Oakland is feeling good after two big wins following their major skid. They put up 59 points in these games and now face a Cardinals team that 32.5 points per game over their last four.
Oakland, coming off two emotional nationally-televised games (Denver, New England) as well as a tussle with San Francisco and will struggle to get up for this game. If Arizona can show some of what they did in the first six games of the year when they went 4-2, this game will be close. Prior to their last four games, Arizona was allowing only 15.5 points per game, holding four out of seven opponents to 13 points or less.
The Cardinals are due for a bounce-back game while Oakland is due for a letdown. Oakland’s resurgence has been fueled by emotion having played against heated rival Denver and a revenge-laden game against New England (“the tuck”).
The Raiders haven’t rushed for 100 yards in six straight games and while Arizona QB Jake Plummer struggles against good passing defenses, the Raiders are mediocre at best (ranked 23rd in passing defense).
Home underdogs that have had poor offensive performances two weeks in a row are 59-34 against the spread including 2-0 this year. I like the Cardinals, at home and in need of a win, to keep this one within a touchdown.