Get a $500 Bonus on a $500 Deposit at BetUS!

San Francisco 49ers at Arizona Cardinals NFL Picks & Predictions

Written by Jimmy Boyd

49ers cards 91009 The San Francisco 49ers head to the desert to take on the defending NFC champion Arizona Cardinals in a Week 1 NFC West division showdown this Sunday afternoon at University of Phoenix Stadium. The 49ers have looked like a completely different team since Mike Singletary took over, playing well down the home stretch last season and finishing 3-1 in the preseason. The Cardinals clearly had nothing to prove during the preseason and finished 0-4. These two division rivals last met in Week 10 a year ago with the Cardinals winning a 29-24 thriller. These teams know each other well with 35 meetings all-time. The 49ers own a 19-16 advantage in the series, but the Cardinals have won six of the last eight. NFL lines makers have listed the Arizona Cardinals as 6.5-point favorites with the total set at 46.

Looking for a place to bet your NFL picks? Sign up for a new account at Sportsbook.com to do your NFL betting and get a 100% bonus on your first winning wager!

You have to like Arizona’s chances heading into this one when you consider that quarterback Kurt Warner is 9-1 in his career against San Francisco. While Anquan Boldin could miss the game with a hamstring injury, the 49ers will still have their hands full with All-Pro wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald. Fitzgerald was a beast in last year’s playoffs, hauling in 30 passes for 546 yards and seven scores in just four games. For this offense to remain one of the most feared in the NFL, it must be on the same page with its new offensive coordinator. Todd Haley’s wizardry of the offense earned him a head coaching gig and now head coach Ken Whisenhunt is expected to handle the play calling – something that is very difficult to do as a head man who must oversee everything. But if Warner doesn’t like a play that’s been called, he’s one of the best at calling his own at the line of scrimmage. If you think Arizona will continue its success against San Francisco and cover the number in the process, bet the Cardinals at -6.5 at Sportsbook.com.

The 49ers appear very focused and ready to challenge Arizona for the NFC West title this season. Whether they will be able to get the job done will likely have a lot to do with the performance of starting QB Shaun Hill. Hill has played well for the Niners when called upon, but this year, for the first time in his career, he enters the season as a starter and gets the pressure of the expectations that come with it. Luckily, he will have plenty of help with talented playmakers Isaac Bruce, Vernon Davis, and Frank Gore surrounding him. Gore will be the focal point of the offense, but Bruce still appears to have some mileage left on his legs and Davis has been a beast for the 49ers since being called out by Singletary last season. Defensively, it will be very important that the Cardinals are able to put some heat on Warner. I know he’s good under pressure, but he’s even better when he can sit back there and pick you apart. The road team is a perfect 7-0 against the spread in the last seven meetings in this series so if that’s enough proof for you, bet the 49ers at +6.5 at Sportsbook.com.

*Note: Jimmy Boyd’s expert football picks are up and ready for both the NFL and college football this weekend. Don’t miss his 5* Week 1 NFL Best Bet Blowout of his Bears/Packers Sunday Night Football Smash.

If you liked this article, you may also be interested in: