Cardinals vs. Falcons opening betting line: Falcons open as 9.5 point favorites

The season started off well enough for the Arizona Cardinals. They won four straight and looked to be the surprise of the NFC. Since then though, the Cardinals have lost five straight and coming out of their bye week, it won't get any easier as they travel south to face the Atlanta Falcons. The Falcons open the week as 9.5-point favorites coming off their 31-27 loss to the New Orleans Saints yesterday.

The three weeks leading up to the bye weren't kind to the Cardinals. They faced some of the NFC's best teams in the Minnesota Vikings, San Francisco 49ers and the Green Bay Packers. The week after their bye is equally unkind with their match-up against one of the NFL's best teams in the Falcons. If the Cardinals want to keep their playoff hopes alive, they desperately need a win this week. The Seattle Seahawks, who occupy the sixth and final playoff spot in the NFC, have the week off. So do the Minnesota Vikings, who sit behind them in seventh.