Arizona Cardinals vs Detroit Lions: TV/radio, preview, prediction

DETROIT MI - OCTOBER 11: Matthew Stafford #9 of the Detroit Lions is sacked by Markus Golden #44 of the Arizona Cardinals in the second quarter on October 11, 2015 at Ford Field in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Leon Halip/Getty Images)
DETROIT MI - OCTOBER 11: Matthew Stafford #9 of the Detroit Lions is sacked by Markus Golden #44 of the Arizona Cardinals in the second quarter on October 11, 2015 at Ford Field in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Leon Halip/Getty Images)

The Arizona Cardinals head out on the road to play the Detroit Lions in week one of the 2017 season

The Arizona Cardinals begin the 2017 campaign somewhere outside of Arizona for the first time since 2013.  They head off to Michigan to face the NFC North’s Detroit Lions.

The Cardinals are 2-3 lifetime at Ford Field in Detroit but have won the last two.  They have not lost to Detroit since a November 2005 visit.  They lost 29-21 that day.  Since then the Cardinals have defeated the Lions seven straight times.

Game time on Sunday is at 10:00 a.m. Arizona time.  We know someone will bring up the east coast time difference because someone always does.

The Cardinals did not fare well last season with the early window games, losing at Buffalo, Carolina, Minnesota, and Miami.  In 2015 however, the Cardinals won in Chicago and Cleveland in the Early window.  Their other two games out east was in the afternoon at Detroit and Philadelphia at night.

TV/Radio

TV: FOX10 (Chris Myers, Daryl Johnston)

Radio: Arizona Sports 98.7 FM (Dave Pasch, Ron Wolfley, Paul Calvisi); Sirius/XM Internet 800

Cardinals radio broadcast network:

KATO, 1230 AM, Thatcher
KAZM, 780 AM, Sedona
KNTR, 980 AM, Lake Havasu
KDDL/KQNA, 94.3 FM, Prescott Valley
KVNA, 600 AM, Flagstaff
KZUA, 92.1 FM, Holbrook
KBLU, 560 AM, Yuma
KRVZ, 1400 AM, Springerville
KIKO, 1340 AM, Miami
KCUB, 1290 AM, Tucson
KGMN,100.1 FM, Kingman

Key players/matchups

Arizona: Look for the Cardinals to get off to a quick start by using running back David Johnson a lot.  This isn’t any breaking news here.  However after a very restful preseason, Johnson should be ready for a lot of touches.

Cardinals guard Mike Iupati and defensive tackle Robert Nkemdiche will be game-time decisions on whether they play or not. Cardinals linebacker Deone Bucannon has already been ruled out.

Detroit: All eyes will be on quarterback Matthew Stafford.  He just got a huge payday with a contract extension.  This will be his first regular season game on the new contract.

Matchup: Detroit receivers vs Arizona Cornerbacks: Patrick Peterson should perform well but opposite him Justin Bethel will need to be aware of the speedy receivers the Lions employ.  With Stafford’s arm, it could be too easy for him to lay a few balls over Bethel’s shoulder and watch him get burned.

Related Story: Arizona Cardinals: 3 players to watch for vs Lions

Prediction

Both teams could feel each other out early on but in the end the Cardinals offense if they are on their game should be able to pull this one out.  The Lions offense should not be ignored, this will be a test for the Cardinals defense, especially without Bucannon and possibly Nkemdiche.

Cardinals 34 Lions 24

Schedule