After a week off, the Arizona Cardinals (4-8, 1-6 home) are back in action at home against the New England Patriots (6-6, 3-3 away). Both teams come into the contest having lost their last two games in a row. The Patriots own an 8-7 all-time record against the Cardinals, their last meeting a 20-17 Patriot victory in 2020.
Monday’s kickoff is at 8:15 p.m. EST inside State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. New England is a 1.5-point favorite, and the over/under total for the contest is 43.5 points.
What to Know – New England Patriots
Back-to-back losses to Buffalo and Minnesota have put the Patriots in a real hole, and its playoff chances are now in serious jeopardy. A loss to the Cardinals does not eliminate New England from the postseason, but the Patriots would need a lot to happen moving forward to get back to the playoffs.
The Patriots roll out an offense that ranks in the middle of the NFL, averaging 318.9 yards of total offense and 20.8 points per game. New England’s defense ranks sixth in the league holding opposing teams to 18.8 points per contest and 311.8 yards of total offense.
New England is 6-4 against the spread over its last ten games and 3-1 ATS on the road. The Patriots are an impressive 7-1 ATS over their last eight contests against the Cardinals.
What to Know- Arizona Cardinals
The Cardinals would need a miracle at this point to earn a trip to the postseason and win Monday night would be the first step. Arizona has underachieved all season, and a loss to New England eliminates the Cardinals officially.
Offensively, Arizona sits just above the Patriots, scoring 22.0 points per game thanks to 334.8 yards of offense. On defense, The Cardinals’ defense is what has held Arizona back this year, ranking last in the NFL, surrendering 26.8 points per contest and 356.2 yards of total offense.
The Cardinals are 5-5 ATS over their previous ten matchups with a 3-3 record inside State Farm Stadium. Arizona is 6-2 ATS in the last eight battles against teams from the AFC.
The Pick is In
Monday’s contest is an important one for the Patriots as they try to maintain hopes for a postseason berth. Arizona will be well-rested after a late bye week and come into the contest with hopes of better results the remainder of the season.
New England’s offense is banged up and will be without a handful of starters, but the Patriots should be able to take advantage and move the ball against the worst-scoring defense in the NFL.
Arizona will keep this close in the first half thanks to fresh legs, but the holes in its defense will be exposed as the game wears on, and New England will keep its postseason hopes alive with a road win on Monday Night Football.
The Pick: New England Patriots ML
