NFL Week 16 2021: 3 teams on upset alert this weekend

1. NFL teams on upset alert in Week 16 – Arizona Cardinals

Life can come at you fast in the NFL and the Arizona Cardinals have learned this lesson the hard way. Just two weeks ago, Arizona was in the driver’s seat for home-field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs but a pair of losses now leave the Cardinals fighting to maintain their NFC West lead.

Sunday’s loss to the Detroit Lions was awful as the Cardinals didn’t look ready to play against a team that entered the contest 1-11-1. Detroit dominated the game throughout despite missing multiple offensive weapons, a concerning sign for an Arizona team that fancies itself a Super Bowl contender.

The Cardinals are home in Week 16 for a Christmas night showdown against the Indianapolis Colts and FanDuel has set them as two-point favorites. The fact that the line is this close is a big reflection in both the Cardinals’ recent struggles and how hot the Colts have been after a 1-4 start.

Indianapolis has ripped off seven wins in its past nine games on the strength of MVP candidate Jonathan Taylor, who could take advantage of an Arizona run defense that rates in the middle of the pack. This is the kind of game that the Cardinals could lose and fall into a Wild Card spot, which could be the difference between advancing in January and losing on Super Wild Card Weekend.