Sunday, November 29, 2020, Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, Massachusetts, 1 p.m. ET
Cardinals at Patriots Betting Preview: Cardinals (-2/-110), Patriots (+2/-110)
Arizona Cardinals
All eyes will be on dual-threat quarterback Kyler Murray, who was limited in practice to begin the week after injuring his right throwing shoulder last Thursday in the Cardinals’ 28-21 loss to Seattle. There’s nothing wrong with his legs, however, as Murray has rushed for 10 touchdowns to pace Arizona’s top-ranked offense (414.3 total yards per game).
Trusted target DeAndre Hopkins (NFL-high 912 receiving yards), Christian Kirk (team-leading six receiving touchdowns) and future Hall of Famer Larry Fitzgerald provide Murray with a bevy of weapons in the passing game. Fitzgerald led the Cardinals (6-4) with eight receptions last week, however Arizona was undone by a familiar foe (penalties) after being flagged 10 times for 115 yards.
Kenyan Drake found the end zone versus the Seahawks to give him his third straight road game with a rushing touchdown. Fellow running back Chase Edmonds has a touchdown in four of his past five games on the road for the Cardinals, who boast the NFL’s second-ranked rushing attack at 157.7 yards per game.
New England Patriots
The Patriots (4-6) will go from out of the frying pan and into the fire as they attempt to subdue a dynamic quarterback for the second straight week. It didn’t go so well last Sunday in a 27-20 setback to Houston, as Deshaun Watson gashed their defense for 344 passing yards and two touchdowns.
Cam Newton erupted for 365 yards last Sunday, with Damiere Byrd reeling in six passes for a career-high 132 yards and a touchdown. Running back James White also had six receptions, however the Patriots’ fourth-ranked rushing attack (153.6 yards) was limited to just 86 yards in the defeat.
Adding injury to insult was the loss of versatile Rex Burkhead, who indicated this week that the knee injury he sustained versus the Texans will end his season. Fellow running back Damien Harris has recorded at last 50 yards from scrimmage in five straight games.
Cardinals at Patriots Betting Pick for Week 12
Limiting Murray’s ground game translates into success for opposing defenses, as the Cardinals are just 1-8-1 when the shifty quarterback has been kept under 30 rushing yards. Murray has been held under that total on two occasions this season — including just 15 yards last week versus the Seahawks.
Easier said than done, however, and the Patriots likely will find that out the hard way on Sunday.
Cardinals at Patriots Betting Pick: Cardinals 34, Patriots 20
Cardinals at Patriots Best Bet for Week 12
The Cardinals are firmly in contention in the NFC West, but their generous defense can take them out of it in a hurry if it doesn’t improve soon. Arizona has allowed an average of 31.5 points over its last four games, and that number makes the over a safe play in this one.
Cardinals at Patriots Best Bet: OVER 49.5 total points (-110)
