SPORTS N STUFF

When the Arizona Cardinals acquired Kevin Kolb from the Philadelphia Eagles and made him their franchise quarterback by signing him to a long-term deal, it seemed as though they had solidified their offense and found the missing piece to return this year as a true NFC contender. That certainly wasnt the case for a San Francisco 49ers team that would turn back to former first round pick Alex Smith, who had been considered a bust up until this season. But as fate would have it, Smith has emerged as one of the more fundamentally sound quarterbacks in the NFL under new head coach Jim Harbaugh, and is a big reason why the 49ers have the second-best record in the NFC to only the defending Super Bowl champion and currently undefeated Green Bay Packers heading in to this sports betting weekend.

Arizona Cardinals @ San Francisco 49ers
Sunday November 20, 2011 4:05 PM ET
Candlestick Park, San Francisco, California
NFL Betting Lines: San Francisco 49ers 9.5

While San Francisco has had success through to the midway point of the season, the Cardinals have struggled with Kolb failing to live up to expectations before being injured. Young backup John Skelton has taken over as the teams starter, and while he is largely unknown in NFL circles, he has now led Arizona to consecutive wins.

Cardinals 49ers Betting Preview: Arizona Cardinals

The Cardinals will turn to Skelton once again this week as he continues to put up better numbers than Kolb, who never seemed to develop the chemistry with wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald that perhaps Skelton already has. Arizona is in the midst of three straight road games with their next two against division opponents, and while they are already likely out of contention in the NFC, they can still finish with a competitive record. If the Cardinals are going to have any chance this weekend they will need to rely on Skelton, as it will be hard to run the ball against the leagues top-ranked rush defense.

Cardinals 49ers Betting Preview: San Francisco 49ers

Harbaugh has been a master motivator for a team that nobody thought had the talent and time with their new coach to contend, and he has tailored his offense to fit the strengths of its personnel almost perfectly. With running back Frank Gore an absolute monster on the ground and averaging 4.7 yards per carry for an offense that ranks seventh in rushing yards, Smith has the time and space to operate and go over the top with the passing game. The lessons of former head coach Mike Singletary are still present with a defense that ranks 1st against the run, but they must still do a better job of getting to the quarterback and preventing the pass.

Cardinals 49ers Betting Preview: Outlook & Pick

The 49ers have all of the tools to lock up home field for the playoffs, and it starts with taking advantage of a weak online wagering division. Smith has shown improvement with every passing game and can credit Harbaugh with helping to turn things around, as San Francisco as a team look to move one step closer to reaching another goal this weekend.

Cardinals 49ers Betting Pick: San Francisco 49ers