Heading into Week 18, the Arizona Cardinals occupy the fifth seed in the NFC. They still have a chance to win the NFC West if they beat the Seattle Seahawks and the Los Angeles Rams lose to the San Francisco 49ers.
According to NFL betting lines, the Cardinals offer favored odds at home. Here’s a breakdown of their scoring potential.
Seahawks at Cardinals (-6.5)
- Date: Sunday, Jan. 9th, 2022
- Time: 4:25 PM EST
- Venue: State Farm Stadium in Glendale, AZ
The Cardinals’ Rushing Attack
RB James Conner has played well for the Cardinals this season. He’d rushed for 700 yards and 14 touchdowns until his recent injury. He also handled the load while his backfield partner, Chase Edmonds, sat out with a high-ankle sprain suffered in Week 9.
Conner’s status remains questionable for this Sunday against the Seattle Seahawks, and Edmonds hasn’t played well since his return, totaling 162 yards in three games. That said, the Seahawks rank 18th in rushing yards allowed (113.4).
If Conner can go, I expect him to have a big day against Seattle. He has 334 receiving yards from the backfield, and his 14 touchdowns show he’s the Cardinals’ preferred red-zone weapon.
Kyler Murray’s Rebound
Cardinals’ QB Kyler Murray suffered an ankle injury and missed three games this season. The Cardinals have gone 2-3 since he returned, but his performance against the Dallas Cowboys in Week 17 looked promising. In that 25-22 victory, he threw for 263 yards and two touchdowns.
He also added 44 yards on the ground.
This week, Murray faces the Seahawks, who have the second-worst passing defense in the NFL. They give up an average of 270.4 passing yards per game, and last week they surrendered 262 passing yards and two TDs to Detroit Lions‘ backup QB Tim Boyle.
Injury Woes at Receiver
Cardinals WR DeAndre Hopkins suffered a torn MCL in the Week 14 loss to the Rams and receivers like A.J. Green and Christian Kirk see more targets in his absence. Last week against the Cowboys, Green and Kirk combined for nine receptions and 153 yards.
Last week, TE Zach Ertz also played well, catching seven passes for 41 yards. WR Antoine Wesley also caught two touchdown passes in the 25-22 road victory.
Some reports have Hopkins available by the NFC Championship Game, but no sooner. The Cards did find success against a 24th ranked Dallas passing defense, so even without Hopkins, the passing game should be able to score against a Seahawks team that’s been unable to stop the pass all season.
Arizona Cardinals Scoring Potential This Week
The Arizona Cardinals’ final game helps determine their playoff positioning. The offense has an opportunity to make a definitive statement at home against a weak Seattle passing defense, especially if James Conner can play.
I expect Kyler Murray and his receiver corps to have a big day against the Seahawks.
What do you think? How many points can the Cardinals score this week?
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