The 49ers were never going to be favored going into Arizona to take on the undefeated Cardinals. San Francisco has scuffled the last two weeks while Arizona continues winning and putting up a ton of points in the process. As a result, the Cardinals are favored by 4.5 points as of Saturday on Tipico Sportsbook, which is right about where the line was when the 49ers upset Arizona last year in the desert in Week 16.
Last season the Cardinals needed a win over CJ Beathard and the 49ers to solidify their spot in the playoffs. The 49ers had been eliminated and were just playing out the string. San Francisco not only covered the 5-point spread, but they took home an outright 20-12 victory.
Now they enter Sunday’s matchup as 4.5-point underdogs with their division hopes potentially on the line. There’s a lot to be said for desperation in the NFL, and the 49ers are the far more desperate team. This line has jumped around a little bit since opening at 2.5 points, but it wouldn’t be a surprise to see San Francisco go in and cover.
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