2025 NFL odds: Back Cardinals to eclipse regular-season win total
The Arizona Cardinals sit in a weird place heading into the 2025 season and that's decidedly in the middle.
Are they good? Kinda. Are they bad? Not really.
With a win total set at 8.5, the sportsbooks are telling you they're probably a .500 team.
For a few reasons, I think there is some value on Arizona heading into this season and I think it will hit its win total.
The Cardinals started last year 6-4 and were coming out of the bye with a schedule that had them maybe in position to secure only the second playoff berth of the Kyler Murray era.
Then they cratered.
They lost in Seattle, choked away a game in Minnesota, then lost to Seattle at home. All of this landed them in a hole.
A crushing overtime loss to the lowly Panthers ended their playoff hopes. They finished 8-9, but they did eclipse their win total of seven games.
Now, the optimism.
Continuity is the word that best sums up the Cardinals' 2025 season. Their head coach and both coordinators return. Depending on how offensive line battles go, they should return 10 of 11 starters from last season. Their offense will be right there with the Rams and 49ers for best in the division.
They've got a top-five tight end in Trey McBride, a top-five running back in James Conner and a second-year wideout in Marvin Harrison.
By the way, Harrison has star written all over him, although we didn't always see that during his rookie year.
Murray appears to have gotten the memo on running more when the opportunity is there, which he clearly did not want to do in 2022 and 2023.
The defense will largely depend on how far this goes and if coach Jonathan Gannon ends up on the hot seat or not. They will probably start two rookies (CB Will Johnson, DT Walter Nolen), and they grabbed two DLs in free agency (Josh Sweat, Dalvin Tomlinson).
Arizona must get to the QB this year. Nobody had more than five sacks or eight QB hits last season. It ranked 27th in pressure rate. If you have a good secondary like the Eagles did, it's not the end of the world to rank poorly in pressure rate. If you have a weak secondary like the Cardinals did, it's very bad news.
The scheduling gods were kind to Arizona. There's only one cold weather game and that's at Cincinnati in Week 17. And the early schedule is manageable.
Let's take a look at the QBs they're facing early:
Starting QB uncertain, SaintsBryce Young, PanthersBrock Purdy, NinersSam Darnold, SeahawksCam Ward, TitansStarting QB uncertain, Colts
If the Cards can go 5-1 there, your win total is locked up. I'd even feel good at 4-2. Either way, an early start should lead to Arizona eclipsing 8.5 wins.
PICK: Cardinals Over 8.5 regular-season wins
Jason McIntyre is a FOX Sports betting analyst who also writes about the NFL and NBA Draft. Before arriving at FOX, he created the website The Big Lead. Follow him on Twitter @JasonRMcIntyre.
Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account, and follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily!
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
USA Today
7 minutes ago
- USA Today
Arizona Cardinals receivers ranked in bottom half of NFL, per PFF
PFF puts the Cardinals' pass catchers in the bottom half of the NFL, coming in at No. 18. In the offseason of rankings and lists, we have some new team rankings for receiving corps. PFF ranked the 32 NFL teams' pass catchers. As you can suppose, the Arizona Cardinals, despite the dynamic play of tight end Trey McBride last season, are not highly ranked. The Cardinals come in at No. 18. The Cardinals tied for 11th in team PFF receiving grade in 2024 (78.3). Tight end Trey McBride was a monster, posting the second-best PFF receiving grade at the position (89.8), and came in at No. 3 in PFF's tight end rankings entering 2025. Marvin Harrison Jr. started off slow in 2024, but the rookie finished the campaign with a solid 77.2 PFF receiving grade. Anyone who follows my draft work knows I am a Michael Wilson believer, plus running back James Conner has recorded some very impressive seasons as a receiver in his career and tallied 414 receiving yards last year. You know there is not major confidence in the receivers when only two of them are even named, and one of the pass catchers mentioned is a running back. McBride was the volume receiver in 2024. Harrison was good but not great. They need more from Wilson and more from someone behind him, whether that is Greg Dortch, Zay Jones or someone else. Because McBride and Harrison will likely be the two focal points of the passing offense in 2025, there might be limited opportunities for Wilson and company, but they ideally could get two more guys to hit about 600 yards or one to hit 750-plus and another at 400-plus to balance out the production. If the Cardinals remain a run-first offense as well, it will also be difficult to showcase the passing game. We shall see what happens in 2025. Get more Cardinals and NFL coverage from Cards Wire's Jess Root and others by listening to the latest on the Rise Up, See Red podcast. Subscribe on Spotify, YouTube or Apple podcasts.
Associated Press
21 minutes ago
- Associated Press
Soriano, O'Hoppe lead Angels to 9-1 win over Astros
ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — José Soriano pitched 6 2/3 strong innings and Logan O'Hoppe hit a pair of two-run shots to end a long home run drought and help the Los Angeles Angels beat the Houston Astros 9-1 on Saturday night. Soriano (5-5) struck out 10 and allowed one run on three hits and three walks. He has allowed just two runs in his last three starts covering 20 2/3 innings with 28 strikeouts. He hasn't allowed a home run since April 22 — a span of 11 starts. O'Hoppe hit his 15th homer and first since May 22 in the third inning to give the Angels a 6-0 lead. The catcher capped the scoring with his second of the game in the seventh. Jo Adell reached with a one-out infield single off Astros rookie Brandon Walter (0-1) in the second and Luis Rengifo followed with his fourth home run for a 2-0 lead. Nolan Schanuel was hit by a pitch and Mike Trout singled and scored from first on a double by Taylor Ward for a 4-0 lead. Jose Altuve walked and scored on a two-out single by Christian Walker in the fourth for the Astros, but the Angels answered in their half when Zach Neto doubled with two outs and scored on Schanuel's single for a 7-1 lead. Walter allowed seven runs on nine hits in six innings in his fourth career start. Key moment The Angels never looked back after Rengifo homered in the second. Key stat Houston is 3-2 against the Angels this season and leads the overall series 133-85. That includes a 65-45 record at Angel Stadium. Up next Astros rookie RHP Ryan Gusto (4-3, 4.31 ERA) will start Sunday's rubber game against Angels RHP Kyle Hendricks (5-6, 4.79). ___ AP MLB:
Washington Post
25 minutes ago
- Washington Post
Happ homers twice as the Cubs hold off Raleigh and the Mariners for a 10-7 win
CHICAGO — Ian Happ homered twice and drove in four runs, and the Chicago Cubs held off Cal Raleigh and the Seattle Mariners for a 10-7 victory on Saturday. Raleigh opened the ninth inning with his major league-leading 30th homer after he also went deep twice on Friday. Luke Raley hit a two-out single for Seattle, but Daniel Palencia closed it out when he retired Donovan Solano on a foul popup.
