Media by Associated Press – Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray, right, hands the ball off to Cardinals running back James Conner (6) during the first half of an NFL football game against the Los Angeles Chargers in Glendale, Ariz., Sunday, Nov. 27, 2022. The Chargers won 25-24. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
The Week 14 NFL season ends with cross-country travel for the New England Patriots as they face the Arizona Cardinals. This AFC/NFC battle features teams desperate to win to stay in the playoff race.
The Patriots have lost two games in a row and sit at 6-6, one game behind the Jets for the last playoff spot in the AFC. The Cardinals have more work to do at 4-8, three games behind the Seahawks for the last spot in the NFC playoffs. With two losses in a row, Arizona likely has to win out to have any chance at the postseason.
Let’s take a look at three bets to make on Monday night as the Cardinals host the Patriots on ESPN.
Kyler Murray over 230.5 yards
Murray finally has most of his weapons in place, so the Cardinals are out of excuses. This will be just the second game all season that Murray, James Conner, DeAndre Hopkins, and Marquise Brown have started at the same time. Yes, he’s still without tight end Zach Ertz and wideout Rondale Moore, but Hopkins and Brown are big-play threats against any defense.
Coming off the bye week, the Cardinals should be refreshed and ready for the push run to the playoffs. Murray has played just once since November 6, with 191 passing yards in a loss to the Rams on Thanksgiving weekend. However, he averaged 257 yards per game from Week 2-8 before his injury.
The Patriots have allowed more than 230 yards in two straight games. They allowed 233 yards to Buffalo last week and 301 to the Vikings on Thanksgiving. The Cardinals’ best bet to win this game is to throw the ball so look for Murray to get the attempts and the yards.
James Conner under 62.5 yards
On the flip side of the Cardinals throwing the ball, they are going to find it difficult to run the ball against the Patriots. In the last three games, the Pats have allowed under 3.0 yards per rush, and they rank top 10 against the run on the season. New England has only allowed five rushing touchdowns on the season, tops in the league.
Conner had a big game in his last outing, with 125 yards against the Chargers before the bye. However, the Chargers rank near the bottom in the league against the run, and the Patriots are a much better defense. Conner found it rough against the 49ers in the last Monday night game with 42 rushing yards, and he’s been held under 60 yards in seven of his nine games this season.
Outside of the game against the Chargers, Conner has a 3.5 yard per carry average. He has more than 15 carries in a game started by Murray just once this season. Look for the Cardinals to throw the ball more than they run it, so Conner’s chances will be limited on Monday.
Mac Jones over 0.5 Interceptions +100
Arizona hasn’t been the ball-hawking defense like they have in the past. The defense has seven interceptions on the season, one each from seven different players.
Jones has seven interceptions, and seven touchdown passes on the season. He was visibly frustrated with the offense last Thursday in the 24-10 loss at Buffalo while throwing for just 195 yards. He was picked off in five straight games earlier this season, including a three-interception game against the Ravens.
Jones has done a better job taking care of the ball as of late, but this seems like a game where the Patriots will take more chances. They are desperate to get the offense going, and extra opportunities for Jones raise the chances of him making a mistake and throwing the ball to the Cardinals.
Keep up with your latest NFL news coverage and betting pick previews at NJSportsbookReview.com.