NFL Week 10: Bills vs. Cardinals odds, preview and pick
Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen (17) rolls out of the pocket. (Photo by Frank Jansky/Icon Sportswire)
November 12th, 2020
An interconference game with potentially significant playoff implications awaits NFL fans and bettors this Sunday afternoon (4:05 p.m., CBS) as the Buffalo Bills (7-2) visit the Arizona Cardinals (5-3). Will the Bills widen their lead in the AFC East, or will the Cardinals stake their claim for the NFC West crown? Here’s our betting preview.
Cardinals, Kyler Murray are for real
If the Cardinals’ offense was going to be exposed as soft, last week would have been the time as they faced the Dolphins’ No. 1-ranked scoring defense. Arizona ultimately lost that game as Miami’s Tua Tagovailoa (20-for-28, 248 yards, two touchdowns) overpowered their defense, but Kyler Murray and company held their own in a 34-31 defeat.
KYLER MURRAY 56-YARD BOMB.
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) November 8, 2020
(via @NFL)pic.twitter.com/5UCDrdUbGz
Murray arguably posted his best game of the year in Week 9 in what’s been an impressive sophomore season, as he went 21-for-26 with 283 yards and three touchdowns. He also added a season-high 106 yards on the ground (11 carries), moving him up to eighth on the 2020 rushing leaders list.
Will the Bills build on their momentum?
Buffalo is fresh off their biggest win of the season, a 44-34 home victory against the Seahawks. Josh Allen looked incredible against a porous Seattle defense, going 31-for-38 with 415 yards and three touchdowns. However, there’s a reason why the Bills were three-point underdogs heading into that matchup.
Josh Allen has been named AFC Offensive Player of the Week. pic.twitter.com/u8InsnCSwt
— Buffalo Bills PR (@BuffaloBillsPR) November 11, 2020
Buffalo had been struggling to put up points over the last month, averaging 18.8 per game against some mediocre defensive units in the Titans, Chiefs, Jets and Patriots. They went just 2-2 in that span (1-3 against the spread).
Bills and Cardinals statistics and rankings
| Team | Passing Yards | Rushing Yards | Passing Yards Allowed | Rushing Yards Allowed |
|---|
Buffalo Bills | 277.0 (7th) | 100.3 (25th) | 239.0 (15th) | 125.9 (21st) |
Arizona Cardinals | 259.1 (12th) | 162.9 (2nd) | 244.0 (19th) | 126.1 (22nd) |
Neither defense looks intimidating
The total has been bet up almost a full touchdown from the opening line of 49, and it’s not just because of who’s lining up under center.
The Cardinals are a modest 14th in yards allowed per play (5.5) in 2020. They could be forced to take the field without safety Budda Baker (groin) and cornerback Dre Kirkpatrick (thigh), neither of whom practiced in full on Wednesday.
The Bills stoppers are even worse in the yards per play department, ranking 20th (5.8). They’re also a bit banged up in the secondary, with cornerbacks Josh Norman and Tre’Davious White both making the injury report.
Trends favor the Cardinals
The Cardinals have been rewarding their backers on a regular basis of late, going 7-3-1 against the spread in their last 11 overall. The Bills, meanwhile, have failed to cover in four of their last five contests.
Predicted score: Cardinals 31, Bills 24
NFL pick: Cardinals -2
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