Monday Night Football live discussion and picks: Patriots at Cardinals

Week 14 in the NFL comes to a close with a Monday Night Football game between the New England Patriots and the Arizona Cardinals. The Patriots are on the road in this one, but are 1.5 point favorites according to DraftKings Sportsbook. The Patriots are still trying to slip into a Wild Card berth in the AFC, while the Cardinals are mostly just finishing out the season.

This is an open thread for game chat.

Some of the BTB staff have been picking games with Tallysight. Below are our picks for this game and explanations for why.

Dave Halprin - The Pats are playing for something still, and the Cardinals are just an impossible team to predict. You could go either way here, but take the Pats to win and cover.

RJ Ochoa - The Cardinals have been such a weird team all season long and are very difficult to trust. While the Patriots are nowhere near the versions of themselves that we have known for so long they have more on the line and ultimately know how to win when it matters more than Arizona does. Give me the Patriots although I don’t feel great about it.

David Howman - I have zero faith in either of these teams in general, but the Patriots defense has routinely struggled against mobile QBs this year, whether it’s Lamar Jackson, Josh Allen, or Justin Fields. Now they’re going on the road to face Kyler Murray, who showed signs of life after returning from injury. I’ll likely end up regretting this but I’m taking the Cardinals.

Matt Holleran - On the the Patriots side, if they want any shot at making the playoffs this game is virtually a must win. For the Cardinals, this game does not have any potential playoff implications as they are too far back to make a postseason push. The Cardinals have played better since Kyler Murray’s return, but I think New England will have more to play for and they find a way to win. Give me the Patriots in a boring game.

Tom Ryle - One thing these predictions have proven is how often games don’t go at all how we expect. The signs point to a Patriots win. I’ll go with them, but with no confidence at all.

Brian Martin - This MNF matchup between the Arizona Cardinals and New England Patriots is a tossup that could go anyway. I went with the team who I believe is better coached and has more to play for. Give me the Patriots in a close one.