After a bye in Week 12, the Arizona Cardinals are back in action this week against the Chicago Bears. Arizona will be on the road for a second straight week, and the weather in Chicago could ultimately have an impact on the game.
Arizona comes into Week 13 with a record of 9-2, and their lead in the NFC West grew during the time off. The Cardinals have gone just 3-2 in their last five games, but it has been good enough to climb up the standings.
Chicago is just 4-7 on the year, and the Bears have some serious holes on the team. The Bears are only one game out of the playoff race in the NFC, but they just recently went through a brutal five-game losing streak.
Arizona is an eight-point betting favorite over Chicago on Sunday at Soldier Field.
Cardinals Cruising on Offense
Arizona continues to be one of the best offensive teams in the NFL this season, scoring over 28 points per game. The Cardinals might be without quarterback Kyler Murray on Sunday, and that will create some issues on Sunday.
Murray has thrown for 17 touchdowns this season, and he is also able to make plays with his legs. The Cardinals continue to do most of their best work through the air, but they must find a way to pick up yards on the ground.
The defense has taken a large step back in recent weeks, and they are now giving up more than 18 points per game. Arizona isn’t facing an explosive offense in the Bears, but they have to be better against the run.
The Cardinals might also show some signs of rust in this game, especially after having such a long layoff over Thanksgiving.
Defense Must Dominate For Bears
If the Bears are going to find a way to upset the Cardinals on Sunday, then it will take a dominant performance from the defense. Chicago is holding teams to just 23 points per game, and there are some playmakers on that side of the ball.
The offense continues to be a mess for Chicago, and veteran Andy Dalton is now back in command of that unit. Dalton led the team to a 16-14 win over the Detroit Lions on Thanksgiving Day, but he is pretty one-dimensional under center.
Running back David Montgomery has the team averaging nearly 130 rushing yards per game, and the weather is going to favor the run. Chicago will try to give the defense a chance to rest by running the football and slowing the game down.
Bears Battle But Cards Win
Chicago has not been a good team this season, but they are still going to provide a challenge to the Cardinals on Sunday. The Bears are now somehow back in the playoff hunt, and that defense always has a chance to make some big plays.
The Cardinals are dealing with some injury concerns ahead of Week 13, and that won’t make this task any easier. Arizona is clearly the better team, but it’s going to take a solid effort from the Cardinals to pick up a win.
Arizona just has too many question marks to be considered a big favorite in this matchup. The best bet is to take the 8.0-points and bet on the Bears at home, but the Cardinals will pick up an impressive road win in Chicago.
