The Arizona Cardinals and San Francisco 49ers aren't scheduled to take the field until Sept. 13.
But that hasn't stopped NFL
writers and sites from making predictions on the Week 1 NFL game in San
Francisco.
Can the Cardinals get a win
on the road after playing the 49ers tough twice last year or will San Francisco
get another victory over Arizona?
Check out the picks and
predictions for the NFC West showdown. The 49ers are seven to eight-point favorites in the
game.
MORE: NFL power rankings: Arizona Cardinals crack Top 10 in
preseason list of NFL's best teams
Sporting News: 49ers 27, Cardinals 24
Vinnie Iyer writes: "The
Cardinals have some great vibes with Kyler Murray getting help from Hopkins and
Chander Jones getting help from Isaiah Simmons. Kliff Kingsbury is a young
offensive-minded coach to watch the way Sean McVay and Kyle Shanahan once were
in the division. They gave the 49ers two close, high-scoring games last
season. But San Francisco remains strong and won't let down in its first game
at home after losing the Super Bowl. The 49ers might not have a healthy
Deebo Samuel to start and the defense will need to adjust without Buckner, but
they can still get it done here with their running game and greater depth of
playmakers on both sides."
Lineups.com: 49ers 27,
Cardinals 21
Jacob Wayne writes: "The 49ers were one of the biggest stories in football last season as they surged from a 4-12 record to 13-3 and represented the NFC in the Super Bowl. They rode the second-leading scoring offense, and the second-best defense in yards allowed to a series of dominant performances, including two double-digit playoff wins over the Vikings and Packers. The Niners will have to compensate for the loss of wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders, defensive tackle DeForest Buckner, and running back Matt Breida. However, as their most significant loss of the offseason threatened to be Joe Staley’s retirement, the team swooped in and replaced on elite left tackle with another in Trent Williams. Defensive tackle Javon Kinlaw and wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk are two first-round rookies who will be tasked with replacing Buckner and Sanders, respectively. The most significant mismatch here is likely the 49ers’ rushing offense, the unit with the second-most yards gained last year, against the Cardinals’ run defense, the group with the eighth-most yards allowed. For Arizona, the arrivals of linebackers De’Vondre Campbell and Devon Kennard, as well as defensive lineman Jordan Phillips should make a significant impact on their rushing defense. Isaiah Simmons, the team’s first-round pick, should make an immediate impact as well. The Cardinals’ offense was already middle-of-the-pack last season, and now they will benefit from a full season of running back Kenyan Drake as well as the offseason acquisition of DeAndre Hopkins. The Cards are one of the fastest-rising teams in football, and they will look to make a statement in Week 1. They draw a brutal matchup against top-to-bottom, perhaps the most talented roster in the league, but don’t be surprised if Arizona can keep this game close.".........More
Comments
Post a Comment