Tennessee Titans (8-4 SU, 5-6-1 ATS) vs. Arizona Cardinals (5-7 SU, 3-8-1 ATS)
Week 14 NFL
Date/Time: Sunday, December 10, 2017 at 4:05PM EST
Where: University of Phoenix Stadium, Glendale, Arizona
TV: CBS
By Loot, NFL Football Handicapper, Lootmeister.com
Betting Odds: TEN -3/ARI +3
Over/Under Total: 44
The Tennessee Titans take on the Arizona Cardinals in week 14 action from Glendale. The Titans have been quietly getting the job done, as they are tied with Jacksonville atop the AFC South at 8-4. Their 24-13 win over the Texans on Sunday was their 6th win in 7 games, as the Titans have quietly emerged as a darkhorse contender in the AFC. The Cardinals, meanwhile, must again pick up the pieces after falling short to the Rams at home on Sunday, 32-16. Injuries have claimed what was once an exciting conference contender, as they are diminished with so many key pieces missing on both sides of the ball. This is their third straight game at home, as they are nice and dug-in, hoping for better results this week.
Arizona has hung in there the best they could with high-profile injuries on offense, along with a lot of personnel issues on the other side of the ball. They are deep in the barrel at quarterback, running back, and along the offensive line. On defense, they have seen key guys going down all season. While they have been resolute in spots on both sides of the ball, they haven't been able to be consistent and at 5-7, they are hoping professional pride continues to kick in, as there are a lot of guys playing hard on this team, some trying to make good impressions to put some wind into their careers. That alone makes them dangerous.
Arizona QB Blaine Gabbert threw two picks on Sunday, one of which was returned for a score. The line wasn't able to insulate him from the Rams' pass-rush, as he was sacked 6 times and under pressure for much of the game. With Adrian Peterson out of action, they relied on reserve back Kerwynn Williams, who was actually decent with 97 yards. Larry Fitzgerald stepped up with ten catches and a TD. Rookie Ricky Seals-Jones continued to show he can be a bigger part of this offense moving forward. But still, they were looking for better than 16 points at home on Sunday.
The 32 points the Cardinals allowed on Sunday is a bit misleading with the offense playing such a big role, including a pick-six. The Rams were held to a respectable 303 yards of total offense. Chandler Jones had another sack, while LB Kareem Martin had a pick. Budda Baker continues to shine as a rookie safety, while vet Karlos Dansby has been very active this season. They haven't been able to shine this season, in large part due to injuries, as well as not getting much help from the offense. But in the right spot, they can be pretty good and they're hoping this is one of them.
The Titans just continue to win. Their offense isn't electrifying by any means. And their defense lacks the flash of some other teams. But they're just a well-rounded team, very solid on the lines of scrimmage and led by a capable and versatile cast of youngsters and veterans on both sides of the ball. On Sunday against the Texans, they used a familiar formula for success with a heavy dose of the run game, an efficient performance from QB Marcus Mariota, and a capable showing on defense.
The Tennessee offense is very run-heavy. Promising signs in the aerial game have not really panned out on a consistent basis. On Sunday, Marcus Mariota went for only 150 yards, along with a TD. Delanie Walker led all receivers and scored their only aerial touchdown. They should be getting WR Rishard Matthews back soon, though Eric Decker, Taywan Taylor, Corey Davis, and others have been underwhelming in the passing game. Making it all work is a run-game that features two number-one backs in DeMarco Murray and Derrick Henry, along with a nimble QB in Mariota. They had nearly 200 yards on the ground on Sunday, led by Henry's 109 yards and a TD.
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The Tennessee defense may not have been very stout on Sunday, giving up the Texans' best offensive showing since they lost Deshaun Watson. Houston converted 8 of 16 third downs, while QB Tom Savage was pretty effective on 365 yards passing. But solid play in the red zone, along with a solid pass-rush, and some clutch stops kept the Tennessee' defense on-point. Reserve corner LeShaun Sims had a pick, while DE DaQuan Jones was getting after the quarterback. Safety Kevin Byard and LB Wesley Woodyard both continued making a lot of big plays. Still, as Savage was able to show on Sunday, opposing quarterbacks sometimes have a little too easy of a time connecting against this secondary—a potential stumbling block moving forward and maybe even this week.
The Titans face a trappy-looking spot here. Arizona can be deceivingly-tough at home and they are in their third straight home game, while the Titans are in the midst of a telling stretch of 4 road games in 5 weeks. But other than some possibilities the Cardinals have with their aerial attack, most elements of this matchup don't appear to be very favorable to Arizona. I see the Cardinals giving them a tough go, with the Titans crossing the line a nose ahead.
Loot's Prediction to Cover the Point Spread: I'm betting on the Tennessee Titans minus 3 points. Tired of your credit card not working for sportsbook deposit? End that problem today and bet the Tennessee vs. Arizona game by signing up at Bovada Sportsbook where your credit card WILL work and where you'll receive a generous 50% sign-up bonus!
