NFL Lines Pick – Washington at Arizona in NFC Battle

Two 2-1 preseason teams will try to finish on a high note tonight in Arizona as the Cardinals host the Redskins in the final warm-up game of the year.

The Cardinals might not need this one as much as the Redskins, who are trying to create a winning culture in the nation’s capital, but expect a spirited effort as plenty of roster spots are up for grabs in this NFL betting game.

Who has the edge going into this one?

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Washington Redskins at Arizona Cardinals

10 pm ET

NFL lines: Arizona favored at -5 ½.

The Cardinals’ situation has been widely reported today in papers and on websites across the country as word is that Matt Leinart may be on the trading block heading into the season. The former USC star may have a suitor in the Seattle Seahawks and his former college coach Pete Carroll but how he will respond in this one is another matter.

Leinart and other prideful, much-ballyhooed players of his ilk have a tendency to bounce back strong in the face of such rumors; the trouble for this NFL game as it relates to the NFL lines is that it’s anyone’s guess as to how much time Leinart will play in this one.

Most likely, bettors can count on a fair amount of time for Leinart, however, as he has been passed up by Derek Anderson and needs to be showcased.

With Donovan McNabb out for the ‘Skins and Rex Grossman entrenched as the number two guy who may have to start week 1 due to a McNabb injury, John Beck might play most of the game. Beck put up big numbers in college but hasn’t shown a lot in the NFL.

If Leinart plays a good deal he will give the Cardinals a big edge at quarterback and that could be a big edge for the Cardinals. But it’s not enough to justify the odds being as high as they are for a toss-up preseason game like this, however.

That means that the Redskins, who have a 4-2 all-time preseason edge against the Cardinals, are a good pick in this one despite their injuries and depleted depth.

They have a good amount of playmakers at wide receiver and some depth at the other offensive spots that should allow them to score against the second and third-team defenses of the Cards.

NFL lines pick: Washington Redskins (+5 ½).