3 bold predictions for the Arizona Cardinals vs. Vikings – Week 8

Can the Arizona Cardinals upset the Minnesota Vikings this week? Here are three bold predictions that could occur in this Week 8 showdown. 

The Arizona Cardinals are currently 3-4, and they need a big win if they would like a somewhat favorable position during the early stages of the NFC playoff race. But with a team that appears to be excelling on all cylinders, the 5-1 Minnesota Vikings will not be an easy obstacle.

But with a strong defense and perhaps an emerging running game, the Cardinals may be able to pull off an upset here. So let’s get bold and see what the Redbirds are capable of doing in this week’s batch of bold predictions.

1 – Arizona Cardinals D stifles Vikings running game

The Arizona Cardinals are allowing 4.3 yards per carry and the Vikings running game is averaging 4.3 yards per carry. However, their starting running back, Dalvin Cook, is leading the way with 450 rushing yards and 4.8 yards per carry.

This week, though, the Cardinals will hold the Vikings to under 100 rushing yards, much like they did last week against the Saints. While the Saints threw for over 400 yards against the Cardinals defense, it was the third time the Redbirds allowed fewer than 100 yards on the ground this season.

In the previous outings where they allowed fewer, the Cardinals held opposing quarterbacks to 244 passing yards or fewer, so it wasn’t always the product of teams completely abandoning the run. In their Week 2 matchup, Las Vegas running back Josh Jacobs more than doubled his number of carries against all other backs on the Cardinals and Raiders combined. And we all know how that game turned out.

2 – Benjamin, Ingram, continue to emerge

While it’s no secret Eno Benjamin’s consistency has been his inconsistency, he has also enjoyed some stellar performances. The Vikings rushing defense ranks eighth in the league with 675 rushing yards allowed, but they have also allowed a middle of the road 4.3 yards per carry.

They are also allowing 112.5 rushing yards per game. By contrast, the Saints have allowed 123.1 per game, putting the two teams in the same neighborhood of yards allowed per contest. This could play into Benjamin’s and even Keaontay Ingram’s hands this week, where they could find even more success on the ground.

3 – Cardinals record three interceptions

The Arizona Cardinals have recorded just five interceptions all season, with three of them coming last week against the New Orleans Saints. Often, you don’t see these things happen in back-to-back weeks. But we also know that in rare occasions, the unthinkable happens.

So I’m getting ultra-bold this week and will predict the Cardinals snag three more picks, this time by Budda Baker, Byron Murphy Jr, and Jalen Thompson. Whether the Cardinals will capitalize on this against a Vikings defense that has allowed just 19.6 points per game remains to be seen.

(Statistics provided by Pro-Football-Reference)