Oddsmakers are expecting plenty of scoring in this all-NFC showdown here in Week 4 of the 2024-25 NFL season, as the game total is currently one of the highest on the entire slate. The Washington Commanders (2-1) are coming off a huge upset victory on Monday Night Football in Week 3, while the Arizona Cardinals (1-2) will attempt to get back to .500 overall after a tough loss to Detroit. Kickoff is set for 4:05 PM EST on September 29th at State Farm Stadium.
Commanders fans have to be thrilled after the first full month with rookie Jayden Daniels under center, as the electric quarterback appears to be the real deal. Daniels put on a show in primetime on Monday evening, leading Washington to a thrilling 38-33 road win over a desperate Bengals squad.
Arizona cooled down a little bit offensively last Sunday after torching the Rams for 41 points in Week 2, as the Cardinals only managed to find the end zone once in a tough matchup against the Lions at home. Detroit jumped out to a 20-10 lead at the half and finished the game up by a full touchdown after limiting Murray and Co. to just a single field goal over the final two quarters of the game.
Matchup Details, Betting Market Information and Where to Watch
Oddsmakers opened this game up with the Commanders listed as 4-point road underdogs. The spread has come down by half a point after early betting, as Washington is currently available at +3.5 on most sportsbooks. The total for this matchup is 50 points. Viewers hoping to watch the game should note that it will be televised on FOX. In Canada, the game will also be available on DAZN.
Washington Commanders Prevail Over Slumping Bengals
The Commanders got off to a fast start on Monday Night Football in Cincinnati and never looked back, holding off a desperate Bengals team despite getting outscored 13-10 in the fourth quarter. Jayden Daniels was outstanding through the air, completing 21 out of 23 total passing attempts for 254 yards and two touchdowns.
Washington also had a ton of success on the ground in Week 3, as Daniels found the end zone on one of his 12 rushing attempts while Brian Robinson and Austin Ekeler combined for another two rushing touchdowns. Speedy Terry McLaurin led the way for the receiving corps, hauling in four catches for a team-high 100 yards and a touchdown.
On the other side of the ball, the Commanders porous secondary was repeatedly exposed by Ja’Marr Chase. The star wideout recorded six catches for a season-high 118 receiving yards and two touchdowns. Washington didn’t have much more success defending against the run either, as the Bengals backfield duo of Zack Moss and Chase Brown found the end zone and racked up 166 all-purpose yards.
Arizona Cardinals Can’t Tame Lions At Home
Just a week removed from putting up 41 total points at home against Los Angeles, the Cardinals offense struggled to move the ball with any consistency last weekend en route to a tough 20-13 loss against Detroit. QB Kyler Murray was average at best, going 21/34 for 207 passing yards and a single touchdown.
Murray also led the way on the ground for Arizona, scrambling for 45 yards on just five rushing attempts all game. Rookie Marvin Harrison continued his hot streak after a breakout performance against the Rams in Week 2, scoring a touchdown in back to back games for the first time in his young career.
Despite holding the Lions to just 20 total points, it wasn’t an overly impressive performance on defense for an Arizona squad that had previously bounced back nicely against Los Angeles after a tough Week 1 outing in Buffalo. The Cardinals had no answer for the dynamic duo of David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs on the ground, allowing them to combine for nearly 200 total rushing yards and two touchdowns.
Our Commanders vs Cardinals Week 4 NFL Betting Prediction and Pick
This matchup should be one of the most entertaining games of the entire weekend, as oddsmakers currently are projecting these two teams to combine for a total of 50 points. There is no doubt that scoring should happen early and often in what shapes up to be a fast-paced, back and forth affair between two quick-strike offenses led by mobile quarterbacks.
Kyler Murray has already found consistent chemistry with talented rookie receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. after a bit of a feeling out process in Week 1, so look for the duo to have another strong outing at home here in Week 4 in a great matchup against a suspect Commanders pass defense. On the other side, Terry McLaurin finally showed signs of life after a slow start to the year and appears to finally be building a solid rapport as the primary target for Daniels when the Commanders are looking to stretch the field deep.
Against the Spread Betting Market Tip: Commanders +3.5
Even though I fully expect Arizona to find success on offense in this spot, I still prefer taking the 3.5 points and siding with the road underdog here in Week 4. Jayden Daniels has already demonstrated that he has no problem keeping up in shootout-style gamescripts, while the Cardinals will likely be without top TE Trey McBride this week. His absence should allow Washington to focus most of their attention on Harrison Jr. when Murray drops back to pass.
After gaining so much confidence offensively in Week 3, the Commanders could easily find a way to win this game outright on the road. There is also a distinct possibility that this matchup stays a one-score matchup throughout, with a late field goal being the difference in the final few moments of the fourth quarter. Look for Washington to keep things interesting and grind out a tough cover on Sunday afternoon – take the 3.5 points and roll with the underdog!
