Cardinals vs Raiders Week 2: Expect the Cards’ Playmakers on the Defensive Side of the Ball

• The Cardinals have now lost six of their last seven games dating back to last season
• Last week, the Raiders QB Derek Carr threw three interceptions in the team’s loss
• Watch Cardinals vs Raiders on Sunday, September 18, 2022, at 4:25 PM ET on CBS

Cardinals vs Raiders Odds

Odds taken from Caesars Sportsbook. Click on the links below to head to the sportsbook and place your bet.

Cardinals vs Raiders Pick

So far it looks like the Raiders are stronger on defense than the Cardinals and that could be the difference here in Vegas so pick them to cover the spread.

Las Vegas Raiders -3.5 (-110)

Get ready for an exciting NFL Week 2 cross-conference matchup that features two teams who each need their first win of the young season – the Arizona Cardinals taking on the Las Vegas Raiders as each team attempts to address all the reasons they came up short in Week 1.

The Arizona Cardinals have now lost six of their last seven games dating back to last season, an unenviable streak that didn’t keep QB Kyler Murray from getting paid in the offseason, but he and HC Kliff Kingsbury had best turn this ship around without WR DeAndre Hopkins playing yet.

A huge problem for the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 1 was the inability of QB Derek Carr to protect the football throwing 3 interceptions which killed the momentum for sure, although his connection with his old college teammate WR Davante Adams (10 rec, 141 yds, TD) is solid.

Here are our best predictions, odds, and picks – good luck and win big! See the best NFL weekly picks, here!

Arizona Cardinals vs Las Vegas Raiders Predictions

Can the Cardinals Defense Fix Whatever Ailed them in Week 1?

Might not be fair to be too critical of the Arizona Cardinals defense based on their performance last week against the KC Chiefs and QB Patrick Mahomes who was hellbent on proving he could still be effective without WR Tyreek Hill, something that he proved was absolutely true.

Arizona’s defense gave up 360 passing yards and 128 ground yards in that game, a lack of effectiveness that has them ranked the second least productive defense so far, and the 44 points they allowed were the most in the NFL so DC Vance Joseph is no doubt working on a fix.

This week it will be the Raiders 22nd ranked offense they will be facing, a team that generated 320 yards of total production last week, so expect the Cards’ playmakers on the defensive side of the ball to step up including SS Budda Baker, DE J.J. Watt, and STAR Isaiah Simmons.

Can the Raiders QB Derek Carr Take Better Care of the Football?

Many NFL talking heads are looking at the 2022 NFL season as Derek Carr’s prove-it year, now in his ninth pro season and just two Wildcard playoff losses on his resume, a QB too talented to not see the postseason more often who spent Week 1 throwing the ball to the other team.

Carr’s 3 interceptions this season already is a bad sign for a QB who is expected to break out given his favorite WR target Davante Adams (below) is now a teammate again and his other receivers – Hunter Renfrow, Mack Hollins, and TE Darren Waller – are all healthy and ready.

Normally turnovers are not a big issue for Carr who has 88 career picks in eight NFL seasons but given that in his last four years he has completed an average of 68.8 percent of his passes, it seems to reason that his poor Week 1 was just an anomaly that will fix itself in due time.

Cardinals Key Player: (RB) James Conner

One of the hungriest young NFL RBs James Conner is now in his sixth pro season and the Arizona Cardinals are his second team after four years with the Pittsburgh Steelers where under HC Mike Tomlin he learned how to contribute as a dangerous dual threat out of the backfield.

Conner is 27 years old now and he has decent RB size – 6’ 1” and 233 pounds – and the 2x All Pro has averaged 4.1 yards per carry and 8.2 yards per reception during his career, the perfect check down receiver for speedy QB Kyler Murray to depend on as he is scrambling to safety.

Last season was Conner’s first playing for HC Kliff Kingsbury and OC Sean Kugler, and he was a solid contributor playing in 15 games and posting 202 carries for 752 yards and 15 TDs while catching 37 passes for 375 yards and 3 TDs, production that the Cards will count on in 2022.

Raiders Key Player: (WR) Davante Adams

When veteran WR Davante Adams played for the Green Bay Packers with future Hall of Fame QB Aaron Rodgers, many NFL fans and insiders considered him arguably the best at his position, and after watching the Packers without him in Week 1 that assessment looks accurate.

Now Adams is on the Las Vegas Raiders and receiving footballs from his old Fresno State QB Derek Carr, the two friends in the same locker room once again, and the chemistry so far has been magic, their numbers in Week 1 (10 rec, 141 yds, TD) a sign of good things to come.

What having Adams on the roster does to the Raiders offense is help them by spreading out defenses that are forced to double team him in deep coverage leaving plenty of midfield room for playmakers like TE Darren Waller and WR Hunter Renfrow to get open and make a play.

How to Watch Cardinals vs Raiders