The Arizona Cardinals are heading to Carolina to take on the Panthers this weekend! Arizona is coming off a double-digit win last week against the New England Patriots 30-17. On the flip side, Carolina is looking to bounce back from their loss to the Dallas Cowboys last week 30-14.
If the Cardinals want to keep up with the Los Angeles Rams and Seattle Seahawks for the division, this is a must-win game. Will the Carolina Panthers play spoiler and pull off the upset or will the Arizona Cardinals improve their record to 8-7 on the season? Let’s jump straight into it and cook up a winning slip!
Arizona Cardinals vs. Carolina Panthers Odds
| Team | Spread | Total | Money Line |
| Arizona Cardinals | -4.5 (-105) | Over 46.5 (-115) | -210 |
| Carolina Panthers | +4.5 (-115) | Under 46.5 (-105) | +176 |
| **Odds Subject to Change** | |||
Arizona Cardinals vs. Carolina Panthers Match Details
- Fixture: Arizona Cardinals @ Carolina Panthers
- Date and Time: December 22nd, 2024 @ 1 PM EST
Key Stats
Arizona Cardinals
The Arizona Cardinals are coming off a big win last week against the New England Patriots, 30-17. Kyler Murray was efficient by completing 23 of 39 passes for 224 yards. James Conner dominated in the win. Conner finished with 138 yards from scrimmage, 110 rushing, 28 receiving, and 2 rushing touchdowns.
Trey McBride led the team with 87 yards rushing on 9 catches. This offense tallied almost 400 yards of offense, 395. If the Cardinals can be anywhere near the 10/15 they were on third down last week, they have the firepower to be an above-average offense. Especially with how physical James Conner can be.
The Cardinals’ defense has been solid this season. They are ranked 10th in points allowed per game, 18th in passing yards allowed per game, 18th in rushing yards allowed per game,9th in offensive touchdowns allowed, 13th in sacks, and 21st in takeaways per game. In terms of injuries, the Arizona Cardinals are one of the healthier teams in the NFL.
Mack Wilson Sr. is questionable with a concussion. Budda Baker is having a great season. He should be considered for DPOY. He is 3rd in the NFL in tackles per game and 2nd in solo tackles per game. He is the heartbeat of a defense that will be the key to the Cardinals’ success.
Carolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers are coming off a double-digit loss at home last week against the Dallas Cowboys, 30-14. Bryce Young had a bad game. He completed 19 of 28 passes for 219 yards, a touchdown, and 2 interceptions. He also had 2 fumbles that they lost. Jalen Coker had the best game of his career with 4 catches for 110 yards and a touchdown.
Chuba Hubbard carried the ball 10 times for 32 yards in the loss. Adam Thielen caught 5 passes for 51 yards. Despite the bad season, there are pieces to this offense that could be interesting for next season.
The Panthers have been one of the worst defensive teams in the NFL. They are 32nd in points allowed per game, 12th in passing yards allowed per game, 32nd in rushing yards allowed per game, 31st in offensive touchdowns allowed, 29th in sacks, and 21st in takeaways per game. In terms of injuries, this is a relatively healthy team.
There aren’t many bright sides to this team this season. The Carolina Panthers are a few years away from potentially being something in the NFC. Until they hit on a few draft picks, they will be one of the bottom-of-the-barrel teams in the NFC and the NFL.
Prediction
The Arizona Cardinals are going to cruise to a win against the Carolina Panthers and cover the 4.5-point spread in this game. To put it flatly, the Carolina Panthers are a bad team. They have one of, if not, the worst defenses in the NFL. Arizona is in a must-win game if they want to keep up with the Rams and Seahawks in the NFC West. This is a golden opportunity to potentially jump the Rams and Seahawks going against the woeful Panthers. The Cardinals will pound the rock with James Conner, control the clock, and fly to an easy win this weekend.
