I should probably quit while I’m ahead after predicting last week’s narrow Colts’ win over the Titans, but here we go. For my week three upset, I have the two-point favorite Carolina Panthers falling to the Arizona Cardinals.
The Panthers, led by quarterback Cam Newton, have started the season 0-2, while the Cardinals, led by rookie quarterback Kyler Murray, sit at 0-1-1.
In week one against the Detroit Lions, Kyler Murray and the Cardinals looked horrible through the first three quarters of the game, scoring just six points. But Murray seemed to catch up to the speed of an NFL game in the fourth quarter, scoring 18 points to send the game to overtime.
In week two, Murray looked much more relaxed against one of the best defensive teams in the league, the Baltimore Ravens. While he did not throw a touchdown pass, he threw for 350 yards, moving the ball downfield enough to set up multiple scores.
While Murray progressed the last two weeks, Newton has regressed. In week one against the tough Los Angeles Rams defense, Newton threw for 250 yards with a 65 completion percentage.
In week two against one of the worst defenses in the NFL, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the Panthers offense put up just 14 points. Newton threw for 300 yards, but managed only a 48 completion percentage, throwing errant passes all night.
On the defensive side, both the Panthers and Cardinals feature below average defenses ranking in the low 20s. The Panthers defense gave up 20 points in week two to the barren Buccaneers offense, while the Cardinals held the explosive Ravens offense to 23. The Ravens led by quarterback Lamar Jackson, scored 59 points in week one against the Miami Dolphins.
Jackson played just as well against the Cardinals, but the Cardinals defense held their own, bending but not breaking as the Dolphins did. While the Cardinals lost the game, they lost by just six points, showing that they can hold their own with the premier teams in the NFL.
Neither team is exceptionally good, but the Cardinals are showing signs of life while the Panthers look to be trending downward at rapid speed. If the Cardinals defense can hold Lamar Jackson, they can certainly hold Cam Newton.
Murray, now having two games under his belt, is primed for a breakout game against the Panthers. It will not be a complete domination, but the Cardinals should be on the winning side of this game 24-14.
