Arizona Cardinals: 2019 week 1-4 predictions

The Arizona Cardinals open the 2019 season with three of the first four games at home

Week 1: September 8th vs. Detroit Lions

TV: FOX 1:25 PM

This is the second time in three seasons the Cardinals open against the Lions.  They opened against them in 2017 at Ford Field in Detroit and would rather just forget that one.  The Cardinals lost running back David Johnson to a season-ending wrist injury in the loss.

Last time: The Cardinals last played the Lions in 2018 in Glendale and lost 17-3.  It was an anemic offensive effort for the Cardinals.  However, the Lions offense was just as bad.

Starting quarterback Matthew Stafford only threw for 101-yards.  The games lone offensive touchdown was a 1-yard run for the Lions in the fourth quarter to seal the deal.  They also had an interception return for a touchdown.

Despite the low score, it never really seemed the Cardinals were in the game. The offense, as it did much of 2018 sputtered out before getting into scoring range.  One Zane Gonzalez field goal was all they could muster.

Key players: This year will mark rookie quarterback Kyler Murray’s NFL regular-season debut.  We don’t know quite what to expect?  We didn’t see much of what they will offer in the preseason.

I don’t expect a 17-3 game for sure.  The Lions defense should be strong again.  They will likely bring a lot of blitzes to test the Cardinals offensive line, a work that is still in progress.

Prediction: Cardinals 24 Lions 20

Not sure why after what we saw in the preseason makes me believe they will score 24 but for now we should trust we have seen absolutely nothing from the head coach Kliff Kingsbury‘s offense yet.