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Cardinals vs. Raiders Prediction, Odds, Spread and Over/Under for NFL Week 2 (Arizona's Defense Raises Red Flags)

By Iain MacMillan

Sep 11, 2022; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Arizona Cardinals injured defensive end J.J. Watt watches the
Sep 11, 2022; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Arizona Cardinals injured defensive end J.J. Watt watches the / Rob Schumacher/The Republic / USA TODAY
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The Arizona Cardinals and Las Vegas Raiders meet in Week 2 action after both teams suffered disappointing losses in Week 1.

The Cardinals were completely dismantled by the Kansas City Chiefs, losing 44-21. Patrick Mahomes looked like he was playing against a college team, completing 30-of-39 passes for 360 yards and five touchdowns, while Kyler Murray struggled until he was able to put up some garbage time points late in the game.

Meanwhile, the Raiders lost a heartbreaker to the Los Angeles Chargers by a final score of 24-19. They had a chance late to score a go-ahead touchdown, but Derek Carr's third interceptions of the day ended up being the Raiders demise.

Let's take a look at the odds via FanDuel for this Week 2 interconference matchup.

Cardinals vs. Raiders Odds, Spread, and Total

Cardinals vs. Raiders Betting Trends

  • Raiders are 4-1 ATS in their last five games vs. Cardinals.
  • Cardinals are 0-5 straight up in last five games vs. AFC West opponents.
  • Cardinals are 11-4 ATS in last 15 Week 2 games.
  • The OVER is 12-5 in the Raiders' last 17 home games.
  • Raiders are 4-1 ATS in their last five Week 2 games.

Cardinals vs. Raiders Prediction and Pick

Despite the Raiders loss to the Chargers, I was overall impressed with their performance. They gained 5.7 yards per play, compared to the Chargers at 5.5. They also gained 4.9 yards per carry throughout the games.

If Derek Carr hadn't thrown the three interceptions, Las Vegas could be carrying a 1-0 record into Week 2. His offensive line will also need to step things up, as they allowed six sacks in the opening game.

My biggest concern in this matchup is the Cardinals defense. They were arguably the worst defense in the NFL last week, allowing a disgusting 7.4 yards per play against the Chiefs. Sure, it's Patrick Mahomes they were playing against, but those numbers are unacceptable for a 2021 playoff squad.

I saw a lot more promise in the Raiders than the Cardinals, so I'm going to back them to win and cover in Week 2.

You can track Iain's bets on Betstamp here.

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