Cardinals at Lions: Preview, prediction, odds and pick

The Detroit Lions will play host to the Arizona Cardinals in a matchup of two NFC teams looking to be playoff contenders in 2017.

The Arizona Cardinals are out to prove that last season was just a bump in the road, as they travel to Detroit to take on the Lions in Week 1 on Sunday. This offseason, there were plenty of questions surrounding the Cardinals franchise, including whether or not quarterback Carson Palmer would be back for another run. He is back, as is veteran wideout Larry Fitzgerald, so the Cardinals have to be a contender in the NFC in 2017.

On the other sideline will stand a Lions team that made the playoffs last season as a Wildcard team. Quarterback Matthew Stafford was rewarded for his monster season in 2016 when the team made him the highest-paid player in NFL history this offseason. He has a nice collection of weapons to go to again in 2017, and should continue to put up prolific numbers this season.

For the Cardinals, they will have to find a way to stop Stafford and company, who love to put the ball in the air. Luckily for Arizona, they have a pretty solid secondary, including star safety Tyrann Mathieu. The chess match between Stafford and the Cardinals defensive backs is going to be a good one to watch, and it could prove to be the deciding factor inside Ford Field.

Both of these teams should be in playoff contention, and the Lions actually dominanted the NFC North for much of last season. The Seattle Seahawks look to be the class of the NFC West, but the Cardinals should not be overlooked in that division. This could be a possible Wildcard matchup come playoff time, so make sure to keep an eye on this one on Sunday.

Odds

Line: Arizona (-2.0)

Over/Under: 48.0

The Cardinals head into the week as a two-point favorite against the Lions, despite playing a playoff team on the road. This line and over/under has changed a bit over the past week or so, so head on over to sportsbookreview.com for any changes up until kickoff.

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Prediction

The Cardinals are going to be fired up after missing the playoffs only a year after making the NFC Championship Game. They have all of their veterans back for another run, and playing a playoff team from last season will be a nice test early. They lost the close ones on too many occasions last season, but that won’t happen to them in Week 1 on Sunday.

Final Score: Cardinals 28, Lions 24