Atlanta Falcons at Arizona Cardinals NFL Odds & Predictions

Written by Jimmy Boyd on January 1, 2009

falcons-cardinals

The Arizona Cardinals are making their first playoff appearance in 10 years and they have veteran QB Kurt Warner to thank. The Falcons have rebounded from a miserable 2007 season thanks to rookie QB Matt Ryan. The two will battle it out on Saturday January 3rd in the first game of Wild Card weekend. The Atlanta Falcons are listed as 2-point favorites with the total set at 51.

Warner is a former two-time league MVP, winning the award in 1999 and 2001. He also took home Super Bowl MVP honors after leading the St. Louis Rams to the title following the 1999 season. Warner has regained that form in 2008. Warner has lost the starting QB job four times with three teams since earning his second MVP award. He’s been benched twice during his stint with Arizona only to come through with a remarkable season. What is more impressive than Warner’s personal numbers is that he has guided this franchise to just its second playoff appearance since 1982 and its first since 1998. The Cards held the longest playoff drought in the NFL heading into this season. Its division championship was the franchise’s firs in 33 years. Warner started 16 games for the first time since 2001, finishing second in the league in passing yards with 4,583, completions with 401, and completion percentage at 67.1, and third with a franchise-record 30 touchdowns. Warner also became just the fourth QB in league history to pass for more than 4,500 yards in multiple seasons. If you like Warner to lead Arizona to a wild card win, bet the Cardinals at +2 at BetUS and receive up to 145% in sign up bonuses.

The Cardinals will have their work cut out for themselves up against Warner’s counterpart Matt Ryan. The AP named Ryan the NFL’s Offensive Rookie of the Year. Ryan was taken third overall in last April’s draft. He threw for 3,440 yards and 16 touchdowns while helping Atlanta achieve a 11-5 record. Winning seven more games than they did in 2007, the Falcons matched their biggest turnaround in team history.

Ryan has not been a one man show as the Falcons have one of the more balanced offenses in the league. Running back Michael Turner was among the best backs in the NFL this season. He finished second in the league with 1,699 rushing yards and 17 touchdowns to earn his first Pro Bowl invitation in his first season as a starter. Turner has previously spent his first four seasons backing up LaDainian Tomlinson in San Diego. If you like Atlanta’s balanced offense attack to get the job done, bet the Falcons at -2 at BetUS.

Arizona’s rushing offense finished dead last this season, averaging only 73.6 yards per game. Atlanta averaged 152.7 yards per game on the ground. But Arizona was able to make up for its lack of a running attack with the most dynamic passing offense in the NFL. Receivers Larry Fitzgerald (1,431), Anquan Boldin (1,038) and Steve Breaston (1,006) became just the fifth trio of teammates to ever go over the 1,000-yard receiving mark in the same season.

While Arizona was a perfect 6-0 against the NFC West, it was just 3-7 against the rest of its opponents. The Cards also lost four of five games before capping the regular season with a 34-21 win over lowly Seattle on Sunday. Its late season struggles certainly don’t look good but the Cards really didn’t have anything to play for having clinched its division early. Arizona is 6-2 at home this season and should be confident playing in front of its home crowd.

Atlanta finished the year strong, winning seven of its last nine regular season games, including their last three. But the Falcons have not had much success against the Cards with just a 1-5 all-time record.

Make sure you’re doing your NFL betting on Jimmy Boyd’s NFL picks for the most winners against the NFL odds this postseason.

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