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Cardinals vs. Rams, Week 1: Odds favor St. Louis

The home team has a distinct advantage in the season opener, say the bookies.

Jeff Curry-US PRESSWIRE

The St. Louis Rams open the season in less than one week, with a Sunday afternoon matchup against the Arizona Cardinals. It looks like the perfect opportunity for Jeff Fisher's young team to get a win and pick up where they left off last season. The people who make the odds agree.

St. Louis opened as four-point favorites over Arizona, a team they beat twice last season. Since the opening line, the Rams' edge has inched up to 4.5 points. The over/under on the game now sits at 41 total points, according to the numbers from Odds Shark.

For now, a majority of the action has the Cardinals covering the spread. The Rams were 11-5 against the spread last season, the best mark in a long time for the team. However, recent history for both teams paints a different picture for opening day. The Rams are 2-10 against the spread in their last 12 season openers, and a woeful 1-6 when favored.

Predictions are pointing toward a low-scoring affair. Odds Shark's model currently calls for a 17-13 Rams win. That matches history where eight of the last 10 games between these two teams have gone under the over/under mark. St. Louis held Arizona to just 3 points in a Week 5 win last season, scoring 17 themselves. In Week 12, in Arizona, the Rams won 31-17.