The Arizona Cardinals were arguably the best story in the NFC last year – only eclipsed by the Kansas City Chiefs as the team that made the most drastic improvement. The addition of Head Coach Bruce Arians has completely changed the culture of this team and has made it one to be reckoned with – right off the bat.
The Most Interesting Division in the World
The 2014 NFL season is just around the corner and the NFC West promised to be the toughest division in the game once again with the Hawks and the 49ers among the two or three betting favorites to win the Super Bowl and the Cards and the Rams making giant strides toward legitimacy the last couple of years.
The St. Louis Cardinals couldn’t quite add another World Series title last year, but they did get to the World Series and they were only one step away.
The Arizona Cardinals endured significant makeover this past offseason and the moves that were made look very good on paper. A new Head Coach, Bruce Arians was brought in to change the culture – he had a very good 2012 season as interim coach of a rebuilding Indianapolis Colts squad.
With NFL football betting times just a short time away, Cappers Picks NFL handicappers have been hard at work putting out the team by team NFL Season Predictions & Previews for those of us who can’t wait. Bet on the 2014 Super Bowl winner, plus 2013/14 Conference and Divisional winners.
2012 Record: 5-11
ATS: 7-8-1
Cardinals Odds to win the 2014 NFC West Division: +2200
Cardinals Odds to win the 2014 NFC Conference: 66/1
Cardinals Odds to win the 2014 Super Bowl XLVIII: 125/1
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Let’s take a look at the numbers:
Perhaps the biggest and most important move was replacing ineffective quarterbacks Kevin Kolb, John Skelton and Ryan Lindley. They were, in a word, pathetic last year and were solely responsible for Larry Fitzgerald’s 71 catch, 798 yards, 4 TD season.
The Cardinals did what they had to do – they went out and got a reliable quarterback to run the show. Carson Palmer may not be the guy he once was but at very least he gives the Cardinals a little legitimacy at the position. He will make Larry Fitzgerald better and if Fitz is better so too will be the offense.
Palmer will also have second year first rounder Michael Floyd to throw to as well as reliable slot receiver Andre Roberts and Tight End Rob Housler who should see some more action in Bruce Arians’ scheme.
The running game replaced Beanie Wells with Rashard Mendenhall. If you are as perplexed by the move – you are not alone. Mendenhall doesn’t seem to be an upgrade at all. Chances are that Ryan Williams and/or Stephan Taylor overtake Mendenhall as the starting back at some point this season.
Arizona’s running game has been a problem in the past and it figures to once again be an Achilles heel of this team.
With Carson Palmer in camp, there will have to be an emphasis on protection. Arizona’s offensive line wasn’t great last year – Cards QBs were sacked a combined 58 times during the year. 2013 first round draft choice (7th overall) Jonathan Cooper will help as will the return of Levi Brown from injury.
The O-line will be better just how much better is the biggest question. [soliloquy id=”82219″]
The Arizona defense was the sole reason this team started 4-0 last season but injuries completely decimated this unit. The Cards surrendered just 15.3 points per game in the first four contests but names like Darnell Dockett and Calais Campbell went down with various injuries at various times during the season.
They will be back healthy this year and will be buoyed by the return of Karlos Dansby who was a difference maker for the Cards before heading to Miami. Dansby could be the rock that anchors this unit on the field and in the locker room.
There are still plenty of questions on Arizona’s defense. Who will start opposite Patrick Peterson at the CB position? Who will play safety after their 2012 starters Kerry Rhodes and Adrian Wilson departed? The Cardinals used a third-rounder on Tyrann Mathieu, who could quickly make his way into the lineup if and only if he can keep his head on straight.
Also who will replace the stellar linebacker Daryl Washington who was suspended for the first four games of the season for violating the league’s substance abuse policy? He also has some domestic assault issues that he still has to deal with when he returns from that suspension!
The Arizona Cardinals, on paper did a lot to improve their on-field product but the fact remains that they play in perhaps the toughest division in the NFL. They play the Seahawks, the 49ers and the Rams two times this year – not exactly an enviable task! They also have to battle the Saints, Falcons, Panthers, Colts and Texans.
Carson Palmer on offense and Karlos Dansby on defense will create a little accountability for this team but it won’t be enough to get to the .500 mark.
Look for a more competitive team to finish 6-10 with a ton of positives coming out of the season – unlike last year!
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The Cardinals played well last season and their offense did not miss a beat even with the departure of Albert Pujols. They made the playoffs, beat the Braves in the Wild Card round, and lost to the eventual champion Giants in the NL championship.
The Louisville Cardinals are set to enter the 2012-13 season as the No. 2 team in the country in both the AP and USA Today preseason polls. The team is stacked with talent, which is why they’re going to be expected to do great things come late in the year.
Well, don’t worry, you can still enjoy what’s left of March Madness with a couple of prop bets that you can consider if you’re still looking to get involved with NCAA Final Four betting this year.
These two games will offer up all kinds of bets and wagering opportunities, and one of a few options out there is who will win the 2012 Outstanding Player award.
At the top of the betting odds is Kentucky Wildcats freshman Anthony Davis (2/1) who is proving to be worthy of all the hype, averaging 14.3 points, 10.1 rebounds and leads Division I with 4.6 blocks per game.
Davis however, was injured when he collided with Baylor star Perry Jones III early in the second half of their game on Sunday, but did stay on the court, although holding his left knee and was obviously in pain. Will that carry into Saturday’s game against Louisville?
Of course, if the big center should feel the lingering effect of the injury it could seriously dent the Wildcat’s dream of capturing this year’s national championship. A must in his quest for winning MOP.
But let’s say even without a totally healthy Davis, Kentucky gets past Louisville.
Another player that could grab the honors, is also a Wildcat. Teammate and swingman Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (5/1), who has also been playing possessed, scoring 13.5 PPG in four tournament games to go along with 29 total rebounds.
Following up the Wildcats’ duo is the Buckeye’s Jared Sullinger (6/1) and Deshaun Thomas (9/1).
The 6-foot-9, 265-pound Sullinger, who enters Saturday’s game averaging 17.6 points and 9.1 rebounds per outing, seems to be over his back problems and has routinely been putting up double-double performances night after night. [soliloquy id=”82219″]
Thomas, meanwhile, seems to go all but unnoticed, but is quietly averaging just under 21 points through the first four games, including a 31-point, 12-rebound outburst against Loyola (MD) and a 24-point performance against Cincinnati in the Sweet 16.
Rounding out the top five is Kansas star Thomas Robinson (8/1), an All-American forward who had a big game against a very good North Carolina team, along with No. six-teammate Tyshawn Taylor (15/1), who seems to keep having great games throughout this year’s tournament.
Case in point, again the Jayhawks win over North Carolina in the Elite Eight, where Taylor went off for 22 points on 10-for-19 shooting, six rebounds, five assists and five steals.
Both of these players are good options that could pay sizeable payouts.
Prediction: It’s been established that Kentucky is the favorite to win the national title, so a safe wager on Davis or a gamble on Gilchrist should yield a decent return here.
NCAA Tournament Odds Most Outstanding Player Props
Anthony Davis (Kentucky) 2/1
Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (Kentucky) 5/1
Jared Sullinger (Ohio State) 6/1
Thomas Robinson (Kansas) 8/1
DeShaun Thomas (Ohio State) 9/1
Doron Lamb (Kentucky) 15/1
Tyshawn Taylor (Kansas) 15/1
William Buford (Ohio State) 15/1
Peyton Siva (Louisville) 18/1
Gorgui Dieng (Louisville) 20/1
Marquis Teague (Kentucky) 20/1
Terrence Jones (Kentucky) 20/1
Kyle Kuric (Louisville) 25/1
Chane Behanan (Louisville) 35/1
Anyone who closely follows Major League Baseball fully understands the impact that first basemen Albert Pujols had on the St. Louis Cardinals, but with his departure via free agency to the Los Angeles Angels, we now have to try and estimate his impact on not being on this team.
It looks like it might be a top heavy season in the Big East. Most polls have Syracuse and UConn in the top five with Louisville and Pitt in the top 15 too.
The Arizona Cardinals had a lot of work to do in the shortened offseason but did shore up some enormous gaping hole with the trade for Kevin Kolb and the signing of Linebacker Stewart Bradley.
Hard to believe, as many of us watch the snow fall outside, that the Boys of Summer are almost back. But it’s true; teams have started reporting to 2011 Major League Baseball training camps and it’s time to start our team-by-team baseball gambling previews for the year.
With NFL football betting times just a short time away, Cappers Picks NFL handicappers have been hard at work putting out the team by team NFL Season Predictions & Previews for those of us who can’t wait. Bet on the 2010 Super Bowl winner, plus 2010 Conference and Divisional winners.
Hard to believe, as many of us watch the snow fall outside, that the Boys of Summer are almost back. But it’s true; teams have reported to 2010 Major League Baseball training camps and it’s time to start our team-by-team baseball gambling previews for the year.
Let’s take a look at the numbers:
betED NFL Football Betting Odds – Arizona Cardinals Odds To Win NFC West – +140
Season Over/Under Win Total Betting Odds From beted.com – 8.5
Yes, it’s possible to win the lottery twice, but what are the odds? Every sportsbook in the world figures the Cardinals to return to earth this season. Seven teams are given a better shot than Arizona’s 12-1 to win the NFC, and you can get 30-1 on Zona to win the Super Bowl.
In MLB betting, the American League and National League are different beasts. Whereas the Red Sox and Yankees are shoe-ins to contend every year, the NL’s divisional and MLB Wild-Card playoff picture varies wildly. Remember when the Rockies made the World Series in 2007, then went 74-88 the last year?
Philadelphia. New York. Carolina. Freaking Arizona. Of those four teams, just one was expected to be here. So the real question before us is whether or not the other three teams are for real. Quite frankly, nobody expected Philadelphia to pull up their sucks and turn their season around, while Arizona’s somewhat miraculous escape from the Wildcard Matchup against Atlanta wasn’t foreseen either.
