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Atlanta Falcons vs Arizona Cardinals Picks

State Farm Stadium

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Both the Arizona Cardinals and Atlanta Falcons have been eliminated from playoff contention, but their Week 16 matchup still carries plenty of intrigue.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Kirk Cousins and the Falcons are coming off a dramatic comeback on Thursday Night Football in Week 15, rallying from a 14-point fourth-quarter deficit in Tampa Bay.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Meanwhile, Arizona enters on a six-game losing streak, but the offense has shown life with veteran quarterback Jacoby Brissett under center.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">So how do these teams stack up and where does the betting value lie? I’ll break it all down in my Arizona Cardinals vs. Atlanta Falcons preview and best bet.</span></p>
<p><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">For additional information on picks, props, moneylines, and more on today’s slate, take a look at our </span></i><a href="http://bettingnews.com/nfl/picks/"><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">NFL Picks Page</span></i></a><i><span style="font-weight: 400;"> or our </span></i><a href="http://bettingnews.com/nfl/odds/"><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">NFL Odds Page</span></i></a><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">.</span></i></p>
<p><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">You can also browse our recommendations for the </span></i><a href="http://bettingnews.com/best-online-sportsbooks/"><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">best online sportsbooks</span></i></a><i><span style="font-weight: 400;"> available in the U.S.</span></i></p>
<h2>Arizona Cardinals vs Atlanta Falcons Preview &amp; Best Bet</h2>
<div id="attachment_90102" style="width: 610px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-90102" class="wp-image-90102 size-full" src="https://wp.bettingnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/admin-ajax.jpg" alt="Get all the info and analysis you need for this matchup with our expert Arizona Cardinals vs Atlanta Falcons preview &amp; best bet. " width="600" height="338" srcset="https://wp.bettingnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/admin-ajax.jpg 600w, https://wp.bettingnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/admin-ajax-300x169.jpg 300w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px" /><p id="caption-attachment-90102" class="wp-caption-text">Will Kirk Cousins deliver another impressive offensive output in Week 16?</p></div>
<h3>Cardinals vs Falcons Preview</h3>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Oddsmakers opened Kirk Cousins and the Falcons as 1.5-point road favorites, with the total set around 46. Since then, Atlanta has been bet up to a three-point favorite and the total has climbed to 48.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The move on the total makes sense, given that neither defense has shown much improvement this season. Arizona ranks 31st in success rate and 25th in EPA per play allowed, while Atlanta sits 24th and 19th in those same categories.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Since taking over in Week 6, Brissett has completed 256 of 386 passes (66.3%) for 2,708 yards with an 18-to-6 touchdown-to-interception ratio. He’s averaging 28.4 completions, 42.8 attempts and 301 passing yards per game.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">That said, Brissett may not need to hit those numbers for Arizona to stay competitive. The Falcons bring in a vulnerable run defense, ranking 28th in rush success rate and 24th in rush EPA per play. They’re allowing 4.5 yards per carry, which happens to be the same figure Arizona gives up on the ground.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">All signs point toward a favorable offensive setup for the Cardinals. They should be able to do damage on the ground, and with Marvin Harrison Jr. added to a pass-catching group that already includes Michael Wilson and tight end Trey McBride, this is an offense few defenses want to deal with &#8211; especially one as shaky as Atlanta’s.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Let’s flip to the other side and examine the impact Kirk Cousins has had on Atlanta’s offense since taking over.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">His first start this season was a nightmare. Cousins and the Falcons hosted the Dolphins &#8211; who at the time, and arguably still now, fielded one of the league’s weakest defenses. Despite completing 21 of 31 passes, Cousins managed just 173 yards with no touchdowns or turnovers, as Miami cruised to a 34–10 win.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Since becoming the full-time starter in Week 12, Cousins has led Atlanta to a 2–2 record, averaging 20.5 completions on 32.5 attempts (63%) for 242 yards per game, with six touchdowns and three interceptions.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">He’s coming off a standout performance against Tampa Bay, throwing for 373 yards while completing 30 of 44 passes with three touchdowns and no turnovers.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">On paper, Cousins is in a strong spot to build on that showing. As noted earlier, Arizona’s defense has been a problem all season, ranking 31st in success rate and 25th in EPA per play allowed.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Those numbers have only worsened during the Cardinals’ losing streak. Since Week 10, Arizona ranks:</span></p>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-weight: 400;">29th in EPA per play</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br />
</span></li>
<li><span style="font-weight: 400;">32nd in success rate</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br />
</span></li>
<li><span style="font-weight: 400;">30th in dropback EPA</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br />
</span></li>
<li><span style="font-weight: 400;">32nd in dropback success rate</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br />
</span></li>
<li><span style="font-weight: 400;">26th in rush EPA</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br />
</span></li>
<li><span style="font-weight: 400;">25th in rush success rate</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br />
</span></li>
</ul>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">All of this helps explain why bettors have poured money into the over and toward the Falcons. However, I won’t be…</span></p>
<h3>Cardinals vs Falcons Best Bet</h3>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">I’m taking +3 with the home underdog. As poor as Arizona’s defense has been, Atlanta isn’t far behind. Brissett has this offense playing at a competitive level and consistently moving the ball downfield.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Cardinals have also shown some improvement in the red zone of late. For the season, Arizona ranks 18th in red-zone scoring at 57.4%, but that number has jumped to 66.7% over their last three games. Defensively, they rank 19th, allowing opponents to score inside the 20 at a 59% clip.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Atlanta grades slightly better on the season, allowing a 58% red-zone success rate, but that figure has skyrocketed to 70% over its past three games.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Just because Cousins led the Falcons to a dramatic primetime comeback against one of the league’s most fraudulent teams last week doesn’t justify them being a three-point road favorite against a competent offense. </span></p>
<p><a href="https://affiliates.bettingnews.com/register/luckyrebel-articles/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Best Bet: Arizona Cardinals +3 (-115)</strong></a></p>
<p><em>NFL Record: 85-69-1 (+5.50 units)</em></p>
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