San Francisco 49ers vs Arizona Cardinals Predictions: Nov 7

San Francisco 49ers vs Arizona Cardinals Betting Preview

WagerTalk NFL handicapper Tony Finn offers his San Francisco 49ers vs Arizona Cardinals NFL Week 9 betting preview. At the time of posting, the 49ers are a 2-point home favorite over the Arizona Cardinals in this NFC West clash, with the total sitting at 45 points.

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San Francisco 49ers vs Arizona Cardinals Predictions

San Francisco 49ers -2 vs Arizona Cardinals
Total: 45 Points
The Cardinals have been underdogs of 1.5 points or more three times this season and have covered the spread in each of those three games.
Arizona is 4-0 straight-up and against the spread on the road this season, while San Francisco is 0-4 straight-up and against the spread at home this season.

The Cardinals returned to a full practice on Wednesday after their four-day break. Following a 24-21 home loss to the shorthanded Green Bay Packers Cards’ head coach Kliff Kingsbury spoke to the media about the injury issues his team would likely face in Sunday’s road game against the San Francisco 49ers inside Levi Stadium. The uncertainty of quarterback Kyler Murray and COVID issues with the Arizona roster has resulted in the game handicap flipping script. Arizona opened as 1.5-point road favorites at Circa of Las Vegas. At the time this game preview went to press, the home team 49ers were 2-point home chalk.

“I think for all the reasons they’ve been able to stay in the present and go week to week, a setback like this is something that just motivates this group,” Kingsbury told the Phoenix media Friday morning following the Cardinals’ first loss of the season. “I can tell you today in meetings they’re ready to get back out there. If they could play on Sunday, they would.

The Cardinals returned to a full practice on Wednesday after their four-day break, but they were far from full strength on the field. Arizona will get a chance to redeem themselves on Sunday to improve to 5-0 on the road this Sunday against a 49ers team that is essentially in a must-win event.

The competitive NFC West finds Arizona and the Los Angeles Rams tied atop the division with 7-1 records. The Cardinals hold the tiebreaker by virtue of having beaten Los Angeles in the first of two head-to-head matchups in Week 4.

The 49ers are bunched with a handful of NFC franchises with records 4-4 and 3-4 heading into the second half of the 2021-22 regular-season schedule. So if the Niners have aspirations of being a part of the 2022 postseason slate, a victory over the injury-riddled Arizona group isn’t just the right time; it figures to be one of the team’s final times to stay in touch with those chasing the wild card spots.

Arizona could be without their starting quarterback and top pass-catcher on Sunday. QB Kyler Murray did not practice on Wednesday or Thursday with an ankle injury, and wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins sat out with a hamstring strain. The availability of the Cardinals’ top offensive players is likely to be game-time-decision for Sunday’s game.

Hopkins played limited minutes during the first, third, and fourth quarters against Green Bay.

“We’re still working through that. Not sure if he will be ready to go this week or not,” Kingsbury told reporters about Hopkins’ status for Sunday’s game following Thursday’s practice session. “With D-Hop, you never know. He may grab his helmet and just run in there out of the training room. We’ll see.”

Wide receiver A.J. Green and tight end Demetrius Harris have not practiced this week as both were placed on the Reserve/COVID-19 list. The offensive line continues to regain its health and season-opening responsibilities. The Cardinals center Rodney Hudson has been designated to active duty with a return to the team from IR and assigned offensive lineman Koda Martin and tight end Ross Travis, to the team roster from the practice squad.

The Cardinals have ruled out defensive lineman J.J. Watt because of a serious shoulder injury. In addition, RB Chase Edmonds (shoulder) logged a limited practice Thursday. The Cardinals on Tuesday also signed defensive lineman Matt Dickerson and linebacker Tahir Whitehead to the practice squad.

San Francisco tight end George Kittle went through a full practice on Thursday and is expected to be activated off injured reserve.

“I love football,” Kittle told the media following Thursday’s practice. “Playing football is really fun. And I’ve missed all of my friends.”

Kittle was placed on injured reserve before the 49ers’ Week 5 game against the Cardinals due to a calf injury.

The 49ers won’t have the services of free safety Jimmie Ward, who missed his second day of practice with a quad injury. In addition, Jaquiski Tartt has been ruled out, leaving the 49ers with little choice other than to start veteran Tavon Wilson and rookie Talanoa Hufanga at the safety positions.

The 49ers’ leading receiver, Deebo Samuel, returned to a limited practice on Thursday with a calf injury. In addition, DL Dee Ford (back), RB Elijah Mitchell (rib), WR Deebo Samuel, T Trent Williams (ankle), and LB Marcell Harris (thumb) were all limited or full participants in Thursday’s practice.

With Murray behind center, the Cardinals have been an offensive force through the first half of the season. Arizona ranks fourth overall in total defense, allowing 198.9 yards per game. Without Murray, the coaching staff will turn to backup QB Colt McCoy. The veteran signal-caller has completed 600 of 989 passes for 6,455 yards and 30 touchdowns against 28 interceptions in his NFL career. His last start came for the Giants on December 20 in a 20-6 loss to the Browns.

Injuries to Murray, Hopkins, Edwards, and more won’t allow the Cardinals to build on a record-setting offensive pace. Nevertheless, Kingsbury’s crew will hope to resume chasing single-season franchise records for most points (523), most passing touchdowns (36), most rushing touchdowns (25), total touchdowns (63), total yards (6,692), and most first downs (389) in the Week 10 matchup versus the Carolina Panthers in Glendale.

With the offense having personnel concerns at nearly every position on offense, the defense will be asked to perform above and beyond their typical bend but don’t break role. The Cardinals sit atop of the league in forced fumbles (12), third-down percentage (30.85), fourth-down percentage (30.0), and goal-to-goal TD rate (44.44). The Cardinals have also allowed the second-fewest points (123), the second-fewest yards per pass play (5.85).

The run defense is Arizona’s Achilles allowing 120.1 yards per game.

The 49ers’ 17-10 loss to the Cardinals in Week 5 is a pace and score that could be repeated on Sunday. However, the game doesn’t have the dynamics of being a high-scoring affair. Rookie backup quarterback Trey Lance started for the 49ers in that Week 5 loss in Arizona.

The core of players that led the team to a perfect 7-0 start to the season is a M.A.S.H. unit. However, the Cardinals could be without their playmaker at quarterback, two of their top three receivers, their No. #1` running back, and defensively won’t have All-Pro J.J. Watt.

On Monday, when accessing the injuries and expected lineups for Sunday’s game, this author’s advice would have been to take the home squad and the points. Today, the advice is the same, save getting points, as those who push across the counter to support coach Shanahan’s 49ers on Sunday will be giving.

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San Francisco 49ers vs Arizona Cardinals Analysis from The GoldSheet

Arizona and QB Kyler Murray have a few extra days to mull over their late meltdown against Green Bay on Thursday. Murray could use the time to heal the ankle he sprained late in the fourth quarter against the Packers, and clearly his availability or lack thereof will color both the line and any feelings on the game. The first meeting between these two, back on Oct. 10, Murray definitely tipped the scales in favor of Arizona, completing 22-of-31 passes for 239 yards with a TD and zero interceptions. San Francisco has only covered one of the last eight meetings in this series, with the last three going under the totals.

San Francisco 49ers vs Arizona Cardinals Video Preview

Trey Lance was at the helm when San Francisco traveled to Arizona last month. Will the 49ers have better success in the rematch with Jimmy G under center? WagerTalk NFL handicappers Kelly Stewart, Drew Martin and Steve Merril offer their San Francisco 49ers vs Arizona Cardinals NFC West preview.

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