Monday Night Football – Cardinals Look For Revenge
The Arizona Cardinals have a division title on the line when they head to San Francisco on Monday night, but there is a little extra incentive that they aren’t being so vocal about.
In Week 1, the Cardinals hosted the San Francisco 49ers and they eventually lost that game because of a shoddy overall team effort.
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Time: 8:30 ET
Venue: Candlestick Park
Cards vs. 49ers Monday Night Football Lines
MoneyLine: Cardinals -210 / 49ers +170
Spread: Cardinals -3.5
Over/Under: 45
They feel like they have changed completely since then and this game on Monday Night Football will serve as a barometer for just how much they’ve changed. Expect a very focused effort from them as they aim to prove themselves nationally.
Cardinals offense vs 49ers defense
A lot has changed for the Cardinals from the first meeting between these teams. For starters, they now have a healthy Anquan Boldin, which was not the case in the first meeting.
Bolding, who has been battling some injuries all year long, had just one touchdown in his first seven games. In his last four games, he has been in Pro Bowl form with three touchdowns in those contests.
The 49ers have a very weak secondary and allow the 26th-most passing yards per game. The Cardinals should be able to exploit that matchup rather easily.
49ers offense vs Cardinals defense
The 49ers will also have a different look to their offensive roster this week as they have also made some changes from the first meeting. [soliloquy id=”82219″]
Alex Smith now runs the show at quarterback while wideout Michael Crabtree is in the starting lineup after holding out for the first part of the season.
While it’s true that Smith has provided a passing threat, there has been an ominous sign with the ground game in San Francisco. Frank Gore hast just 32 carries over his last three games with just 117 rushing yards. The 49ers need him on Monday night so that they can play keep away but considering how much they are moving away from him in recent weeks, they better be prepared to win in a shootout.
Outlook & Pick
While the 49ers will be at somewhat of an advantage playing at home this week, they also are not the same caliber team as Arizona. The Cardinals passing game is lethal and the running game has become a factor in recent weeks.
In most years, a road trip for Arizona would spell doom but this is team that has played extremely well away from home this year. Look for more of the same as they will look to prove a point to the 49ers on Monday night.
Pick: Cardinals -3.5
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Dave Golokhov has written for BETUS Sportsbook, Sportsfanmagazine.com, FOX, Askmen.com, Sports-central.org, and the FOXSports.com Funhouse.
