Cardinals vs. Panthers Point Spread: NFL Week 16 Odds, Prediction
The Cardinals snapped a three-game losing streak with a decisive 30-17 win over the visiting New England Patriots last weekend and now trail Seattle and Los Angeles by just one game in the divisional standings. The Panthers continued their free-fall with last weekend’s crushing 30-14 loss to the Dallas Cowboys that marked their third straight defeat at home and fourth straight loss overall.
The Cardinals travel to Bank of America Stadium perched as 4.5-point road favourites on the NFL Week 16 odds. The Panthers are a lengthy +185 bet on the NFL moneyline and the total is listed at 47.
NFL Point Spread and Betting Analysis
It has been two years since these teams last met, with the Cardinals posting a 26-16 win in Carolina to snap a six-game straight up and against the spread losing streak in head-to-head action. Recent dates between these teams have not been particularly close, with each of their past eight meetings getting settled by double-digit margins and the OVER going 6-2-1 in their past nine clashes.
Overall, the Panthers have also seen eight of their 11 losses this season come by double-digit margins. However, Carolina has managed to keep things since opening the month of November with consecutive home wins over New Orleans and the New York Giants, and saw the first three losses on their current 0-4 run come by a combined margin of just 12 points. That has helped the Panthers to cover the spread in five of their past six contests. The Cardinals have kept their playoff hopes alive by winning four of five at home but have lost four of six on the road and have claimed outright victory as road chalk since 2021.
Arizona Cardinals
While the Cardinals trail the division leaders by just one game, they currently trail both the Seahawks and Rams on tiebreakers, making Sunday’s visit to Carolina a must-win contest. After averaging just 15.3 points per game during their preceding 0-3 swoon, the Cardinals rebounded against the Patriots, scoring at least 28 points for the sixth time this season in last week’s 30-17 win.
James Conners provided the spark with a pair of scoring runs while topping 100 rushing yards for the fifth time this season. Kyler Murray remained efficient, tossing for 224 yards while completing over 75 per cent of pass attempts for the third time this season. However, Murray also failed to find the end zone for the third time in six games and has thrown just four total touchdowns against five picks over that stretch.
The Cardinals also face injury concerns, with several key defenders missing time at practice this week including Mack Wilson, Zaven Collins, Kyzir White, and Sean Murphy-Bunting.
Carolina Panthers
The Panthers’ recent offensive woes continued with last week’s loss to Dallas. Carolina has now scored just 15 points per game in their past two outings and have been limited to 16 or fewer points seven times this season.
Quarterback Bryce Young did his part to stir up the offence, tossing for 219 yards and one score and running for is second touchdown in three games. Young has now found the end zone in seven straight appearances but with a porous offensive line in front of him, the second-year pivot has thrown three picks over the past two weeks and was sacked a season-high six times last weekend.
Chuba Hubbard is coming off his roughest outing since Week 1. The Edmonton native recorded 32 yards on just 10 carries and has averaged just 44.3 rushing yards over his past three home appearances.
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