11/14/2008 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Arizona Cardinals will try to inch closer to their first division title since 1975 when they visit the Seattle Seahawks this Sunday at Qwest Field.
The Cardinals have raced out to a 6-3 record so far this year, their best start since also going 6-3 in 1984. That has helped Arizona to a four-game advantage over 2-7 Seattle, St. Louis and San Francisco and is good for the largest division lead in franchise history.
Arizona has capitalized on a weak NFC West, winning all three of its division games so far this season. The Cards have defeated the 49ers twice and the Rams once, and a victory in Seattle this weekend would give them a sweep of their road division games for the first time since 1968.
Playing on Monday night, MVP candidate Kurt Warner threw for 328 yards and three touchdown passes, including the game-winner to Anquan Boldin with 4:16 left in the game, to lift Arizona past San Francisco, 29-24.
The Cardinals won their second straight contest and for the fourth time in five games, putting them closer to their first division crown since winning the NFC East in 1975. Three more wins would guarantee Arizona its first winning record since going 9-7 in 1998, which was also the last time it made the playoffs. That 1998 season is Arizona's only winning campaign in the last 23 seasons.
If Arizona is to move closer to a postseason berth, it will need to knock off a Seattle team that has captured the last four NFC West titles. The Seahawks, though, are a now shell of those champion teams.
Just 2-7 in what is head coach Mike Holmgren's final year with the club, Seattle almost pulled out a win on Sunday versus Miami but ultimately fell short.
Down 21-13, Seahawks quarterback Seneca Wallace hit Koren Robinson from three yards out for a touchdown with 2:57 left. Seattle couldn't connect on the two- point try, though, and was unable to move the chains on a later possession that led to a 21-19 defeat, the team's second straight and fifth in six games.
Seattle's offense should get a lift this Sunday, as both quarterback Matt Hasselbeck and wide receiver Deion Branch are expected to return to the lineup. Hasselbeck has missed the last five games due to a back issue, while Branch has sat out the same amount of time due to a heel ailment. Branch missed the first three games of the year due to offseason knee surgery as well.
Those two should provide a lift to a passing offense that ranks 31st in the NFL (144.7 yards per game) and a club that has seen 18 players miss a total of 76 games this year due to injury.
These two teams will meet again in Arizona in Week 17.
SERIES HISTORY
The all-time series between the Cardinals and Seahawks is tied, 9-9, with Seattle evening the series with a 42-21 home win in Week 14 of last season. Arizona won the previous meeting, a 23-20 triumph at University of Phoenix Stadium in Week 2. The home team has won the last four games in the series, and the Cardinals are 0-5 in Seattle since last winning there in 2002.
Holmgren has a 8-4 record against Arizona in his career, with all of those games coming during his tenure with Seattle. The Cardinals' Ken Whisenhunt is 1-1 against both Holmgren and the Seahawks as a head coach, and was the offensive coordinator on Pittsburgh's Super Bowl win over Seattle following the 2005 season.
WHEN THE CARDINALS HAVE THE BALL
A two-time league MVP and former Super Bowl Champion, Warner (2760 passing yards, 19 TD, 6 INT) is putting together a season that could net him yet another honor as the NFL's best player. The 37-year-old leads the league in completion percentage (70.6) and quarterback rating (106.4), while also ranking second in yards and touchdowns thrown. He completed 32-of-42 pass attempts on Monday and will try to set a franchise record with his fourth straight 300-yard passing game this weekend. Warner, who has thrown at least two TD passes in eight straight games, continues to spread the ball out, as Boldin (49 receptions, 10 TD) made seven catches for 92 yards with two touchdowns. Steve Breaston (46 receptions, 1 TD) added seven receptions for 121 yards, and Larry Fitzgerald (57 receptions, 6 TD) had a team-high eight catches for 49 yards with a score. Boldin hauled in a scoring pass for a franchise-best sixth straight game, and he has five touchdown receptions since missing two games due to facial injuries suffered in Week 4. Despite that missed time, he leads the NFL in touchdown catches. With the second-ranked passing offense (297.3 yards per game), the Cardinals have had little use for a run game, which is good since it ranks 29th in the NFL at 88.1 yards per game. Arizona totaled 100 yards on the ground in its final two October games, but posted 176 ground yards against the Rams on November 2 after inserting rookie Tim Hightower (264 rushing yards, 7 TD) into the starting role. However, the Cards posted just 46 rushing yards on Monday despite Hightower starting his second straight game over Edgerrin James.
Seattle struggled against the run versus Miami, as the Dolphins' "Wildcat" offense posted 155 yards on the ground, a number well above the Seahawks' average of 119.9 rushing yards allowed per game this year that ranks 22nd in the league. However, it is Arizona's passing game the Seahawks need to worry about, and they will again be without one of their top pass rushers in Patrick Kerney (22 tackles). Kerney leads the club with five sacks but has missed the last two games due to a shoulder injury that required surgery and will sideline him indefinitely. Defensive tackle Red Bryant is also out for the rest of this month because of an ankle injury. That all adds up to a big day for Arizona, as Seattle is allowing 252.2 passing yards per game already. The Seahawks did record two sacks versus the Dolphins, getting one each from defensive tackle Brandon Mebane (25 tackles, 3 sacks) and linebacker Leroy Hill (77 tackles). Linebackers Lofa Tatupu (50 tackles) and Julian Peterson (51 tackles, 4 sacks) posted nine and eight tackles, respectively, versus the Dolphins. Safety Jordan Babineaux (36 tackles, 1 INT) nabbed an interception and took it 35 yards for his first-career pick returned for a touchdown. Babineaux and fellow safety Deon Grant (38 tackles, 2 INT) figure to be very busy this weekend, as will corners Marcus Trufant (39 tackles) and Josh Wilson (42 tackles, 1 INT).
WHEN THE SEAHAWKS HAVE THE BALL
Seattle's offense has looked nothing like the ones of old under Holmgren. The Seahawks fell two yards short of their first 300-yard game since Week 3 and have passed for more than 200 yards in just one outing this season. In addition to its woeful passing game, the club has had trouble scoring points even with the 13th best rushing offense in the league (115.6 ypg). Maurice Morris (173 rushing yards) and Julius Jones had been splitting carries for most of the season when both are healthy, but Jones (597 rushing yards, 2 TD) got 16 carries to Morris' one on Sunday and gained 88 yards. A healthy return by Hasselbeck (656 passing yards, 2 TD, 4 INT) and Branch should go a long way in helping Seattle's offensive woes. Branch's return will move Bobby Engram (20 receptions) back to the slot, where he is better suited. Tight end John Carlson (27 receptions, 2 TD), who leads all rookies at his position in catches and receiving yards (298), should remain a factor, while Robinson (17 receptions, 2 TD) aims for his third straight TD catch this weekend after making five grabs for 38 yards and a score last Sunday. If Hasselbeck, who has eight touchdown passes and zero interceptions in his last three games against Arizona, can't go this weekend, it is likely that Charlie Frye will start with Wallace (669 passing yards, 5 TD, 1 INT) battling a nagging groin ailment.
Seattle's run game will have trouble getting into a groove this week, as the Cardinals have yielded over 100 yards rushing in just four of their nine games this year. The club ranks 10th in the NFL in rush defense, allowing 95 yards per week. Arizona is easier to beat through the air, as it is allowing 216.3 passing yards per game, 18th in the NFL. Arizona posted two interceptions on Monday, getting one each from linebacker Karlos Dansby (65 tackles, 3 sacks, 1 INT) and safety Adrian Wilson (33 tackles, 1 sack, 2 INT), but it also had two interceptions returns for touchdowns negated due to penalties. Safety Antrel Rolle (41 tackles, 1 sack) had one of this pick-sixes called back, which would have been his second interception returned for a score in as many weeks. Dansby had a team-high 10 tackles on Monday, while safety Aaron Francisco (36 tackles) and linebacker Chike Okeafor (26 tackles, 3 sacks, 1 INT) had five each. Arizona did fail to post a sack versus a 49ers club that is tied for the league lead in sacks allowed. The Cardinals have posted 21 sacks on the year, tied for ninth-most in the league. Defensive ends Travis LaBoy (25 tackles) and Bertrand Berry (10 tackles) are tied for the team lead in sacks with four each.
FANTASY FOCUS
Warner is set to have a field day versus Seattle this weekend, meaning big days should also be expected out of Boldin, Fitzgerald and Breaston. With Arizona trailing for most of the game on Monday, Hightower didn't get a chance to run the ball. However, that shouldn't be the case this weekend and he is a solid start, as his seven rushing touchdowns are just two shy of Arizona's rookie record. Arizona's defense has a plus-four takeaway/giveaway ratio, and if Seattle's offense performs as it has all season, could be a decent start.
Owners holding onto Hasselbeck shouldn't rush him back into the lineup just yet. Whether Branch plays or not could affect the quarterback's performance, plus it remains to be seen how healthy Hasselbeck really is. Carlson remains a good play at tight end, while Robinson has been finding the end zone as of late. Branch's possible return boosts Engram's value for reasons mentioned above. Jones owners hope that the back dominates in carries like he did last week.
OVERALL ANALYSIS
Warner's MVP talk should only get louder this weekend. Arizona's offense overmatches Seattle's defense in every way, like it has against most teams this year. The Seahawks are starting to get healthy, but without two of their starting defensive lineman, they won't be able to put pressure on Warner, giving the gunslinger plenty of time to pick apart the secondary. Hasselbeck and Branch will help the Seahawks put points on the board, but there is no way they can keep up in a shootout with the top scoring offense in the league.
Sportsbook Betting Lines Predicted Outcome: Cardinals 35, Seahawks 19
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New York Jets: The Jets were one of the surprise teams in the NFL last season, making the playoffs under hard-driving first-year coach Eric Mangini. Mangini rebuilt the offensive line with rookies D'Brickashaw Ferguson (the No. 4 pick in the 2007 Draft) and Ohio State center (the 29th pick in the first round). This season he upgraded the defense with rookie linebacker David Harris (Michigan) while the secondary picked up a much needed top-notch corner in Pitt CB Darrelle Revis (No. 14 overall).
The Jets have added balance to the offense for QB Chad Pennington with RB Thomas Jones, essentially stolen from the Bears. He will upgrade a New York ground game that was 20th in rushing with a weak 3.5 yards per carry. They have their first true feature back since Curtis Martin. Offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer prefers ball control, like his father Marty. In preseason, behind Pennington you’ll see second-year QB Kellen Clemens and mobile newcomer QB Marques Tuiasosopo.
Jacksonville Jaguars: The heat is on Jack Del Rio in Jacksonville as the Jaguars flopped last season despite a ton of talent. Keep in mind that under Del Rio the Jaguars have been outstanding in preseason with a 12-4 SU, 11-5 ATS August mark. Their defense is loaded, it’s the offense that has been stuck in first gear the last few years.
Enter a new offensive coordinator in Dirk Koetter, the former Boise State and Arizona State pass-happy coach. He will try and upgrade a passing game that ranked 24th last season. Del Rio has criticized wide receivers and Matt Jones this summer, both of whom have battled injuries. It will be interesting to watch the “new” Jaguars passing game in preseason.
Arizona Cardinals: Word out of Arizona is that the players like new coach Ken Whisenhunt, who was the Steelers offensive coordinator last year. We think of Arizona as all-passing because their running game has been awful of late because of a poor offensive line. However, keep an eye on the running game in preseason as they’ve made a lot of changes.
The new coach brings in Russ Grimm to coach the offensive line (Grimm did a marvelous job building the Steelers line). They took Penn State OT Levi Jones in the first round and signed two offensive linemen, Mike Gandy and Al Johnson, to provide depth. Reggie Wells was moved from right tackle to left guard and they want more speed out of the offensive line for pulling and traps, a Pittsburgh staple under Bill Cowher.
Atlanta Falcons: While all the attention has been focused on QB Mike Vick’s off-field problems, new coach Bobby Petrino is revamping the Falcons from an all-running team to a more balanced one. Petrino likes the experience of backup QB Joey Harrington and he has veteran backup Chris Redman, who used to play for Petrino at Louisville and knows his offenses better than anyone. Petrino wants Vick to be more of a pocket passer.
The addition of FB Ovie Mughelli is a sign Petrino wants a power rushing attack behind a physical fullback and newcomer WR Joe Horn should upgrade what was a below average wideout corps. Petrino is changing their old zone-blocking scheme to a more traditional in-line blocking scheme and the offensive line is bigger. Rookie DE Jamaal Anderson was grabbed in the first round and the secondary got younger with former Auburn cornerback David Irons, who the Falcons think was a steal as a sixth-round pick.
Cleveland Browns: The 2007 Browns look like a double-edged sword. There was the excitement of the offseason, trading for RB Jamel Lewis, upgrading the offensive line with Wisconsin’s Joe Thomas (the No. 2 pick in the draft) and free agent LG Eric Steinbach, then trading for Notre Dame QB Brady Quinn when he fell to No. 22. GM Phil Savage and head coach Romeo Crennel feel they have a talented, balanced offense with these new pieces, plus TE >Kellen Winslow and WR Braylon Edwards.
However, were these moves made in desperation? And were they foolish ones? The Browns gave up their 2008 first-round pick for Quinn and we all know QBs take time to develop. And even first-round QBs can be busts (Joey Harrington, Akili Smith). We also don’t know if the offensive line is that much improved (31st in rushing in 2007) and they did nothing to improve a defense that was awful against the run (142 yds pg allowed).
The Browns have a new offensive coordinator in Rob Chudzinski. This is a young offense and Quinn looked tentative, indecisive and inaccurate early in camp. Crennel will play Charlie Frye, Quinn and Derek Anderson in preseason. And there is a mixed bag for rookie QBs receiving significant starts: Tim Couch (14), Kerry Collins (13), Ben Roethlisberger (13), Vince Young (13), Joey Harrington (12), Matt Leinart (11) and Kyle Boller (nine). While all the focus will be on the Browns new-look offense, I’m more concerned with the defense.
Carolina Panthers: Coach Jon Fox loves the ground game, but Carolina has made some interesting changes for 2007. Fox fired offensive coordinator Dan Henning and brings in Jeff Davidson to run the offense. Davidson has brought in zone-blocking schemes to the Panther offense, a dramatic change for a system that's been built around a power-running style.
In zone-blocking, offensive linemen are responsible for blocking any defender who appears in their zone, instead of focusing on one defender. The Broncos and Falcons have had success with the system, which features smaller, more athletic offensive linemen and can create running lanes on the inside and outside. Keep an eye in preseason on how Carolina adjusts as it will take time to learn the system. Fox has been one of the top coaches in preseason, with a 15-5 SU, 12-7-1 ATS August record.
Dallas Cowboys: WR Terrell Owens is still here, but QB Drew Bledsoe and Bill Parcells are gone. New head coach Wade Phillips takes over, replacing Parcells. He ran the Chargers defense last season. Phillips was chosen by teary-eyed owner Jerry Jones partly because he is one of the best 3-4 coaches in football and the Cowboys have loaded up on players for that scheme.
Remember that Phillips was blitz-happy with the Chargers last season and early reports out of the Dallas camp have mentioned how the Cowboys have been blitzing a lot, a departure from Parcells. The theme of the 2007 Dallas defense appears to be one of attack.
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