by Ben Perks
Week 8 of Thursday Night Football sees the Green Bay Packers face the Arizona Cardinals on the road. The Cardinals go into the game as the only undefeated team in the NFL at 7-0. Although the Packers are underdogs in this matchup, they are on a six-game winning straight after losing their 2021-22 season opener against the New Orleans Saints. Get insights and the latest odds for this clash of football titans.
Green Bay is coming off a resounding 24-10 victory over the Washington Football Team 24-10 in Week 7. Quarterback Aaron Rodgers put in another solid performance, completing 27 of 35 passes for 274 yards and three touchdowns. As for the Cardinals, they easily defeated the Houston Texans 31-5.
The blistering form of these two teams and the fact that they both have matching 6-1 records against the spread makes this an exciting Week 8 game for bettors. Online sportsbook Bovada has the Cardinals as -245 favorites to win this one and the Packers as +205 underdogs.
Although the Cardinals are the clear favorites, they have only faced mediocre quarterbacks in 2021. However, facing Rodgers on Thursday will be a real challenge for the Arizona defense. What’s more, Arizona has been fairly average in rushing defense, allowing 115.7 rushing yards per game. So, the Packers could be more effective on the ground with the running back duo of Aaron Jones and A.J. Dillon.
Why Oddsmakers favor the Cardinals
Mainly because of their offense, sportsbooks have the Cardinals as clear favorites to win Thursday’s NFL matchup. Arizona has been incredible this season, scoring 30 points in six of the last seven games. Arizona is ranked seventh in total offense at 402.1 yards per game and fourth in points per game with 32.1.
Quarterback Kyler Murray, who is currently fifth in passing yards with 2,002, leads this attacking powerhouse. So far, he has a 75 percent pass-completion rate, has thrown 17 passing touchdowns on the year, is averaging 304 passing yards per game, and has tossed at least three passing touchdowns in four games this season. So, expect the Cardinals to come out all guns blazing when they have the ball.
Why the Packers Could win against the Odds
Although star wide receiver Davante Adams’ fitness (reserve-COVID) will be a concern, the Packers have ground out wins without him. In the last two years, they have a 6-0 record when he hasn’t featured. Therefore, QB Rodgers and his teammates will still go into the on-the-road matchup with confidence.
Expect Rodgers to get creative in the passing game and spread the ball around, as apart from Adams, six other players have racked up at least nine catches this season. If Rodgers has the space, the Packers have a good chance of pulling off an upset. Another boost for Green bay is that big-play receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling, who has been out since Week 3 with a hamstring injury, could also take to the field this Thursday.
Recent Head-to-Head Record
| Date | Home | Score | Away |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12-02-2018 | Green Bay Packers | 17-20 | Arizona Cardinals |
| 01-16-2016 | Arizona Cardinals | 26-20 | Green Bay Packers |
| 12-27-2015 | Arizona Cardinals | 38-8 | Green Bay Packers |
| 11-04-2012 | Green Bay Packers | 31-17 | Arizona Cardinals |
| 01-10-2010 | Arizona Cardinals/td> | 51-45 | Green Bay Packers |
| 01-03-2010 | Arizona Cardinals | 7-33 | Green Bay Packers |
| 10-29-2006 | Green Bay Packers | 31-14 | Arizona Cardinals |
| 09-21-2003 | Arizona Cardinals | 20-13 | Green Bay Packers |
| 09-24-2000 | Arizona Cardinals | 3-29 | Green Bay Packers |
| 01-02-2000 | Green Bay Packers | 49-24 | Arizona Cardinals |
Discover your wagering options and learn how to place bets on the NFL by reading this comprehensive guide.
Ben is a sports journalist & part-time trader with a passion for finding +EV bets. Ben lives in Madrid, Spain where he enjoys the live poker scene, and sunshine where he covers UFC, MLB, NHL, NBA, as well as tennis betting.
