Carolina Panthers vs Arizona Cardinals Matchup Preview (11/14/21): Betting Odds, Depth Charts, Live Stream (Watch Online)

Carolina Panthers vs Arizona Cardinals Matchup Preview (11/14/21)

After starting the season 3-0, the Carolina Panthers have dropped 4 of their last 5 games as questions about Sam Darnold’s future in the NFL begin to swirl around local media circles. With no interest in waiting for the Darnold saga to play out, Panther’s General Manager Scott Fitterer is in the process of finalizing a deal to sign former franchise quarterback Cam Newton. Shocking as it may be, we know Panther’s owner David Tepper is a hyper aggressive hedge fund manager who isn’t afraid to move off things quickly if they aren’t working. The question now becomes when will Cam play, not if, and how good will he be. This Panther’s defensive unit is arguably better than the one that Cam had during his Super Bowl run with Carolina just six years prior, and the return of Christian McCaffrey to the starting lineup adds to the faint sense of optimism that remains around this organization.

The Cardinals, meanwhile, have established themselves as arguably the best team in the league coming off a 16 point drubbing of the division-rival San Francisco 49ers. For the first time since 2016, it looks like the Cardinals will be playing in late January, though who they’ll play and where will largely be determined by what happens over the next 6 weeks. If this team wants to avoid traveling to Lambeau or Tampa this postseason, a win this weekend will go a long way.

The Cardinals come into this one 3-1 at home on the season, and the Panthers 2-2 on the road.

Carolina Panthers vs Arizona Cardinals Betting Odds

Betting Trends

Panthers are 7-1 ATS in their last 8 games as a road underdog
Panthers are 6-1 ATS in their last 7 games after a double-digit loss at home
Panthers are 1-5 ATS in their last 6 games overall
Cardinals are 6-1 ATS in their last 7 games overall
Cardinals are 25-12-3 ATS in their last 40 games after allowing more than 250 yards passing in their previous game
Cardinals are 9-21 ATS in their last 30 games as a home favorite

The Pick

We’re rolling with the Cardinals by 5 in this one. I expect this game to be fairly low scoring and, if Colt McCoy starts at quarterback, I wouldn’t be shocked if this ends up being a trap game for the Cardinals coming off an emotional win in division. This Carolina defense remains one of the more underrated units in the league right now, allowing less yards per game than every defense outside of Buffalo. With DeAndre Hopkins listed as questionable, the Carolina secondary will have an opportunity to force Arizona to beat them on the ground. Though Arizona is more than capable of winning this way, I think it will come at the cost of some of the downfield strikes they’ve grown accustomed to all season — something that may be just enough to keep the Panthers in it.

I do think Carolina is still lost on offense, and this Cardinals defense is an unforgiving matchup for a team trying to find themselves. We’ll see if PJ Walker filling in for Sam Darnold gives this team some juice. At the very least, I think he will add a much needed element of novelty that will keep the Cardinals on their toes. 

My Prediction: Cardinals win 24-19, Carolina covers (+10.5) and the under hits (u44.5)

TV Schedule

Date: Sunday, November 14
Time: 4:05 PM ET
Location: University of Phoenix Stadium – Glendale, AZ
TV Coverage: Fox

Carolina Panthers vs Arizona Cardinals Team Live Stream

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Injuries

Carolina Panthers: CB CJ Henderson (Gameday Inactive) O, RB Royce Freeman (Gameday Inactive) O, CB Troy Pride Jr. (Leg) O, Joseph Charlton (Back) Q
Arizona Cardinals: QB Kyler Murray (Ankle) O, WR DeAndre Hopkins (Hamstring) O, DE JJ Watt (Shoulder) O, WR AJ Green (COVID-19) Q, TE Maxx Williams (Knee) O

Carolina Panthers Analysis

After 9 games under center, the Panthers have officially decided to move off Darnold in favor of backup PJ Walker this weekend. So far this season, the Panthers are averaging the fourth fewest passing yards per game and the lowest average passer rating of any team. The addition of Cam Newton to the roster certainly adds some intrigue, though it’s incredibly difficult to anticipate how it will play out in the long run. My guess is Matt Rhule intends on starting Newton before the season is over, and we will have an idea on what his future with the franchise looks like sooner rather than later.

The real story on the field for this Panthers team, however, has been the emergence of their defense. The cornerback/safety combination of Stephon Gilmour, Donte Jackson, Sean Chandler, and Jeremy Chinn is arguably the best in the NFL, allowing just 181.4 yards a game. Though the run defense has been relatively average, they’ve done enough to keep teams from completely neutralizing the dominance of their secondary. If the Panthers want any chance this Sunday, though, they’re going to need this front seven, led by first round picks DE Brian Burns and DT Derrick Brown, to step up./span>

Carolina Panthers Depth Chart

QB: Sam Darnold
RB1: Christian McCaffrey
RB2: Chuba Hubbard
RB3: Ameer Abdullah
WR1: DJ Moore
WR2: Terrance Marshall Jr
WR3: Robby Anderson
TE1: Tommy Tremble

Arizona Cardinals Analysis

No kyler, no problem. This team has been the surprise of the season so far and I’m not sure anyone outside of Phoenix could’ve predicted it. It’s not just that they’re winning games, it’s that they’re crushing teams — good teams. The Cardinals average margin of victory is 15.6 points this season including wins over the Rams, Titans, and Browns. They have the highest rated scoring offense in the NFL and average more yards per attempt in the passing game than any other team.

Perhaps most surprising about this team, though, is their willingness to run the ball. When people think of the Cardinals, the vision is often a one-legged Kyler Murray throwing the ball 40 yards downfield to DeAndre Hopkins or AJ Green in the end zone. Though they have plenty of highlights that fit this formula, their play-by-play offense is very run centric. At 284 carries on the season, only the Titans have run the ball more at 286 carries. With 15 rushing touchdowns on the season, only the Browns have more with 16.

All this to say this Cardinals team can beat you a number of ways. If the running game isn’t going, they can air it out and beat you downfield. If the passing game isn’t going, they can put it on the ground and beat you up the middle. If neither is going, their defense can put the clamps down. All it takes is one bad turnover, and they’re back in business.

Arizona Cardinals Depth Chart

QB: Colt McCoy
RB1: James Conner
RB2: Chase Edmonds
WR1: Christian Kirk
WR2: Rondale Moore
WR3: Andy Isabella
TE1: Zach Ertz

Carolina Panthers vs Arizona Cardinals Daily Fantasy Picks

Without Kyler Murray or DeAndre Hopkins, the Cardinals are going to have to lean on RB James Conner to give them some juice on offense. Conner has averaged just over 50 yards and 13 carries a game, with his biggest numbers coming last weekend against the 49ers. As good as this Panthers defense can be, their weakest link is the running game. The Cardinals are going to need to exploit it to maintain the upper hand on Sunday and Conner is the man for the job. The RB is currently listed as $6,300 on DraftKings.