Prime-Time First TD Bets — Sunday Night Football, Week 16
Alex Christenson
The Arizona Cardinals could not have scripted a better start to their season. Listed as underdogs in week one, the Cardinals absolutely crushed the Titans in a game that felt over as soon as it started. Meanwhile, the Vikings start to the season was far less smooth, and a late comeback attempt fell short in overtime to the Bengals. The Cardinals appear to be the hotter team, but will that trend continue in week two?
(Sign up for FTN Bets today for $49.99 a month!)
Minnesota Vikings @ Arizona Cardinals Week 1 Odds
Date/Time: September 19, 4:05 p.m. ET
Arena: State Farm Stadium
How to watch: Fox
Opening Odds: Cardinals -4.5 | O/U 51 (DraftKings Sportsbook)
Latest Vikings – Cardinals Odds
Looking for the latest odds for this matchup? Here they are, courtesy DraftKings Sportsbook.
- Cardinals: -4.5
- Total: 51
Opening Odds – Vikings @ Panthers
The Cardinals were arguably the most impressive team in week one. Kyler Murray looked like an MVP Candidate, throwing four touchdowns and running for another in the team’s 38-13 beatdown of the Titans. Defensively it was a day to remember for Chandler Jones, who sacked Ryan Tannahill 5!! times, including three in just the first quarter. In week one, Kirk Cousins was often under pressure, as the Bengals sacked him three times. The Vikings’ offensive line is going to have to come prepared for Jones and the rest of the Cardinals, or else it will be another long day for Cousins.
Quarterback Analysis – Kirk Cousins vs. Kyler Murray
Week one was a pretty typical week for Kirk Cousins. He looked only OK if you were watching the game, but if you only look at the box score, Cousins had a group week, throwing for 351 yards and two touchdowns with no picks. A big issue for the Vikings was the number of penalties they committed. The team was called for 12 penalties for 116 total yards, meaning Kirk Cousins had lots of third and longs to deal with. Additionally, just the offensive line had seven penalties for 70 yards, with each member of the starting five getting flagged at least once. Even Patrick Mahomes might struggle in those conditions, so for Cousins and the Vikings to have more success, it is going to take a team effort. Unfortunately for the Vikings, the Cardinals pass rush was on fire in week one.
Kyler Murray did whatever he wanted in week one, and likely won a bunch of people’s fantasy matchups. His touchdown to DeAndre Hopkins was the type of pass people struggle to complete in Madden, escaping from seemingly the entire Tennessee defense. Now might be the last time to put MVP bets on Kyler, as he’s down to +900 on some books. However, thanks to FTN’s Prop Shop, our users know you can still bet Kyler at +1400 on Unibet. Get the bets in fast, however, because that line is going to continue dropping quickly.
Latest Vikings Betting News & Info
Despite having the 4th most passing yards as a team in week one (336), the Vikings only managed 24 points, which was middle of the pack in the NFL (17th most). A big reason for that was all of the penalties the Vikings committed, especially the offensive line. Another reason for concern is the Vikings’ run defense. They allowed 149 yards on the ground in week one to the Bengals, which was bottom 10 in the NFL in week one. For a team that supposedly improved the defensive line in the offseason, that is not a promising way to start the season.
Latest Cardinals Betting News & Info
The Cardinals had no issues on either side of the ball in week one. The 38 points they scored were the second most in week one, and the 248 yards they allowed was also the second-best mark in the NFL. They likely would have scored more points if they had to, as the team took their feet off the gas in the fourth quarter due to the blowout nature of the game.
Week one was also a record-tying performance for one Cardinal. Chandler Jones’ 5 sacks tied a career-high, and also tied a Cardinals franchise record for most sacks in one game.
Vikings vs. Cardinals Betting Picks – NFL Week 2
If week one was any indication, this game should be all Cardinals. Unless the Vikings find a way to improve their offensive line, expect Chandler Jones and the rest of the Cardinals to have a field day defensively. Offensively for the Cardinals, expect Deandre Hopkins to do whatever he wants against the Vikings, who just allowed rookie Ja’marr Chase to put up 100+ and a touchdown.
Here are our betting picks for Vikings vs. Cardinals in Week 2.
FTNBets Best Bets
- Spread: Cardinals -4.5 (DraftKings Sportsbook)
- Total: No bet
For more information, betting picks, and analysis, check out the FTN NFL Bet Tracker.
How to bet on this game
If you want to bet on this matchup and don’t already have a sportsbook account setup, check out FTNBets’ top sportsbook page. You can see what shops are available in your state while also comparing lines, odds, promotions and bonuses to ensure you get the best value for your investment.
