by Vincent Caraturo – Wannamakeabet Staff Writer
Everyone this weekend will be focused on the Patriots and Steelers, as they should be. It has all the makings of a great game. I on the other hand am more in tune to find a game that I have a good feel for and that game this week is the Arizona Cardinals and Washington Redskins.
Washington has been a huge disappointment this season as they were expected to take the next step and have to win out just to reach 500. I think that starts this week against Arizona. Arizona is playing with backup QB Blaine Gabbert who is a manage the game type QB. Arizona has to be able to run. No Adrian Peterson to hand the ball to, as this week it will be Kerwynn Williams. They will be hard pressed to be able to do that. Washington is a completely different team at home then they are on the road where last week they got hammered by the red hot L.A. Chargers. The Cardinals are not a great running team to begin with only averaging 3.3 a carry. On the road they have been downright abysmal to the tune of 2.8 a carry.
Washington all year has had issues but there issues are on the road not at home. They have given up an average of 3.4 a carry at home and in the air have given up 195 a game and a 59.5% completion rate. Those are good numbers and Arizona’s offense has sputtered. Last week the Cardinals beat Tennessee in a huge upset at home 12-7. This is a whole different ballgame in Washington. Jay Gruden is looking to win out and is a solid coach for Washington. He will have the players up for these last 3 games stressing how important they are to finish strong. Arizona’s defense has given up 248 yards in the air a game and that plays to the Redskins strength who at home have averaged 270. Kirk Cousins should be able to throw the ball well on Arizona’s defense which clearly does not play the same on the road. After 3 straight home games the Cards, who haven’t been on the road in 4 weeks, a loss to Houston 31-21 will find this setting tough.
My prediction for the game is a solid Washington win and they are only favored by 4 points being they are 5-8. I am putting 1000 units on Washington to cover the 4 in a game I see them winning 27-13.