Cardinals vs. Seahawks: NFL Week 11 betting odds, preview, and pick

Arizona will look to stay atop the NFC West on Sunday when the Cardinals travel to Seattle for a divisional matchup with the Seahawks.

Let's examine this matchup, beginning with the latest betting odds.

Cardinals are navigating a growing injury list

Having missed the last two games, Arizona quarterback Kyler Murray will likely be another game-time decision on Sunday. The Cardinals won their first game without him, but the offense sputtered heavily in their 34-10 defeat to the Panthers this weekend. Backup quarterback Colt McCoy got the start, but threw for just 107 yards and an interception before leaving the game with a chest injury in the third quarter. McCoy is expected to go should Murray not be ready, although reports state they are looking to add another quarterback.

Arizona gained just 169 yards of total offense, a far cry from 375 yards per game they have averaged this season, and earned just 11 first downs. Murray was just one of the multiple starters missing from the game on Sunday on the offensive side of the ball. Star wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins, also a question mark for this weekend, missed the contest with a hamstring issue, while running back Chase Edmonds missed the game after being put on injured reserve following an injury in the San Francisco game. To make matters worse, starting offensive linemen Justin Pugh and Max Garcia were also out.

The struggles of the offense also came in the form of turnovers, with a fumble on the third play of the game giving the Panthers a short field. Carolina got short fields and capitalized on their first two drives, quickly putting Arizona’s defense, ranked fourth-best in the NFL in total yards, in a tough situation. They did not give up any big plays in the passing game, but their run defense was again exposed as the Panthers gained 166 yards on 37 rushing attempts.

Seahawks may need miracle to make playoffs

The Seahawks now sit at 3-6 on the season, and their hopes that Russell Wilson’s return would inject some life into the team were utterly dashed in their 17-0 defeat to Green Bay last weekend. Their first shutout in more than 10 years saw Wilson throw two interceptions in the end zone, and sent them to their fourth defeat in five games.

Wilson’s return from an injury to his throwing hand was a rough one, throwing for 161 yards and the two interceptions while barely completing half of his 40 passing attempts. Wide receivers DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett were essentially no-shows, gaining just 49 receiving yards combined. The offense now ranks third-worst in the league in total yardage, and just 22nd in the NFL in points per contest. To make matters worse, left tackle Duane Brown suffered a hip strain in the loss, and could be hindered this week against a dominant Cardinal pass rush.

Seattle almost has to win this game to have any hope of competing for a playoff spot. A defeat would push the Seahawks to 3-7, with just five games remaining on their schedule that they would likely be favored in. A return to action from Chris Carson would be a big boost, as his absence due to a neck injury has seen their run game now averaging less than 100 yards per game. He would also be able to help take advantage of the poor Arizona run defense, and would give Seattle a solid one-two punch with Alex Collins.

Cardinals and Seahawks Betting Trends

• Arizona is 18-7-3 ATS in its last 28 road games
• The Under is 10-3 in Arizona’s last 13 games on the road
• Arizona has covered the spread in five of its last six games in Seattle
• Seattle is 1-3 SU in its last four home games
• The Under is 15-3 in Seattle’s last 18 games
• The total has topped 49 points just four times in Arizona and Seattle's combined 18 games this season

Keep an eye on the injury reports

Without knowing what the status of Murray or Hopkins are, it is very difficult to predict how Arizona will play this weekend. Their status needs to be monitored leading up to the game, and any news could significantly alter the lines for the contest. Closing line value could be huge in this game, so if you see news or you have a strong feeling either way, timing your bet is key this week.

As for a pick, the one area I am confident in is that this will be a low-scoring contest. Six of Arizona’s last eight games have failed to reach the project total for this contest, while Seattle’s nine games have seen that number hit just once. Additionally, there are strong multi-season trends for the Under for Arizona road games and Seattle home tilts. Even if Murray is healthy, he will not be at 100 percent, and Wilson showed last week that he clearly isn’t.

This matchup features the top-ranked scoring offense in the NFL with Arizona, but the seventh-best scoring defense in Seattle, while the Cardinals rank one spot behind. The 12th Man should give the home team an extra boost on defense, and should Murray be held out—a likely possibility given their bye next week—it will help given the lack of mobility for McCoy. Take the Under, which continues to slowly go down, and pair it with the Arizona team total Under for a Same Game Combo after Green Bay failed to top 20 points at home last week.

Score prediction: Arizona 24, Seattle 20

NFL Week 11 PICK: UNDER 49.5 (-113)

SAME GAME COMBO: UNDER 49.5/ARIZONA Team Total Under 25.5 (+140)

CARDINALS VS. SEAHAWKS pick powered by The Quant Edge

Our predictive engine is calling for the Seahawks to cover the spread and for the final score to go Over the projected total.