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Members of the 1972 Miami Dolphins team have an annual tradition.
Each year, once the final undefeated team falls, securing their legacy as the NFL’s only undefeated regular and postseason team, the surviving players pop the cork on some champagne and enjoy a nice flute—presumably with a healthy scoop of Benefiber mixed in.
These guys are no longer spry. In fact, it’d probably be smarter to have their attending nurse crack open a bottle of Ensure when the Cardinals finally drop a game, but who am I to argue with conventions?
They worked hard for that 17-0 championship season. Shook off the hangover of a 24-3 beatdown at the boots of the Dallas Cowboys in Super Bowl VI to run the table the following year and win (and cover the 1-point Super Bowl spread) against the Washington NobodySayIts. What’s a sparkling wine hangover compared to that?
Coming into Week 4, the Cardinals were one of five undefeated NFL teams along with the Los Angeles Rams, which could have been expected, and the Las Vegas Raiders, Denver Broncos and Carolina Panthers, which were not expected.
Without Christian McCaffrey, the Panthers losing to the Dallas Cowboys was a forgone conclusion. The second Teddy Bridgewater hit the concussion protocol and was replaced by the human interception machine Drew Lock, that game against the Baltimore Ravens was wrapped too.
As for the Rams? They decided to go ahead and take the week off on scoring touchdowns. I’m not sure if they think there’s a cap to how many you can pile up in a season. Or maybe Matthew Stafford got weirded out by reading all his good press and woke up Sunday thinking he was still in Detroit.
Either way, the Cardinals dominated the Rams and now are the only undefeated team remaining.
How Long Can Arizona Go Before Taking an ‘L?’
The Cards are coming in as 5.5-point home favorites hosting the San Francisco 49ers in Week 5. If you really like the direction Arizona is heading, you can take them right now at +4000 futures odds to win the Super Bowl at MaximBet.
Trey Lance is probably getting his first career start for the Niners as Jimmy Garoppolo has developed the same injury hobby as Carson Wentz. If Garoppolo misses Sunday’s game, he’ll have played just one full season in his last four.
After San Francisco, the Cardinals travel to Cleveland. That’s probably when the “L” will come and Larry Csonka can go ahead and get that 70s mustache he’s still rocking covered in Nicolas Fueillatte foam.
Thursday Night Football Betting Odds
Los Angeles Rams (-2) at Seattle Seahawks
You know, I try to dive deep and give you the best possible information to make your bets. I dig in there with both hands like a proctologist who’s about to lose his license and emerge with the best possible wager, but sometimes, I just feel it.
I could tell you that since 2014 the Rams are 10-5 against the Seahawks and that goes back to Jeff Fisher and quarterbacks like Austin Davis, Nick Foles and Case Keenum. I might inform you that Sean McVay is 6-3 against Seattle, including a dominating 30-20 victory in the playoffs last year with Jared Goff playing on a broken thumb.
All that sounds pretty compelling, but I’m not using any of it to pick this game. I’m using my gut, and my gut tells me it’s going to be the Rams simply because they lost last week.
Meanwhile, the Seahawks pulled off the road upset over the 49ers, 28-21, saving their season from a 1-3 start.
If Seattle had lost last Sunday and LA had won, I’d pick this one the other way. It’s just a feeling. Backed up by metrics, sure, but I’d pick it the same even if wasn’t. This is pretty much the NFL version of astrology. Like a basic white girl sipping an Iced Brown Sugar Oat Milk Shaken Espresso and about to break up with her boyfriend because his moon was ascending Jupiter or some shit, I’m trusting the universe here.
Rams 27, Seahawks 24
Adam Greene is @TheFirstMan on Twitter.
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