How did the 2019 Cardinals team, players stack up against preseason odds?

Preseason odds for NFL teams offer a good way to look back to see expectations for the season and start to understand where things went wrong or right. Below, we will take a look at DraftKings Sportsbook’s preseason odds for win totals, division titles, player props and more while we discuss what led to their triumphs or disappointments.

Team Futures

Super Bowl: +12500
NFC West: +2500 (finished last)
Win Total Over/Under: 5 (finished 5-10-1)

Player Props

Kyler Murray passing yards: 19.5 (finished with 20)
Kyler Murray passing TDs: 3,150.5 (finished with 3,722)
Kyler Murray offensive rookie of the year: +175 (YES)
David Johnson rushing yards: 1,000.5 (finished with 345)
David Johnson receiving yards: 600.5 (finished with 370)
David Johnson rushing + receiving yards: 1,600.5 (finished with 715)

It’s not easy bouncing back from being the worst team in the league, but the Arizona Cardinals did improve after selecting Kyler Murray first overall in the 2019 draft. The Cardinals went from 3-13 to 5-10-1 with a rookie quarterback and an offense that was reinvented by coach Kliff Kingsbury in his inaugural NFL season. Nine of Arizona’s contests were one-score games in the end, and they have room for improvement.

The voters decided Murray put up offensive ROY numbers, getting the edge over Raiders running back Josh Jacobs. Murray hit the overs for two of his three prop bets and his numbers passing attempts, passing yards, and completion percentage were in the middle of the pack for signal callers. But he needed a little assistance on the offensive end.

Murray might be mobile, but his offensive line needs to be sturdier than it is right now. The Cardinals had the seventh worst adjusted sack rate in the NFL in 2019, according to Football Outsiders. That paired with the fact that David Johnson regressed significantly hurt Murray. Johnson went from being one of the best all-purpose backs in the NFL to finishing third in rushing yards on his team. He battled injuries before losing his job to Kenyan Drake. Larry Fitzgerald is 36 years old and remains the Cardinals’ number one receiver and needs more young talent around him.

Arizona also faced adversity on the defensive end, as star cornerback Patrick Peterson missed significant time after being suspended for PED use. A lot needs to change next season. The Cardinals need to figure out their backfield while both the offensive line and receiving corps need significant upgrades. Hitting big in free agency is probably out of the question. Evaluating talent in the 2020 Draft will be very important — especially with a top 10 pick.

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