At the onset of the NFL preseason were good vibes at Oakland and Arizona. Both the Raiders and Cardinals won and covered NFL Bets in their exhibition openers. With each team entering the season as perennial losers a good preseason could help team morale. Now John Gruden continues to rebuild the Raiders in his image after a rough first season. Kliff Kingsbury holds the reigns at Arizona after flopping as head coach of Texas Tech. Kingsbury’s task is to get 2018 Heisman Trophy quarterback Kyler Murray up to speed. Murray was top pick in the 2019 NFL Draft.
Oakland Raiders Vs. Arizona Cardinals
| Date and Time: | Thursday, August 15, 2019, 8 p.m. ET |
|---|---|
| Location: | State Farm Stadium, Glendale, Arizona |
| Raiders vs. Cardinals TV Coverage: | NFL Network |
| Team | Spread | Total | ML | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Raiders | +3½ (-115) | 40 (-110) | – |  |
| Cardinals | -3½ (-105) | 40 (-110) | – | |
| ||||
Raiders Preseason Game 1
Last week Oakland scored a 14-3 NFL Bets payout over the Rams as 4.5-point chalks. The game went under the total of 36.5. The Raiders dominated the Rams in surprising fashion. To show Oakland outgained LA by 407-190 in total yards. First downs had the Raiders with a 21-10 advantage. Oakland overcame two turnovers to post the win. Quarterback Nathan Peterman was the star for the Raiders. Peterman was 9/12 for 66 yards and a touchdown for Oakland. By contrast Mike Glennon threw two interceptions as starter. Peterman and Glennon are competing for the backup job to Derek Carr.
Murray and Cards Soar in Debut
Accordingly, Arizona had a promising sportsbook result in Kyler Murray’s debut. The Cardinals scored a 17-13 win and payout over the Chargers as three-point chalks. Under the total of 37.5 also paid. Specifically, Murray impressed all with a 6/7 passing performance good for 44 yards. Brett Hundley also showed well for Arizona with 10/14, 104 yards and one TD pass. On the whole it could not have been a better illustration of what is expected out of rookie head coach Kliff Kingsbury. That being said Arizona was outgained 357-289.
What to Watch
Namely Kyler Murray will draw the majority of NFL Bets attention. Murray is facing a level of hype and hope not seen in years. For a franchise as pitiful as Arizona has been the arrival of Murray and Kingsbury has flipped the script. Gruden’s arrival had a similar affect last year before reality kicked in. As a result, Oakland is focused on getting a revamped roster in sync. Arizona will concentrate on getting Murray on the job training.
Oakland will bring superior betting value in all likelihood. It follows that the betting public will focus on the hype about Murray and Kingsbury at home.
Raiders and Cardinals Against the Spread
The Raiders are:
2-11 against the spread in preseason road games
5-4 over the total in preseason road games
2-1 vs. the odds against the Cardinals in preseason games at Arizona
2-1 over the total at Arizona in exhibition action
The Cardinals are:
4-2 against the line in home preseason games
2-3 under the total in preseason games at State Farm Stadium
4-1 vs. the odds in preseason matchups with the Raiders
1-6 under the total in exhibition action with Oakland
NFL Bets Pick: Oakland Raiders
NFL Bets Score Prediction: Raiders 21, Cardinals 20
Catch highlights of last week’s Oakland win!