The Arizona Cardinals face the Carolina Panthers on the road on Sunday in Week 16. They kick off at 1 p.m. ET from Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte.
They are 7-7 and snapped a three-game losing streak last week. The Panthers are 3-11 and have lost four in a row since their bye.
Who will win this game? The Cardinals are 4.5-point favorites.
Below are the expert picks and predictions from the Cards Wire staff.
Cardinals at Panthers Week 16 expert picks, predictions
Jess Root
The Cardinals should be able to make easy work of the Panthers. Carolina is awful against the run, allowing the most yards and the most yards per attempt, which means both James Conner and recently elevated backup Michael Carter should put up numbers. They don’t cover tight ends well, which means Trey McBride could break through for his first touchdown catch of the season. They do not play that well offensively. And, after two wins in a row and close losses to playoff contenders, the Panthers look like a team who peaked and now is coming back to earth. This should be a rather boring multiple-score win for the Cardinals.
Cardinals 31, Panthers 20
Howard Balzer
For three consecutive weeks, the Cardinals inactives were all healthy scratches although running back Emari Demercado and punter Blake Gillikin were placed on injured reserve the day before last week’s game against the Patriots. This week is a different story, placing added emphasis on the “next-man-up” cliché. Left tackle Paris Johnson Jr. and inside linebacker Mack Wilson Sr. are out, while backup running back Trey Benson will also be inactive. Outside linebacker Jesse Luketa, a core special teams player, was declared out Friday and then later placed on injured reserve. The line will have Kelvin Beachum at left tackle and rookie Isaiah Adams presumably making his third consecutive start at right guard, while left guard Evan Brown was added to the injury report Friday with a neck injury.
The Panthers had played five consecutive one-score games, winning two, with two going to overtime before four turnovers doomed them in last week’s 16-point loss to the Cowboys. The Cardinals should be able to control the game with their running attack and perhaps this will be defensive lineman Darius Robinson’s breakout game in chilly Charlotte.
Cardinals 24, Panthers 13
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