Are the Cardinals a Safe NFL Odds Pick Against the Colts in Week 2?

Carson Palmer and the Arizona Cardinals will look to rebound from their humbling Week 1 loss when they visit the Indianapolis Colts for a Week 2 matchup that has all sorts of ‘drama’ surrounding it. For Arizona, they’ll be without their best player for a while with gifted running back David Johnson on the shelf for weeks with an injured wrist. For Indianapolis, they’re turning to recently acquired second- year signal-caller Jacoby Brissett after veteran backup Scott Tolzien looked completely pitiful in his brief Week 1 stint as Indy’s starter. The NFL odds are currently favoring betting on the Cardinals to beat the Colts on Sunday.

Arizona at Indianapolis Week 2 NFL Odds, Betting Preview & Prediction

“We’ve got quality guys on our team. It’s an opportunity for someone on our team to step up.”#CardsDailyhttps://t.co/nLtO1vRVCz

— Arizona Cardinals (@AZCardinals) September 12, 2017

When: Sunday, September 17, 2017 at 1:00 PM ET Where: Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, Indiana TV: FOX Radio: Arizona Sports 620 AM (Arizona) / 107.5 FM The Fan (Indianapolis) Live Stream: NFL Live NFL Odds: Indianapolis +7.5 / Total: 44.5

NFL Odds & Predictions for Every Game in Week 2

Why Bet the Arizona Cardinals at -7.5?

The Cardinals fell apart late in their 35-23 Week 1 loss against Detroit by allowing Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford to throw four touchdown passes in the loss while getting outscored 20-6 in the final quarter. The worst part about the defeat was the loss of Pro Bowl running back David Johnson who had to leave the game late in the third quarter with a wrist injury after getting limited to just 23 rushing yards on 11 carries, although he did add six receptions for 68 yards. Veteran quarterback Carson Palmer continued the struggles that plagued him last season by completing just 27 of 48 passing for 269 yards and one touchdown, but a trio of costly interceptions, one of which Lions cornerback Justin Bethel returned 82 yards for a touchdown. “I just didn’t do a good enough job,” he said. “I put that solely on myself. I’m disappointed in myself. I just felt like had I made a handful of throws, we would have been in a different position.” Arizona led 17-9 lead with 5:37 left in the third quarter but got outscored 26-6 from that point on. “I’m extremely confident,” Arians said. “Especially with where Carson is [but] more because I feel good about our protection and the rest of the guys.”

Team Statistics

Offense:

• Average Score For: 23
• Total Yards: 309
• Rush Yards: 45
• Passing Yards: 264

Defense:

• Average Score Against: 35
• Total Yards: 367
• Rush Yards: 82
• Passing Yards: 285

Why Bet the Indianapolis Colts at +7.5?

The Indianapolis Colts – and more specifically, backup quarterback Scott Tolzien – looked completely abysmal in their shocking 46-9 blowout loss against the revitalized Los Angeles Rams on Sunday while never coming close to covering the spread as a 3.5-point road underdog. With starting quarterback Andrew Luck out indefinitely with an ailing shoulder, Tolzien completed 9 of 18 passes for 128 yards, but tossed two costly pick-six interceptions that the Colts could never bounce back from before being benched in favor of Jacoby Brissett, who should start in this Week 2 affair. “Two pick-sixes; you’re not going to win many games in the NFL doing that,” Tolzien said. “It’s a team effort, but I certainly want to own this one and put it on me. You always feel guilty when you let your team down, and we’ve got a lot to improve on. Starting with me.” “It’s something that we’ll discuss later tonight and tomorrow as we game plan,” Pagano said of a potential change at quarterback. Defensively, Indianapolis also allowed Rams quarterback Jared Goff to complete 21 of 29 passes for 306 yards and one touchdown in the humbling defeat. Still, all anyone could talk about after their week 1 loss was how poor Tolzien looked.

Team Statistics

Offense:

• Average Score For: 9
• Total Yards: 225
• Rush Yards: 75
• Passing Yards: 150

Defense:

• Average Score Against: 46
• Total Yards: 373
• Rush Yards: 63
• Passing Yards: 310

Series History

• Total Meetings: 16
• First Meeting: October 2nd, 1950. Comiskey Park. Chicago, Illinois
• Last Meeting: November 24th, 2013. University of Phoenix Stadium. Glendale, Arizona
• All-Time Series: Tied 8-8-0
• Largest Margin of Victory: Arizona 55-13 (1950)
• Longest Win Streak: Indianapolis 4 (1992-2009)
• Current Win Streak: Arizona 1 (2013)

NFL Odds Trends for Week 2

• Arizona is 3-8 ATS in the last 11 games
• Arizona is 2-5 SU in the  last 7 games on the road
• The total went OVER in 5 of Arizona’s last 5 games
• Indianapolis is 1-4 ATS in the last 5 games
• Indianapolis is 1-4 ATS in the last 5 games at home
• The total went UNDER in 5 of Indianapolis’s last 5 games at home

Expert Analysis and NFL Odds Prediction

Even without David Johnson, I really like Carson Palmer and the Arizona Cardinals to get the job done despite being on the road. The Cardinals are a perfect 6-0 ATS in their last half-dozen Week 2 games and a bankroll-boosting 13-3 ATS in their last 16 road games against a team with a losing home record. On the flip side of the coin, the Colts are just 1-4 ATS in their last 5 home games and 1-6 ATS in their last 7 games in the month of September. While it would be smart for the Colts to turn to Jacoby Brissett for the foreseeable future until Andrew Luck returns, I don’t see any way the young signal-caller leads Indianapolis to the upset win or ATS cover, even at home. Back the Arizona Cardinals to get it done! NFL Odds Pick: Arizona -7.5