This might be the toughest game on the docket to pick, because I don’t like either of these teams this year. The Arizona Cardinals may have ended up on some potential playoff lists this season, but those are the same lists that had them going to the Super Bowl last year. For the Detroit Lions, the stink of Jim Caldwell still permeates every pore of the team, even with one of the better quarterbacks in the league in Matthew Stafford flinging the ball around.
The Game: Arizona Cardinals at Detroit Lions (+2)
The History
The Lions have a slight lead in the all-time match up at 31-28-5. The history of the two teams goes all the way back to 1930 when Detroit was known as the Portsmouth Spartans and the Cardinals played in Chicago.
The Cardinals are currently riding a seven game win streak over Detroit, beginning in November, 2006. Arizona and the Lions last met up in October, 2015 with the Cardinals winning 42-17. It’s the longest win streak for the Cardinals in the match up.
The longest win streak for Detroit was nine games from November, 1935 to October, 1939. If you factor in ties, the Cardinals didn’t beat the Lions from October, 1932 until September, 1942.
It won’t surprise you, considering the woeful history of both franchises, that they have never faced off in the playoffs.
ARIZONA CARDINALS
If I need to tell you anything about David Johnson then you don’t play fantasy football. Johnson was an every down weapon for the Cardinals last season, rushing for 1,239 yards an 16 touchdowns and catching 80 passes for 879 yards and four touchdowns. He probably went first in your fantasy drafts this season and even though I don’t see the Cardinals doing any better than .500, Johnson is a beast and should remain so.
The problem with this Arizona offense is at quarterback and the increasingly inept Carson Palmer. He’s drug his desiccated carcass back for one more mediocre NFL season and the Cardinals still haven’t done anything in the last three drafts to do anything about it for the future. It’s the lack of thinking ahead that’s going to doom Bruce Arians just like it did Ken Whisenhunt before him when his old man at QB retired.
There’s a big difference, of course, between Hall of Famer Kurt Warner and Carson Palmer. As the wheels continue to fall off, I don’t see anything good happening this season, even though the Cards were able to put up some points last year. Futile points, but points nonetheless.
On defense, Arizona has to find a way to replace the production of Calais Campbell and, according to their depth chart, it’s not Robert Nkemdiche. At least not yet. Their strength is their defensive backfield and two solid linebackers. For some reason they drafted Haason Reddick and want to play him inside, which seems like a complete waste of his talent.
DETROIT LIONS
Matthew Stafford is worth every penny the Lions are paying him at quarterback. The biggest problem for this team is Jim Caldwell’s head coaching abilities are barely worth any penny at all. Maybe a Canadian one. Does Canada have pennies?
Detroit should be a solid team on offense and the sooner they can work rookie Kenny Golladay into the primary offense, the better. He’s the only potential No. 1 receiver they have on the roster. Marvin Jones and Golden Tate are solid NFL guys, but are both No. 2s. The offensive line is going to be a problem until Taylor Decker returns and don’t be surprised to see new starting left tackle Greg Robinson flagged over four times in this game for holds, false starts and general suckiness.
The Lions added a lot of players in the draft on defense, good players, and I’m sure the next head coach after Caldwell might know what the hell to do with them.
The Pick
When a home playoff team is sitting at +2, that’s a good sign the oddsmakers have no faith in them. They’re right not to. Truthfully, I have no faith in either of these teams, but I do have plenty in David Johnson and he alone should take care of this one for Arizona. Cardinals 31, Lions 27
This week
Straight up: 0-1
Against the spread: 1-0
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