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Two slumping 3-7 teams duel in the Arizona desert on Monday night. The Cardinals have dropped five straight games while the 49ers were shut out 21-0 at home against the Bucs last week. The Niners are just 0-4 SU and 1-3 ATS away from home this year, and they once again have question marks under center. Troy Smith will be on a short leash as Alex Smith is now healthy, but at least the team will have the services of TE Vernon Davis (ankle), who will start Monday night. San Francisco kicker Joe Nedney (knee) will likely miss Monday’s game. For Arizona, CB Greg Toler (foot) and DE Calais Campbell (ankle) will both be game-time decisions, but RB LaRod Stephens-Howling (hamstring) and LB Clark Haggans (groin) will both return to action Monday night.
Sportsbook.com is using San Francisco -2 & 41.5
75% of action at Sportsbook.com is backing the 49ers -2.
The 49ers gained a season-low 189 yards in their 21-0 loss to Tampa Bay last week. After two quality starts (552 pass yds, 2 TD), Troy Smith was 16-of-31 for 148 yards and an interception, and was sacked six times. Frank Gore entered the Bucs game with 114 rushing YPG in his previous four games, but finished with a season-low 23 rushing yards against Tampa’s second-worst run defense. Gore will try to redeem himself against an Arizona team ranked 29th in the league, allowing 135 rushing YPG. Gore has 102 rushing YPG and six touchdowns in his past five meetings with Arizona.
The Cardinals are also coming off a blowout loss, 31-13 to Kansas City, as their only touchdown occurred on the final play of the game. In addition to its woeful run defense, Arizona ranks amongst the NFL’s bottom five in passing defense (262 YPG), passing offense (191 YPG) and rushing offense (85 YPG). QB Derek Anderson (7 TD, 8 INT) remains the team’s starting quarterback ahead of rookie Max Hall.
Even with Kurt Warner under center for a much better Arizona team last year, the 49ers still swept the Cards, including a 20-16 victory in the desert in last year’s opener. San Francisco has covered the past two times it has played in Arizona.
Sportsbook.com opened San Francisco -1 & the total initially was 39.5
Play On - Underdogs or pick (ARIZONA) - with a poor scoring defense - allowing 24 or more points/game, after 2 straight losses by 10 or more points. (48-16 over the last 5 seasons.) (75%, +30.4 units. Rating = 3*)
Play Under - Any team against the total (ARIZONA) - after 1 or more consecutive losses, in a game involving two bad teams (25% to 40%) in the second half of the season. (127-79 since 1983.) (61.7%, +40.1 units. Rating = 2*).
