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San Francisco 49ers vs. Arizona Cardinals Odds had Arizona as a -6 point favorite at Bookmaker.com. For anyone liking the 49ers, betED.com offered a line of +6 ½. The betting action on this game was fairly even though Bookmaker.com was reporting that San Francisco was getting the 5th heaviest betting activity of Sunday's NFL card after Minnesota, Dallas, Cincinnati and New Orleans.
The Cardinals have won 6 of the last 10 in this series including the last 2. Arizona has only won 1 of the last 4 by more than the current line of -6 ½.
It should be noted that the Cardinals are 9-2 ATS in their last 11 games as a favorite.
The Cardinals lost their offensive coordinator, Todd Haley, to the Chiefs in the offseason and fired defensive coordinator Clancy Pendergast. Given those changes at coordinator, it could take a while for the team to jell and that was evident as the Cardinals went 0-4 in the preseason. The Cardinals have maintained much of their players from last season when they made it to the Super Bowl.
Shaun Hill will start as quarterback for the 49ers.
Hill will be the fifth different player to start a season opener under center for the 49ers in the last seven years.
"There were times I thought this day would come. There were times I thought it wouldn't," he said. "That is just the ups and downs of my career. But since I have been here, things have worked out pretty well for me and I did feel that this would finally come."
Hill held off a lukewarm challenge from former starter Alex Smith during training camp and the preseason.
Hill also played well while starting San Francisco's final eight games in 2008. He led San Francisco to a 5-2 finish after taking over for struggling J.T. O'Sullivan.
The 49ers have been impressed with the way the eighth-year veteran has taken command of the offense.
"He already has been a successful player," offensive coordinator Jimmy Raye said. "I think you would qualify his play the latter part of last year as being a successful quarterback. He's a guy that prepares and gets himself involved emotionally and physically in the game."
"Shaun Hill is the guy here now and I believe in him," tight end Vernon Davis said. "I have faith in him and I'm going to be by his side. I believe he has the potential to be the best quarterback in the league and I'm going to back him 100 percent."
The 49ers improved during the second half of the season last year, winning 5 of their last 7 games, and on the road against the Miami Dolphins they only lost by 5 points.
Gambling911.com will be on San Francisco to cover the +6 ½ line found at betED.com here
Christopher Costigan, Gambling911.com Publisher
