Carolina at Arizona

Time: 3:05 PM CST (FOX)

Spread: ARI -2.5

Total: 45

Odds c/o 5dimes

Kyler Murray is getting the start for the Arizona Cardinals, who host the Carolina Panthers as 2.5-point favorites in NFL action at 3 PM Central Sunday on FOX. Arizona is 0-1 on the season and Carolina is 0-2. The Panthers are going to be without Cam Newton who is ruled out due to a foot injury.

CAROLINA

Expect the Panthers to turn heavily to running back Christian McCaffrey in week 3. He has rushed 35 times for 165 yards this season, with two touchdowns to his credit as well as nine rushes for first down. The Panthers have no secondary options behind McCaffrey, with Newton ranking No. 2 in rush attempts at just five (for a total loss of 2-yards).

The Panthers will look to undrafted 23-year-old Kyle Allen to start at quarterback.

He is from Houston, and he completed 16 of 27 against the New Orleans Saints on Dec 30, while scoring two touchdowns and posting a quarterback rating of 94.4 Allen was not drafted, but he is a good prospect who could surprise people this week, and he is a departure from Newton as a guy who comes into the NFL with minimal hype regarding his talents instead of the massive hype fest over Cam.

Newton may need this time off to come back full-force because he has not been himself, and if Allen really shines it will set the Panthers into a more luxurious position where Newton can be properly rested without utterly destroying the Panthers’ offensive attack.

ARIZONA

The Arizona Cardinals are 0-1-1 on the season after tying Detroit in Week 1and losing to Baltimore 17-23 in Week 2. Kyler Murray completed 25 of 40 passes, but he did not throw any touchdowns and he was sacked three times in the game for 20-yards lost. The Cardinals averaged just 1.8 yards-per-rush on its 11 carries, with David Johnson rushing a team-high seven times for just 14 yards, though he did manage to rush in a score.

Christian Kirk and Larry Fitzgerald both topped 100-yards on the day with 11 catches between them for 218 total yards. Damiere Byrd caught six for 45 yards. The Cardinals averaged 14-yards-per-reception, though it failed to throw any TD passes in the game. Kicker Zane Gonzalez was 3 of 3 on field goals, though he did not attempt any beyond 22-yards. Punter Andy Lee did an excellent job with a 53.4 yard average on his five punts, including a long-attempt of 59-yards.

ATS TRENDS (C/o Covers):