KYLER SCURRY
Bettors may run away from Cards after early looks at Murray
LAS VEGAS — As the No. 1 pick in the draft, Kyler Murray is a case of intrigue and mystery. While some say he’s too small to excel in the NFL, others are hyping Murray as The Next Big Thing.
Optimism surrounded the Cardinals offense this summer. Every story was positive, at least until the second week of the preseason. After one poor performance, the Cardinals are already becoming Public Enemy No. 1.
Murray completed only 3 of 8 passes for 12 yards and was dropped for a safety in last week’s 33-26 loss to Oakland that was far more lopsided than the score. The 5-foot-10 rookie appeared out of his league, as did new Cardinals coach Kliff Kingsbury, who was a failure at the college level.
“I think the Cardinals could be as bad as they look, but you have to be careful and you can’t overreact to it,” said Michael Lombardi, a VSiN analyst and former NFL executive. “Murray just looks so little. My sense of it is, I’m going to give Arizona another week and go from there.”
The predictable knee-jerk reaction for many bettors, especially those who watched Murray’s miserable night against the Raiders, is to play Under the Cardinals’ season win total of five. However, Kingsbury was showing a vanilla offense and, of course, it’s still early.
Arizona is a bet-against team until further notice. When lines for Week 3 of the preseason opened Monday, the Cardinals were the biggest underdogs on the board, getting seven points at Minnesota on Saturday.
Another factor to consider is the bet-on coach on the
other side. The Vikings’ Mike Zimmer has a 19-4 preseason record (straight up), including 5-0 in Week 3.
This is dress-rehearsal week, when most games typically mirror the regular season, but not all will resemble dress rehearsals as more coaches begin to buck the trend. A scouting report on some of the week’s top matchups (William Hill lines):
Giants (+11/2) at Bengals: While the media focus remains on Giants quarterbacks Eli Manning and Daniel Jones, Cincinnati opened as a home favorite for a reason. First-year coach Zac Taylor needs to excite a flatlining fan base, and the Bengals have a rookie quarterback who can move the offense. Ryan Finley, a fourthround pick, was 20-for-26 passing with two touchdowns in a win at Washington last week.
Redskins (-3) at Falcons: It appears veteran Case Keenum will win Washington’s starting quarterback job by default, with Colt McCoy injured and rookie Dwayne Haskins not ready to play. Atlanta coach Dan Quinn is 0-11 in the past three preseasons. Sharp money showed on the Redskins immediately after the Falcons opened offshore as small favorites.
Panthers (+4) at Patriots: Bill Belichick rarely reveals New England’s plan of attack, yet Tom Brady is likely to play at least one quarter after sitting the first two games.
Ravens (-4½) at Eagles: Philadelphia opened as the favorite offshore, but the line quickly flipped. The Eagles are thin at quarterback and just signed veteran Josh McCown to be their backup. Baltimore coach John Harbaugh is 15-0 in the preseason straight up since 2016 and 20-3 since 2014.
Packers (-3½) vs. Raiders: This game is in Winnipeg, where the turf playing surface is a concern. Oakland coach Jon Gruden seems satisfied with a 2-0 start and said he plans to sit several starters. Even if Aaron Rodgers is sidelined again, Green Bay is a better bet to play to win. Bears (+3) at Colts: Chicago coach Matt Nagy, who used mostly backups in a 32-13 loss to the Giants last week, has said starter Mitchell Trubisky might not attempt a pass in the preseason. As Andrew Luck’s calf injury lingers, Indianapolis must prepare backup Jacoby Brissett.
“I doubt the Bears are going to play their starters. That is Nagy’s attitude,” said Las Vegas professional sports bettor Chuck Edel, who made an early play on the Colts. “In Week 3, you are trying to speculate and waiting for information.”
Saints (-3) at Jets: In his first year with the Jets, Adam Gase fits the profile of a coach who will use this week as a dress rehearsal. New Orleans quarterback Drew Brees is expected to make his preseason debut, and coach Sean Payton has a 10-3 record in Week 3. That said, it’s not an ideal travel spot for the Saints, who played Sunday in Los Angeles.
49ers at Chiefs: No line was posted because of the San Francisco-Denver game Monday night, but Kansas City will be favored by at least a field goal. A weather delay in Pittsburgh changed Chiefs coach Andy Reid’s game plan Saturday, when Patrick Mahomes played only nine snaps. Mahomes is expected to play extensively this week.
“I think Reid will play this game seriously,” Lombardi said.
VSiN senior editor Matt Youmans co-hosts The Edge, weekdays 3-6 p.m. on SiriusXM 204, fuboTV, AppleTV and VSiN.com.