Arizona Cardinals open as home dogs to the Detroit Lions

Count it as the unknown, or disbelief, or just flat out knowing that they were burned last year, but the Arizona Cardinals open the week as home underdogs for the 2019 NFL season.

When opening lines came out way back in April, the Cardinals were a pick ‘em.

Through the turmoil of the offseason that has changed.

Being a home dog is not the worst thing in the world. It allows the Cardinals to come in with low expectations and fans are all over that.

Fans have begun to set their expectations for similar to 2018 results and quite frankly, that’s how this should have been looked at from the beginning.

Now, the Cardinals have a chance to reset the expectations and change the perception of the team.

Instead of coming in with expectations of a team that can compete (the Cardinals were a two-point favorite over Washington last season) most are expecting a team that will struggle.

How else do you have an opening line move in favor of a team that is only expected to win five games?

It’s the low expectations that will now be placed on the Arizona Cardinals that will allow them to work from the bottom up.

It’s like 2013 all over again (Arizona was a 3.5 point dog in Bruce Arians first game) … except this time the coach and quarterback are not on retirements door.

Let’s hope for similar results and a longer window.