On the way to Week 7 of the NFL 2015-16 Regular Season games, this Monday the 26th of October we have the Monday Night Football game between the struggling Ravens of Baltimore 1-5 AFC South playing at the Cardinals of Arizona 5-1 (NFC South) with the game being played at University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona with kick-off scheduled for 8:35 PM ET and seen on ESPN TV.
As we look back it was not that many years ago that the Ravens of Baltimore won a Super Bowl, and now they are struggling and at the bottom of the NFC North Division of the NFL with their 1-5 record to date. The Ravens with like to upset the Cardinals in this game, and the Cardinals coming off a loss would also like a win to stay on the top of their NFC South.
The early odds at SBG Global for those that Bet on NFL football have the Cardinals a sure favorite at -7 ½ -105 with the Over/under at 48 and -310 on the Money Line, while the struggling underdog Ravens are at +7 ½ -115 and +255 on the Money Line.
If you are a fan of the 1-5 Ravens of Baltimore and a betting fan, then many fans think it’s time for your team to throw in the towel, but we say, not so fast. Knowing that there has been only 1 team since back in 1967 that started with a 1-5 record, and then made the playoffs, it prove the impossible can be possible, even with the stacked odds not in their favor.
That 5th loss came in a close game losing to the 49’ers 25-20 in California, and now they have another road game with the fast scoring Cardinals in which they need to step up and get it all together, primarily with their defensive unit as they seek to step out of the Division cellar after this game with a victory. Thus if that happens against the Cardinals the Ravens are in deep trouble, as the Cardinals have been terrific in their passing game as they have averaged 285 yards each game. But the Ravens are strong against the running game as they are only allowing opponents some 95 yards per game this season.
Yes, the Ravens defense allowed the 49’ers and QB C. Kaepernick to pass against them for 342 yards this past Sunday, and the 49’ers are supposedly the worst passing team in their division. In that game they looked good, only because the Ravens struggled with busted coverage’s.
Offensively the Ravens are 10th in scoring in the NFL with 24 points per game and depend on their balanced scheme that generates some 259 yards passing and 112 yard rushing each game to date. Their QB J. Flacco will need other receiving targets to step in, since as of late S. Smith has been prime man with 3 touchdowns and 512 yards on receptions. They also expect RB to step up his performances in this game as in the 49’ers game when he had 18 carries for 65 yards. The Ravens in their last 4 games with the Cardinals that date back to year 2000 the Ravens are 4 and 0 straight up.
If you’re a fan who will Bet on NFL football and like the 4-2 Cardinals of Arizona, your team last Sunday was low flying as they lost to the Steelers of Pittsburgh 25-13 and now return home for this game with the Ravens of Baltimore as he completed 29 of his 46 pass attempts.
The Cardinals of Arizona will seek to exploit the Raven defense for the pass, and QB Palmer has the necessary tools to do such, like receiver J. Brown who in the Pittsburgh game had 10 receptions for 198 yards. Their receiver L. Fitzgerald who is the leader with 6 touchdowns to date and some 584 yards on receptions.
On the defensive side the Cardinals struggled retaining the Steelers RB’s who rushed for 142 yards, and they had the same problem in their loss in the 4th Week to the Rams of St. Louis whose RB T. Curley rushed for 148 yards. Thus a major problem for the Cardinals defense has been stopping the RB’s. However, the Arizona defense can control the Ravens RB’s that are not on the same level.
The Cardinals rushing offense ranks 11th in the NFL as they have an average rushing per game of some 122 yards, and with RB C. Johnson at his best with 446 yards a 2 touchdowns to date. But one must remember that the Ravens have one of the best defenses against the run in the NFL. The Cardinals in their ultimate 10 home games are 8 and 2 straight up.
The sportsbook prediction is that in this game the score will be close throughout the 1st 3 quarters, but in the 4th the Cardinals overtake the Ravens and win the game 31-23.