Subscribe
Follow Us
The Arizona Cardinals and Denver Broncos will finish their preseason schedule on Sunday afternoon with most of their rosters intact. We may not see a ton of first-stringers for this game, as the coaches have seen mostly all they need from these two teams. It is time to continue our NFL odds series with a Cardinals-Broncos prediction and pick.
The Cardinals' preseason hasn't gone well after losing both games and scoring 27 points. They lost a close battle to the New Orleans Saints in Week 1 and then dropped another to the Indianapolis Colts last week. It's difficult for the Cardinals' offense to get any momentum as Kyler Murray has sat out for the entirety of the games. It allowed Clayton Tune to win the backup job, throwing for 163 yards and a touchdown in the opener.
The Broncos are 2-0 straight up and against the spread in the preseason. They've been led by the play of rookie Bo Nix, who Sean Payton recently named the starting quarterback for Week 1. Nix is the first rookie starting quarterback for the Broncos since John Elway. The weight of enormous expectations rests on Nix's shoulders, but if his play so far is any indication, he won't let it affect him. The Broncos are coming off a 27-2 domination of the Green Bay Packers in Week 2, where Nix went 15 for 21 with 125 yards and a touchdown.
Here are the NFL Preseason odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
NFL Preseason Odds: Cardinals-Broncos Odds
Arizona Cardinals: +3 (-110)
Moneyline: +155
Denver Broncos: -3 (-110)
Moneyline: -190
Over: 33.5 (-110)
Under: 33.5 (-110)
How to Watch Cardinals vs. Broncos Preseason
Time: 4:30 PM ET/1:30 PM PT
TV: CBS
Stream: fuboTV (Click Here for free trial)
Why The Cardinals Could Cover The Spread/Win
How much of the Broncos' success can be credited to Nix? The Broncos will sit out most of their starters for this game after they dominated the first two games which should bring them closer to the Cardinals' level. Arizona's defense hasn't looked good over the first two games, and it could get ugly if they allow Zach Wilson and Jarrett Stidham to dominate them in this game. If the Cardinals' offensive line can stand up better to the Broncos' second stringers than they have so far this preseason, Tune can lead the team to a victory.
Why The Broncos Could Cover The Spread/Win
The Cardinals have been a mess this preseason, committing 11 penalties in their last game. Their rushing defense also looked abysmal in that game, allowing the Colts to rush for 166 yards and three touchdowns.
The Broncos won't have Nix playing in Week 3 but their other two quarterbacks should be able to carry the load. Payton plans to give Jarrett Stidham eight to 12 plays to prove his worth and then give Zach Wilson the rest of the game. Wilson's rocky history with the New York Jets has been a sore spot for their fanbase but he has enough talent to outduel Arizona's second-stringers.
Wilson looked good in the first two games, throwing for 12 of 19 with 146 yards and an interception. Most of Denver's success has come from Nix, but their weapons have also performed well.
Final Cardinals-Broncos Prediction & Pick
The Broncos defense is getting all the love because of Nix, but their defense has also been a force. They could continue that in this game with the undisciplined Cardinals entering altitude. The Cardinals have been allowing pressure on their inexperienced quarterbacks, and they lack depth at all positions. It could be a stressful person to rely on but we're going to believe that Zach Wilson will ball out in his final audition to make the Broncos' 53-man roster.
Click here for more betting news & predictions
Final Cardinals-Broncos Prediction & Pick: Broncos -3 (-110)
