Last season, the Arizona Cardinals and Carolina Panthers finished the year with the two worst records at a combined 6-28, and while the latter is still finding their way, the former kept their playoff hopes alive this past weekend. To get you set for this near cross-country matchup, we’ve shared our Cardinals vs. Panthers predictions with you.

That includes not only a best bet from our Cardinals vs. Panthers picks, but also a monster $1,500 BetMGM Sportsbook sign up bonus!

 

 

 

Cardinals vs. Panthers Predictions For NFL Week 16, Sunday 12/22

While the Cards will be the ones taking the long trip this weekend, they got to remain in the desert last Sunday and toast the New England Patriots. It was the expected outcome, but that should still have Arizona fans excited for this clash, as they’re in a similar spot.

Interestingly enough, the Panthers had the extremely rare distinction of being a favorite last Sunday (the first time in two calendar years), but squandered any confidence the oddsmakers had in them by losing by 16 points at home. It’s a franchise that still has a long way to go, so we’re not surprised to see Arizona as a road favorite, and that alone can be a key factor in making any Cardinals vs. Panthers picks!

 

 

 

Arizona Cardinals: Cardiac Cards

Arizona has earned the nickname of Cardiac Cards this season, as they have continued to raise the blood pressure of their fanbase. Their 7-7 record already indicates an up-and-down season, but it truly has been not only each end of the spectrum, but also the dead center roller coaster types of games.

We’ve seen Arizona win 41-10 and 31-6, lose 42-14 and 34-13 while also having THREE games decided by exactly one point! This late into the season, many teams can display varying results, but the Cards truly exemplify it to the max. However, they do have consistent aspects of their team, which helped us determine the market for the best bet from our Cardinals vs. Panthers predictions.
 

 

 

Carolina Panthers: Playing For Pride

The Carolina side of this clash also helped us in making that decision, as they also have consistencies. However, their trends are generally in terms of weaknesses, as there is still a chance that they could finish the season with the worst record in the NFL for back-to-back years.

Admittedly, while they have just three wins to their name, they have been competitive more often than not. Specifically, they’ve been so in games they had no right to be. For example, they nearly upset the Kansas City Chiefs a few weeks ago, which began a stretch of three straight games decided by just a combined 12 points.
 

 

 

Cardinals vs. Panthers Odds, Spreads, Total & Betting Lines

We’re going to be targeting a prop market for the top pick from our Cardinals vs. Panthers predictions, but we’ve also got the standard Cardinals vs. Panthers odds at BetMGM Sportsbook for you below:

 

 

Cardinals vs. Panthers Best Bet: James Conner Over 18.5 Carries (-115 at BetMGM Sportsbook)

Given what we shared regarding the Cardiac Cards and the Panthers being pasts, it’s only logical that the best bet from our Cardinals vs. Panthers predictions is staying away from having to trust either team to cover the spread.

As much as we’d expect Arizona to have a comfortable victory, we’re not going to sweat it out with them on the east coast in an early afternoon game. Instead, we’re going to focus on what happens when a team does have a comfortable lead, which is to grind out the clock by handing the ball off.

The Cards have the absolute perfect RB to do so as well, as James Conner is an absolute workhorse with a very physical running style. That’s why we see a relatively high line for his carries, but even if Arizona doesn’t have the lead that we expect them to, Conner is still prime for a big game.

Carolina has allowed the most rushing yards per game by a mile. For perspective, their 173 yards allowed per game are 30 yards more than the next-closest team, while the gap between second and third is just two yards. We’ve also seen Conner have 16+ carries in each of the last three games, and on the season, he has 10 such games.

Now with an ideal matchup, he should exceed even that mark. Therefore, the best bet from our Cardinals vs. Panthers predictions is James Conner over 18.5 carries (-115 at BetMGM Sportsbook).
 

 

 

Cardinals vs. Panthers Injury Report & Latest News

As for injuries, Carolina WR Xavier Legette is hoping to get healthy and redeem himself for the dropped pass that prevented a comeback win over the Eagles last Sunday. Arizona would love it if LB Mack Wilson can clear concussion protocol to help lead to a smooth win. Of course, those are just the most notable injury stories, and you can monitor them all with the Fantasy Alarm NFL injury report!
 

 

 

How To Bet On Cardinals vs. Panthers at FanDuel Sportsbook & Claim Your $150+ Bonus

Fans will also want to add to our Cardinals vs. Panthers predictions, especially in Arizona and Carolina, with the current DraftKings welcome bonus:

  1. Sign up here for a new DK account
  2. Make a first-time deposit of $5 or more
  3. Place a wager of $5+ on any sporting event
  4. Receive $150 in bonus bets guaranteed if you’re in:
    1. AZ, CO, IL, IN, MA, NC, OH, PA or WY
  5. Receive $150 in bonus bets if it wins if you’re in:
    1. DC, IA, KS, KY, LA, MD, MI, NJ, NY, TN, VA or VT

With AZ and NC fans having their $150 bonus guaranteed, it’s perfect for this matchup; however, don’t worry if you’re in the other grouping - you can just pick a huge -5000 favorite if you want! No matter your location, no DraftKings bonus code is required when you create a new account through us!