Charlie Cummings breaks down his prediction and pick for Sunday’s Week 13 clash between the Arizona Cardinals and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
It’s been a trying season for the Arizona Cardinals. Heading into the season as a fringe playoff team, their thin margins have come back to bite them. But they found a good time to catch the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who are faltering after a scorching start to the season. It’s an NFC showdown with significant playoff implications.
The Buccaneers enter as 3.5-point home favorites on DraftKings Sportsbook, while the Cardinals are listed as +150 underdogs. The game’s total is set at 44.5 points. Here is my preview, pick and prediction for Sunday’s Week 13 matchup between the Cardinals and Buccaneers.
Cardinals vs. Buccaneers Preview
Arizona came into the year with a good, but not great, offense. You could say the same about its defense. Playing in the brutal NFC West, getting into the postseason mix was always going to be difficult. Without Kyler Murray, that hope is all but dead as the team sits at 3-8.
Tampa Bay is feeling the heat as well. It went into the bye week at 6-2, looking like a team that would run away with the NFC South. But it’s dropped three straight since the bye, losing to the Patriots, Bills and Rams. The schedule lightens considerably down the stretch, but the Bucs still need to seize the momentum back sooner rather than later. That starts with this matchup against the Cardinals.
Will the banged-up Bucs take care of business? Or can the Cardinals pull an unlikely upset?
Cardinals vs. Buccaneers Prediction, Pick
I understand why it’s hard to have faith in the Buccaneers right now. With the key offensive injuries on top of the losing streak, the Bucs’ stock is down. But I’m here to tell you this is the time to buy. Arizona’s offense is not inspiring, even if Marvin Harrison Jr. suits up. If Baker Mayfield guts out his shoulder injury, he has more than enough at his disposal to pull off the win.