Online wagering odds on the Arizona Cardinals are going to be different next season. The Cardinals lost future Hall of Fame quarterback Kurt Warner to retirement and top wide receiver Anquan Boldin in a trade to Baltimore. They did sign a new kicker though as online wagering companies noted.
Online wagering odds don’t favor Arizona for the 2010 season. With Matt Leinart at quarterback there is not a great deal of support for Arizona. The Cardinals did sign Jay Feely to a two-year deal but getting a kicker is just a minor piece of the puzzle. Feely is a good kicker though. He made 30 of 36 field goal attempts last year and was 32-for-32 in extra-point attempts. He was simply an excellent kicker last year for the Jets.
Arizona was 10-6 straight up last season and 9-7 against the online wagering number. They will be hard pressed to finish that high in 2010. In addition to losing Warner and Boldin they also will be without Karlos Dansby, and Antrel Rolle. Even if Leinart can play effectively at quarterback (a huge question), the Cardinals are weak on defense without two of their best playmakers. What can help Arizona a little bit is that they have four selections in the first 90 picks of the NFL Draft. The Cardinals did pick up Joey Porter and Kerry Rhodes but neither of those two players inspires any confidence. The team also added Derek Anderson in case Leinart can’t win the starting quarterback job. Head coach Ken Whisenhunt is an offensive guru so perhaps he can find a way to get Arizona to score points even without a premier quarterback.
The Cardinals were 11th in the NFL last season in points scored. That number is almost assuredly going to fall next season. Without Warner and Boldin the Cardinals are simply not going to be as good on offense and Internet gambling companies are adjusting the odds. The Cardinals were 14th on defense in fewest points allowed and without Dansby and Rolle it is very likely those numbers are going to fall as well. A new kicker is nice but overall the Cardinals could have some serious difficulties heading into the 2010 NFL regular season. Perhaps the NFL Draft can help Arizona but overall the Cardinals look like a team you may want to avoid in 2010.