Bengals vs. Cardinals Betting Line

Carrie Stroup here with your Bengals vs. Cardinals betting line  Sportsbook.ag Line: Arizona -4.5, Total: 49

CINCINNATI BENGALS (8-1) at ARIZONA CARDINALS (7-2)

The Cardinals’ high-flying offense will meet the Bengals’ bend but don’t break defense in an out-of-conference matchup with major playoff implications for both teams when the two square off in Arizona on Sunday Night Football.

Cincinnati (8-1 SU, 7-1-1 ATS) fell from the ranks of the unbeatens on Monday night in a loss at home to Houston 10-6, thanks in no small part to season lows in points scored, rushing yards, and passing yards; the Bengals entered Monday night’s game averaging 391 YPG this season, but mustered only 256 yards against the Texans’ defense.

Arizona (7-2 SU, 6-3 ATS) picked up one of the most impressive victories of the season on Sunday, a 39-32 come-from-behind victory on the road against Seattle while moving into 2^nd place in the NFC playoff picture. The Cardinals handed the Seahawks just their 4^th home loss since the start of the 2012 season.

Betting trends favor the Cardinals, though Bengals’ QB Andy Dalton has had more success than Cardinals QB Carson Palmer. Dalton is 42-29 ATS in his career, while Palmer is 37-33 ATS since the beginning of the 2010 season. As an underdog, Dalton is 19-12, including 13-8 as a road underdog. Palmer is just 16-16 ATS as the favorite since the start of the 2010 season, including 10-13 as the home favorite.

Arizona is 69-33 ATS when allowing 15 to 21 points since 1992, including a 3-1 mark this season. Since the start of the 2012 season, the Cardinals are 7-2 ATS when allowing 100 to 125 rushing yards, including a 3-0 mark this season. Arizona is 8-0 ATS since the start of the 2012 season when gaining 350-400 total yards, although Cincinnati is 7-1 ATS when allowing 350 to 400 total yards over that same time frame. Both coaches have trended toward success in their careers.

As Bengals’ head coach, Marvin Lewis is 55-48 ATS in the 2^nd half of the season, while the Cardinals’ Bruce Arians is 12-5 ATS in the 2^nd half of the season since taking over in 2013.

Cincinnati has allowed 338.8 total YPG this season (11^th in NFL), and ranks 13^th in both rushing YPG and passing YPG allowed, but the unit has clamped down when it matters most, allowing just 16.9 PPG (1^st in NFL). Cincinnati’s 4.7 rushing YPA allowed (T-28^th in NFL), is a problem, one that could get even worse with Chris Johnson’s 734 yards (2^nd in NFL) awaiting them Sunday night.

The outcome of this game could come down to how Andy Dalton ends up playing. He was absolutely flawless up until last week’s meeting with the Texans, when he really looked miserable in a loss.

Giovani Bernard will also be an x-factor in this one, as the Bengals will need to make some big plays in the screen game.

Johnson is far from the only thing the Bengals should fear. The Cardinals will provide the greatest total offensive challenge the Bengals have faced this season. Arizona is averaging 421.1 total YPG (1^st in NFL) and 33.6 PPG (2^nd in NFL), thanks in large part to a passing attack that, after finishing 14^th in the league last season while averaging less than 240 YPG, is currently averaging 297 YPG (4^th in the league).

In addition to Johnson, the Bengals will need to find a way to slow down Larry Fitzgerald, among the league leaders in receptions (6^th) and receiving yards (5^th).

The Cardinals’ defense is ranked in the Top 10 in both passing YPG allowed (7^th) and rushing YPG allowed (4^th), putting even more pressure on Dalton to recover from last week’s season-worst offensive performance.