NFL: League-leading Cardinals fancied to tame Lions in Phoenix

Arizona Cardinals welcome Detroit Lions to University of Phoenix Stadium on Sunday as slender two-point favourites.

NFC West leaders the Cardinals take the NFL’s best record into action in Week 11. Winners of five straight, SU and ATS, Arizona sit at 8-1, a full two games ahead of defending Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks in one of the league’s toughest divisions.

Detroit travel to the desert in top spot in the NFC North, with a record of 7-2. The Lions are riding a four-game SU winning streak, quickly becoming known for their late-game heroics, with each of their last three wins coming on scoring plays in the dying seconds.

However, while Detroit have been thrilling their fans, they have been disappointing punters, posting ATS wins in just two of their last five outings. The Lions have also struggled in recent trips to Arizona, going 0-5 SU and ATS in their last five.

Seattle Seahawks will look to keep pace with the Cards when they travel to Kansas City to face the Chiefs as 2.5-point underdogs.

The 6-3 Seahawks have won their last three SU following early season struggles that saw them lose three of five. However, Seattle remain a strong 7/1 bet to retain the Super Bowl.

Following a rocky start of their own, the 6-3 Chiefs have been playing outstanding football, winning their last four, SU and ATS, while holding opponents to just 12.5 points per game. Kansas City’s stout defense has surrendered just 16.8 points per game this season with the point total finishing under in their last five outings, 7-2 on the season.

In another key NFC match-up, Green Bay Packers play host to NFC East leaders Philadelphia Eagles as 5.5-point favourites.

Despite some solid play, 5-1 SU and ATS in their last six, the Packers remains a game back from Detroit in NFC North, giving up just 16.2 points per game in those wins. However, while Green Bay are 4-1 SU in their last five at Lambeau Field, they are a middling 3-5-2 ATS in their last 10 dates.

Led by quarterback Mark Sanchez, who has stepped as starter in place of the injured Nick Foles, the Eagles routed the struggling Carolina Panthers 45-21 on Monday night, easily covering as seven-point favorites and improving them to a perfect 5-0 SU at home, 4-1 ATS.

In other NFL action at Coral, Indianapolis Colts take on New England Patriots as three-point favourites in a battle of first-place squads. Their Sunday night football match-up is the first head-to-head since the Patriots topped Indy 43-22 in last season’s AFC Divisional Playoffs.

Denver Broncos take on St Louis Rams as nine-point favourites, while the streaking Cleveland Browns are favoured by three over Houston Texans and New Orleans Saints are 7.5-point favourites in their match-up with Cincinnati Bengals.