2021 · Week 1

Final

Cardinals

Arizona

QB Kyler Murray

38·13

Titans

Tennessee

QB Ryan Tannehill

Nissan Stadium · outdoors · grass · 82°F · wind 8mph

Closing spread

TEN -2.5

Total

54

Model margin

+2.6est.

TEN perspective

Push chance

None

half-point line — cannot push

Win probability

  • Titans
  • Cardinals

How each play moved the game.

Titans winsCardinals wins

Matchup

Where the edges are

Season-long league percentiles for both sides, mirrored. The saturated side of a lopsided row holds the edge.

Cardinalsedge mapTitans
  • +0.079EPA / play+0.025
  • 46.8%Success rate44.7%
  • +0.154EPA / dropback+0.092
  • -0.037EPA / rush-0.054
  • 9.4%Explosive rate7.8%
  • +4.19CPOE+2.33
  • 45.2%Third-down rate43.8%
  • 62.3%Red-zone TD rate66.6%
  • 2.37Points / drive2.15
  • 1.2%Turnover rate2.1%

Bar length is league percentile, already oriented so longer is better. The saturated side of a lopsided row holds the edge; rows within ~12 points are washed as even.

The rivalry

ARI lead 4–2 since 1999

Meetings average 41.8 points. TEN are 1-4-1 ATS in the series.

Previous meetings
SeasonMatchupScoreWinner
2025 · W5TEN @ ARI2221TEN
2017 · W14TEN @ ARI712ARI
2013 · W15ARI @ TEN3734ARI
2009 · W12ARI @ TEN1720TEN
2005 · W7TEN @ ARI1020ARI

Box score

Individual performances

Cardinals

Passing

PlayerC/AttYdsTDINT
Kyler Murray21/3228941

Rushing

PlayerCarYdsAvgTD
Chase Edmonds12635.30
James Conner16533.30
Kyler Murray5204.01

Titans

Passing

PlayerC/AttYdsTDINT
Ryan Tannehill21/3521211

Rushing

PlayerCarYdsAvgTD
Derrick Henry17583.40
Ryan Tannehill2178.51
Jeremy McNichols294.50
Mekhi Sargent122.00

Where this game is likely to land

  • Model
  • Smooth (normal)
  • Betting line

Probability of each final margin. Football scoring clusters — the spikes at 3 and 7 are real, and a smooth model misses them.

line +2.54.0%2.7%7.0%7.5%3.1%4.8%3.0%2.7%

Positive margins favour Titans; negative favour Cardinals.

Half-point at risk

7.52%

outcomes that flip if the line moves 0.5

Model home win

56.2%

Expected total

44.2est.

Model

Where the number comes from

Each component is additive, in points of expected margin.

  • Team ratings (opponent-adjusted EPA)+0.94
  • Home-field advantage+1.71
  • Quarterback adjustment0.00
  • Rest differential0.00
  • Expected margin+2.65