Last Updated on August 20, 2025 12:41 pm by Erwin Noguera
The final week of the NFL preseason arrives in Glendale, where the Raiders face the Cardinals in a matchup that could decide the fate of several roster spots.
Week 3 is not just a formality before the official start of the season, but a key moment when final decisions are made about roster cuts and tactical adjustments.
Internal competition becomes fierce, and for many players, these minutes on the field represent their last chance to fulfill their dream of wearing a uniform in the regular season.
Coaches, for their part, use this week to evaluate specific schemes that could be carried over to the official schedule. Offensive variations, defensive rotations, and the response of special teams under pressure are some of the most closely watched points.
Although the spectacle may seem secondary to fans, it is a crucial stage in the building of each franchise.
At Gambyl Exchange, you can explore all the predictions for the NFL, the final bets for this Matchday, and the odds for each match.
Cardinals vs. Raiders Betting Odds and Info
When? | Saturday, August 23 at 10:00 PM ET, 9:00 PM CST, 8:00 PM MT, and 7:00 PM PT |
Where? | State Farm Stadium. |
What are the Odds for the Cardinals? | -128 |
What are the Odds for the Raiders? | +104 |
What is the Over/Under? | 37.5 |
Where Can I Watch it? | ESPN, NFL Network |
Why Bet on the Cardinals?
The Cardinals arrive with strengths at home but serious weaknesses against dominant offenses. Although they were a solid team at home last year (6-3), they were unable to compete against the most powerful rushing offenses, going winless against the top ten in the league (0-4).
Something similar happened when their opponents managed to establish the running game: if the opponent ran more than 30 times, Arizona had no answers and finished 0-6.
Their dependence on their running game was also exposed. Every time they ran less than 25 times, their record plummeted, showing that their offensive success necessarily depends on maintaining a high volume of carries.
However, in the final weeks of last season, they showed an interesting weapon: they were the team with the most runs of more than 20 yards, indicating that, despite their inconsistency, they have the explosiveness to change the course of a game.
Defensively, the concern is clear: pressure on the opposing quarterback was almost non-existent in the final stages of the season, with the worst effectiveness in the entire NFL in that area. In addition, they have been too permissive in critical situations, giving up first downs and long plays in excess when opponents attack from their field.
Why Bet on the Raiders?
The Raiders come into this matchup with several areas of concern. One of the most worrying aspects is their inability to win when the score is tied: since 2023, they have not won a single game when the score is tied at the end of the first quarter.
In addition, their defensive production did not always translate into victories; even in games where they had three or more sacks, they ended up with a negative record, reflecting that the pressure on the quarterback was not enough to control the games.
Ball handling was another Achilles’ heel. Every time they suffered at least one fumble, they practically signed their defeat, ranking among the worst in the league in this statistic. Added to that was the vulnerability of their secondary: when they allowed more than 250 passing yards to their opponents, they went winless on eight occasions last season. This combination of self-inflicted errors and defensive concessions ended up costing them too many games in 2024.
Offensively, Las Vegas also showed worrying limitations. Their running backs rarely managed to make long plays regularly, and the passing attack lacked consistency, ranking among the worst in receiver production.
Even play action, a key resource in many modern offenses, was largely ineffective. All of this, combined with their poor performance on long third downs, shows that the Raiders need profound adjustments to be more competitive against teams like Arizona.
Final Betting Analysis: Cardinals vs. Raiders
These two teams have faced each other a total of 11 times in NFL history, with the Raiders winning six times and the Cardinals winning five times.
However, Arizona has won three of the last four games against the Raiders, with the most recent being on September 18, 2022, with a score of 29-23.
At Gambyl Exchange, we can see that there is a Moneyline that favors the Cardinals at -128, while the Raiders start at +104.
That said, our prediction for this game is a victory for the Cardinals.
Look for a win for the Cardinals. If you put $100 on the Cardinals at -128, you’ll be looking at a $78.13 win with a total payout of $178.13.