- CARDINALS vs LIONS
- 1:25 p.m. Sunday
- State Farm Stadium
- Line: Cardinals +3 (For more NFL odds, visit the BetMGM online sportsbook)
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Hunt To Halt Hutchinson
The Cardinals offensive line was grateful last week when they didn't have to face Aaron Donald for the first time in a decade. But for the first time since he entered the league in 2022, the Cardinals are tasked with lining up against Lions defensive end Aidan Hutchinson. So the relief was short-lived. "(Hutchinson) takes no plays off, plays with a high motor, and he is one of the best defensive ends in the league," offensive coordinator Drew Petzing said.
Last week against the Buccaneers, Hutchinson notched 4.5 sacks. His nine quarterback hits rank tops in the NFL. In back-to-back weeks, Hutchinson has lined up across from a backup right tackle and earned majority of those statistics patrolling that side of the line. Kelvin Beachum will be the third consecutive backup right tackle with whom Hutchinson will battle. But Beachum isn't your typical backup. He's a 13-year veteran that started in his 150th career game against the Rams and is more than capable.
-- Zach Gershman
The Honolulu Blue-Print To Slow Lions
Show us a good offensive line and we'll show you a good offense. The Lions featured both last year while earning two playoff wins in one postseason for the first time since winning the 1957 NFL title. Entering 2024, Pro Football Focus rated the Lions OL the best in the NFL. Yet, when under pressure against the Buccaneers last week, Lions QB Jared Goff posted a passer rating of only 35.3 while throwing two picks in 55 pass attempts. Sure, the Cards were Ram Tough against a depleted OL last week (5 sacks, 12 tackles for loss, 9 QB hits) but can the AZ D devise a Detroit detour to stop the Lions run/pass game?
-- Paul Calvisi
Altering Amon-Ra's Access
The Cardinals defense needs to take wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown out of the picture. He was targeted a whopping 19 times in Week 2 against the Buccaneers and is quarterback Jared Goff's main target in the passing game. Arizona did a nice job eliminating Rams No. 1 receiver Cooper Kupp in the two quarters he played last week. If the Cardinals can pull off a similar performance, it'll force Goff, who will sit in the pocket, to throw to his checkdowns.
-- Dani Sureck
