing touchdown at Miami on Sunday, Johnson would join Hall of Famer Gale Sayers as the only players in NFL history with 20+ rushing touchdowns, 5+ receiving touchdowns and a kickoff-return touchdown in their first two seasons. Johnson has recorded at least 100 scrimmage yards in each of the Cardinals’ 12 games this season. With 100 scrimmage yards on Sunday, he would tie Edgerrin James (13 in 2005) for the longest streak of consecutive games with 100 scrimmage yards to begin a season in NFL history. The Cardinals will try to limit John Brown to 20 weekly snaps as they work to figure out his sickle-cell issues. Brown played 21-of- 76 snaps against the Redskins, failing to corral his lone target. The Cardinals have had a difficult time getting to the bottom of Brown’s problems with his sickle-cell trait. Arizona signed tackle Ulrick John to their 53-man roster on Oct. 8, poaching him from the Miami practice squad. That depth at tackle that came in handy when left tackle Jared Veldheer was put on injured reserve on Nov. 1 with a triceps injury. Now the two teams meet on Sunday with John as the Cardinals’ starting right tackle.

Why Bet on Miami?

The Dolphins (7-5) saw their six-game winning streak end last week in a 38-6 loss at Baltimore. The Ravens built a 24-0 halftime lead behind the league’s second-ranked defense. Miami didn’t score until Ryan Tannehill threw a touchdown pass in the fourth quarter following a fumble recovery that started the drive at the Baltimore 8. Tannehill went 29 for 40 for 226 yards and three interceptions. He was picked off only once during Miami’s six-game streak. Miami wide receiver Jarvis Landry had 11 receptions for 87 yards in the Dolphins’ loss at Baltimore. Landry, who is in his third NFL season, has 269 career receptions, the most through a player’s first three seasons. New York Giants wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr., who is also in his third season, ranks second with 262 career receptions. Jay Ajayi collected 61 yards on 12 carries and caught six-of- seven targets for 26 yards in the Dolphins’ loss to the Ravens. Ajayi had a strong first half, turning eight carries into 43 yards. The Dolphins stopped running the ball in the second half but Ajayi stayed active by catching five passes after halftime. Dolphins MLB Kiko Alonso has undergone surgery for a broken thumb, but could continue playing. Coach Adam Gase wasn't clear if he meant Alonso could return this week, or this season. Alonso played through the injury on Sunday. But the team is taking it slow with Alonso. According to Gase, the team is more concerned about Alonso’s hamstring than his surgically repaired thumb, which has a cast on it. A big part of Alonso’s game is his mobility and speed to make sideline-to- sideline plays. Alonso was noticeably a step slow in that department last week. Second-year pro Mike Hull will step in at middle linebacker if Alonso can’t go. Hull had a brief span on defense last week against the Ravens. Alonso injured his thumb in the first half and didn’t return until the third quarter. Hull filled in and finished with five tackles.

Arizona at Miami Betting Pick: Arizona Cardinals

Dolphins are 3-13 ATS in their last 16 games in December. Cardinals are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games in December. Take the Cardinals and the under on NFL odds.