Arizona Cardinals (6-7 SU, 4-8-1 ATS) vs. Washington Redskins (5-8 SU, 5-8 ATS)
NFL Football Week 15
Date/Time: Sunday December 17th, 2017. 1:00PM (EST)
Where: FedEx Field Hyattsville, M.D.
TV: FOX
by Jay, NCAA Football Handicapper, Predictem.com
Point Spread: ARZ +4.5/WASH -4.5
Over/Under Total: 43.5
The Arizona Cardinals will travel into the nations capital this week for a meeting with the Washington Redskins at FedEx Field. The Cardinals scored a 12-7 victory over the Titans last week. Despite failing to reach the end zone, Phil Dawsons 4 field goals lifted the Cardinals in victory with the help of a tremendous defensive effort where Arizona held Tennessee to just 204 total yards. This week the Cardinals will get an opportunity to build on last weeks victory by facing a Redskins group that is collapsing with losses in 4 of their last 5 games.
Washington was bullied around by a superior Chargers team last week in a 30-13 outcome. The Redskins could not get anything going offensively as they ended the afternoon with just 201 total yards and quarterback Kirk Cousins passed for a season low 151 yards with 1 touchdown and 1 interception. The offensive issues have become very obvious in recent weeks as Washington was held to 14 points or less against both the Cowboys and Chargers. In general, the offense has not lived up to the expectations for the entire year and there is speculation building that Head Coach Jay Grudens job may be in jeopardy as a result.
In all fairness, the Redskins have had nearly everything go wrong this season and I am not sure how much deserves to be blamed on the coaching staff. TE Jordan Reed has not been able to stay healthy. The same can be said for former starting running back Rob Kelley. The Terrelle Pryor experiment appears to be a bust and WR Josh Doctson has not been able to fulfill expectations. Rookie running back Samaje Perine has been average at best. As a result, this offense lacks playmakers and that has put a lot of pressure on quarterback Kirk Cousins who is seemingly the only bright spot on the team. Shamefully, Chris Thompson has been the biggest playmaker for the offense as a passing threat out of the backfield which speaks volumes about the Redskins lack of playmakers.
Therefore, it is not hard to see why Washington has struggled so much this season and in recent weeks. Luckily for this weeks matchup with Arizona, there is the hope that Washington can play better at home and the Cardinals have not exactly been lighting up the scoreboard due to their own offensive struggles. The Cardinals have been snake bitten with injuries this year. They lost running back David Johnson at the start of the year and then quarterback Carson Palmer went down with a broken arm against the Rams in London. In recent weeks, the Cardinals have turned to Blaine Gabbert under center but he has thrown for just 897 yards with 6 touchdowns and 5 picks in his 4 games as a starter.
Running back Adrian Peterson has missed the last two weeks with an injury and there have been other notable losses as well along the offensive and defensive fronts. Offensively, the Cardinals have only scored 1 touchdown in the last 8 quarters. Therefore, they are in a similar position as Washington in terms of momentum, confidence, and injuries. I truly do not see much changing this week and the total of 43.5 is probably a tad bit higher than I would have predicted because I expect the defenses to control the game. From a prediction standpoint, I am leaning with the better quarterback in Kirk Cousins. Despite the struggles, Cousins is still a top tier quarterback that can find open receivers. I know the road losses in the last two weeks have been tough to watch but the Redskins have performed much better at home this year at FedEx Field. In each game Cousins has been held to less than 250 yards passing, he has bounced back with 300 yard outings in 3 of the 4 games afterwards while throwing for 9 touchdowns and 3 picks. I am not sure if he will hit the 300 yard mark this week but I do expect a bounceback.
Jay’s Pick to Cover the Point Spread: The Cardinals are just 1-5 ATS in the last 6 games on the road which plays into my belief that Washington will bounce back with the better quarterback under center. I would consider a play on the under 43.5 and take the Redskins -4.5. – If you went to the store and two of the same exact product were sitting side by side; One for $105.00 and one for $110.00, which would you buy? THE CHEAPER ONE OF COURSE! So why are you still betting at -110 odds when you could be betting at -105? Dump your overpriced bookie TODAY and start enjoying the benefits of discounted odds at the web’s BEST sportsbook: 5Dimes!
