Cardinals vs. Falcons Week 17 NFL odds: Spread rises with winless journeyman David Blough at quarterback for Arizona

A few weeks ago, this Sunday's Cardinals at Falcons matchup could have featured a pair of Heisman Trophy-winning quarterbacks in Arizona's Kyler Murray and Atlanta's Marcus Mariota. Instead, we will now be treated to David Blough vs. third-round rookie Desmond Ridder. The Cardinals naming Blough as the starter has pushed Atlanta from -3 to -4.5 at Caesars Sportsbook and the total from 42 to 41.5.

The 27-year-old Blough signed as an undrafted free agent with the Cleveland Browns following the 2019 NFL Draft but never saw the field for them. He did see action in a total of seven games between 2019-21 with the Detroit Lions, completing 100 of 184 passes for 1,033 yards, four touchdowns and seven picks -- earning an unsightly rating of 62.2. Blough is 0-5 as a starter, with all five starts coming in 2019 with Detroit.

Signed off the Vikings' practice squad a few weeks ago, Blough is the fourth starter under center this year for the Cardinals following Murray (done with a torn ACL), No. 2 Colt McCoy and No. 3 Trace McSorley. With McCoy out due to a concussion, McSorley started last week's 19-16 home overtime loss to Tampa Bay.

McCoy cleared protocol earlier this week and was practicing in full, but the former Texas star then started experiencing symptoms. McSorley is apparently healthy but has been demoted.

Blough may not have Pro Bowl receiver DeAndre Hopkins to lean on. The wideout is dealing with a knee issue and left practice Friday.

Arizona is an utter trainwreck at 4-11 and on a five-game skid. It's all but written in stone that head coach Kliff Kingsbury will not be back next season. One offshore book lists him as the heavy -300 favorite to be the first coach fired between now and the start of the playoffs.

Atlanta (5-10) is also playing out the string and has lost four straight. Ridder, a third-round pick out of Cincinnati, has completed just 59.3% of his passes for 315 yards, zero TDs and zero picks in his two losses with the Falcons. Atlanta scratched out a mere 27 points in those two games.

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