Cardinals and 49ers Co-Favorites to Get 1st Overall Pick in 2019 NFL Draft
By Robert Duff in NFL Football
- Books have the San Francisco 49ers and Arizona Cardinals listed as co-favorites to land the first overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft
- Both teams own a share of the NFL’s worst record at 1-6
- The Cardinals’ only win this season was against the 49ers
What’s the opposite of the Super Bowl? You could make a case that’s what’s happening Sunday at State Farm Stadium as the Arizona Cardinals play host to the San Francisco 49ers. The loser of this game should grab the pole position in the race for the first overall selection in the 2019 NFL Draft.
Books line the 49ers and Cardinals, both currently 1-6, at odds of +250 to be the team to finish the season with the NFL’s worst record, and earn the right to select first overall in the NFL Draft.
Odds to Pick First in 2019 NFL Draft
| Team | Odds |
|---|---|
| Arizona Cardinals | +250 |
| San Francisco 49ers | +250 |
| Oakland Raiders | +300 |
| New York Giants | +350 |
| Other Team | +175 |
The 49ers are already well-positioned, thanks to their 28-18 home-field loss to the Cardinals in Week 5. Drop another one to the Cards on the road and it will give Arizona the edge in the first tiebreaker.
Cardinals vs 49ers Statistical Comparison
| 1-6 | Record | 1-6 |
| 13.1 (31) | Points per game | 22.6 (20) |
| 26.3 (23) | Points per game allowed | 31.1 (31) |
| 32-26-1 | Combined records of remaining opponents | 25-33 |
| 4 | Remaining games against teams with winning record | 1 |
| 4 | Remaining games against teams currently in playoffs | 1 |
The 49ers most recently picked first overall in 2005, when they selected quarterback Alex Smith. The Cardinals also took a QB the last time they had the first overall pick. But that was back in 1958, when they were the Chicago Cardinals and they chose King Hill.
The Search For Life Without Jimmy
The 49ers were given an outside shot of challenging the Los Angeles Rams for the NFC West title, but that was before they lost QB Jimmy Garoppolo to a season-ending knee injury.
The Jimmy Garoppolo injury. He should've stepped out.pic.twitter.com/u8zmPT6GJq
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) September 23, 2018
Including the Week 3 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in which Garoppolo was injured, San Francisco has dropped five in a row, the NFL’s longest losing streak.
The odds of a loss in Arizona this week seem solid. The 49ers (0-4) join the Dallas Cowboys (0-4) and Atlanta Falcons (0-2) as the NFC’s only winless road teams.
If San Francisco garners the first overall pick in the NFL Draft, the 49ers will have truly earned it. Their next three games are all against one-win opponents – the Cardinals (1-6), the Oakland Raiders (1-5) and the New York Giants (1-6).
Cardinals’ Sins
Though it’s been 60 years, don’t underestimate the chances of the Cardinals copping the No. 1 pick. This team is in disarray. They are the NFC’s worst offense, averaging 156.1 yards per game.
CB @P2 addressed the trade rumors. https://t.co/qy5MjNnN4X
— Arizona Cardinals (@AZCardinals) October 24, 2018
All-Pro cornerback Patrick Peterson requested a trade and rescinded his trade demand on consecutive days this week.
Still, as much as the Cardinals are candidates, they shouldn’t be favorites. Saquon Barkley figures to win the Giants a couple more games along the way. The rudderless Raiders could be sleepers, but the smart money is on the Garoppolo-less 49ers.
Sports Writer
An industry veteran, Bob literally taught the course on the history of sports at Elder College. He has worked as a Sports Columnist for Postmedia, appeared as a guest on several radio stations, was the Vice President of the Society For International Hockey Research in Ontario, and written 25 books.
