San Francisco 49ers quarterback C.J. Beathard (3) during an NFL football game against the Washington Football Team, Sunday, Dec. 13, 2020, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)
- The San Francisco 49ers and the Arizona Cardinals do battle in an NFC West matchup Saturday, December 26th, 2020
- The Cardinals are currently 7th in the NFC playoff race, while the 5-9 49ers are hoping to end the 2020 season on a high note
- San Francisco has lost six of their last seven games and will look to avoid the sweep by Arizona after the Cardinals beat the 49ers 24-20 in week one
The injury-ravaged San Francisco 49ers will look to play spoiler this week as they travel to Glendale to take on the NFC West rival Arizona Cardinals.
The Niners enter action at 5-9, eliminated from playoff contention in the NFC after making it all the way to the Super Bowl last season.
For the Cardinals, they have a one game lead over the Bears for the final playoff spot in the NFC with a mark of 8-6 and will look to sweep San Francisco after a four-point win 24-20 to open the season.
49ers vs Cardinals Odds
| Team | Spread | Moneyline | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco 49ers | +5.5 (-110) | +190 | Over 48.5 (-110) |
| Arizona Cardinals | -5.5(-110) | +230 | Under 48.5 (-110) |
Odds taken Dec 23 at FanDuel
49ers Limping to the Finish
No team in the NFL has been beat up in 2020 as much as the defending NFC champion 49ers. The team has used a franchise record 70 players this season, and it seems that week in and week out their injury report is the longest in the league.
Injuries were a big part of the Niners last season. However, the team was able to overcome, and they made it to the Super Bowl, where they had a lead in the fourth quarter before eventually falling to Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs.
The list of players injured for San Francisco reads like a who’s who of the key players on the team’s roster.
Among those that have missed time, the last few years include Jimmy Garoppolo, Dee Ford, Kwon Alexander, Richard Sherman, Tevin Coleman, Jason Verrett, Brandon Aiyuk, Deebo Samuel, Nick Bosa, Jalen Hurd, Kentavius Street, Reuben Foster, and George Kittle.
Injuries have been too much for the team to overcome in 2020, and the team sits at 5-9 with two weeks left in the season.
The hope for coach Kyle Shanahan and the franchise is a healthy team will have a big bounce-back year in 2021.
Cardinals Not Satisfied
Since the Cardinals appeared in the NFC Title game in a loss to the Carolina Panthers in the 2015 season, the team has had their struggles.
The franchise since that loss to the Panthers went 23-39-2 entering the 2020 season, but this year with second-year quarterback Kyler Murray has been different.
Kyler Murray is too SHIFTY
(via @NFL)pic.twitter.com/Uy97RMACuG
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) December 20, 2020
Arizona sits at 8-6 entering Saturday’s affair with the Niners, and they hold the 7th and final playoff spot in the NFC, leading the Chicago Bears by a game.
A big reason for the team’s 2020 turnaround is the play of Murray, who in 14 games has thrown for 3637 yards with 26 touchdowns and 11 interceptions with a QB rating of 97.1.
Murray has also run for 741 yards and 11 touchdowns. In a 33-26 win over the Philadelphia Eagles, Sunday Murray went 27-for-36 for 406 yards with three touchdowns and a pick.
He also ran for 29 yards and a score in the win. The quarterback has rushed for at least one score in nine of 14 games in 2020.
With their eyes on the postseason, Arizona is playing a loose style of football with Murray leading the way.
Can Beathard Beat The Cardinals?
A huge storyline for Saturday’s game is who exactly will be under center for the 49ers at kickoff?
The team appears to be ready to have to start third-stringer C.J. Beathard against Arizona, who hasn’t started a game since 2018 due to an injury to QB Nick Mullens.
Beathard went 0-5 in five starts in 2018 and 1-4 in five starts in 2017. The Niners inked former Cardinals first-round pick, Josh Rosen, on Tuesday, and due to injuries, he could be Beathard’s backup in Saturday’s game.
After losing three straight in weeks 11, 12, and 13, the Cardinals have rebounded for two straight wins, beating the New York Giants and Eagles by a combined score of 59-33.
San Francisco #49ers QB Nick Mullens may need season-ending surgery
: https://t.co/frhscQHX4X | #FTTB pic.twitter.com/Jc8QffwpzI
— Niners Wire (@TheNinersWire) December 22, 2020
Murray has been sensational in the last two games, throwing for 650 yards, four touchdowns and a pick while rushing for 76 yards and a score in the two wins.
Arizona’s defense has also stepped up, after allowing 28.6 points per game in the three losses starting in week 11, the defense has given up 16.5 points the last two weeks.
Combine all the key stats and, it’s hard to think that the Niners are going to be able to hang with the high-flying Cardinals who can’t afford a letdown.
Prediction: Cardinals -5.5
Matt Loede has been a part of the Cleveland Sports landscape working in the media since 1994 when he graduated from broadcasting school. He has extensive experience in covering MLB, NBA, NFL, and college events. He’s written three books, and won the “2020 AP Sports Stringer Lifetime Service Award.”
source https://casinonewsblogger.com/49ers-vs-cardinals-odds-lines-and-spread-for-saturday-december-26/
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