Should You Bet On Kyler Murray MVP, Arizona Cardinals Super Bowl Odds Before Week 2?
After a dominating 38-13 victory on the road against the Tennessee Titans in Week 1, is it time for conversations regarding the Arizona Cardinals as a Super Bowl contender and Kyler Murray as a Most Valuable Player candidate to gain some traction? Currently at sportsbooks, Murray has the third-best odds to win MVP at +1000. The Cardinals are +500 to win the NFC West division and +3500 to win the Super Bowl.
Let’s take a look at how seriously NFL bettors should entertain each of these futures bets before the Cardinals take on the Vikings this Sunday.
Super Bowl Winner Odds (+3400)
The Cardinals currently have the eighth best odds to win the NFC (+2000) and the 15th best odds to win the Super Bowl (+3400). There are unquestionably more talented and more proven teams in both conferences compared to the Cardinals. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Los Angeles look to be in a class of their own in the NFC. The Kansas City Chiefs continue to be the class of the AFC, and are likely to once again be a threat to win the Super Bowl with star quarterback Patrick Mahomes under center.
Still, the NFL has arguably the most parity of any of the major professional sports leagues. If looking for a long-shot wager, Arizona is a team that is rapidly ascending in the NFL landscape. While it is unlikely that Murray can lead this group to the promised land in his third year, this could very well become a profitable bet to hedge if the Cardinals manage to secure a postseason berth, which is a legitimate possibility. Their Super Bowl odds are likely to shorten, especially at sportsbooks in Arizona, if the Cardinals put forth another decisive victory against the Vikings. Right now, the best at DraftKings Sportsbook,
Kyler Murray To Win MVP (+1000)
In Week 1, Murray delivered a sensational performance, completing 21-of-32 pass attempts for 289 yards and four touchdowns. He also added another touchdown and 20 yards with his legs. Is this fall the year that Murray emerges as a legitimate star quarterback?
Overzealous bettors might rush to throw money on a young, exciting player after an outstanding Week 1, but pragmatic evaluators will not be so eager to put their faith in Murray. For one, Murray had one of the most favorable matchups of any quarterback in the league in Arizona’s season opener. Throughout the summer and the preseason, the Titans dealt with a plethora of injuries, which kept them from having much meaningful practice time together prior to Week 1. The lack of time on the field together was painfully evident against Murray, who shredded their unprepared defense all afternoon. Another reason to slow down the hype surrounding Murray is that he still has a considerable amount of room to grow as a thrower. In 2020, he ran for 822 yards and dazzled with his deep-ball, but struggled mightily on intermediate throws, which comprised over 20 percent of his attempts. On throws between 10 and 19 yards from the line of scrimmage last fall, Murray had an unimpressive 72.0 passer rating, throwing for seven touchdowns and 10 interceptions.
Murray is a highlight-reel machine, and it can be tempting to buy as much stock as possible in his growth in Year 3 as an NFL signal caller. However, he will need to prove himself against better defenses in order to convince experienced bettors to trust him with their wagers.
NFC West Division Odds (+500)
Arizona continues to get better and better as they retool their roster in the post-Bruce Arians era. After Arians left the team following the 2017 season, the Cardinals won only three games in 2018, but improved to win five contests in 2019 and finished 8-8 last fall. How good can this group be in year three under Head Coach Kliff Kingsbury?
In 2020, the Cardinals only finished with a .500 record, but they outgained their opponents by 522 yards on the year. They scored seven more touchdowns than they allowed and averaged 5.7 yards per play on offense, which was the franchise’s best mark since the 2015 campaign, in which they finished 13-3 in the regular season and made it to the NFC Championship Game before losing to the Carolina Panthers. It would be a mistake to say that this Arizona team is as good as the 2015 group, but this is certainly a collection of talented players on both sides of the ball.
Matthew Stafford and the Los Angeles Rams are going to be difficult to beat in this division, but Arizona should find themselves solidly in the mix for a postseason berth as a Wild Card under the expanded format. Betting on the Cardinals to win over 9.5 games (-115) or to make the playoffs (+100) could be a worthwhile risk for bettors to consider. Oddsmakers still pick them to finish last in the NFC West, giving them +550 division odds at multiple sportsbooks.
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