The Arizona Cardinals host the Denver Broncos for the first action of the late summer! It's time to continue our NFL odds series with a Broncos-Cardinals prediction and pick.

Newly assigned head coach Sean Payton has certainly been in the news a lot since joining the franchise. Now, he intends to play a majority if not all of his starters in the first of three preseason games. On Friday night the Broncos will be in the extremely hot desert of Glendale, Arizona taking on a team with another new head coach, Jonathan Gannon. It's going to be interesting to see how both of these coaches approach this game with the high temperatures.

Neither team played to their expectations in 2022 and finished with poor records. The Cardinals are going to have a frustrating season there is no doubt about it, but the Broncos have some hope with Payton taking over.

Here are the Broncos-Cardinals Preseason NFL odds, courtesy of FanDuel. 

NFL Preseason Odds: Broncos-Cardinals Odds

Denver Broncos: -5.5 (-110)

Arizona Cardinals: +5.5 (-110)

Over: 37.5 (-110)

Under: 37.5 (-110)

How to Watch Broncos vs. Cardinals

TV: NFL Network

Stream: fuboTV, NFL+

Time: 10:00 ET/7:00 PT

*Watch NFL games LIVE with fuboTV (click for a free trial)*

Why The Broncos Could Cover The Spread

The Broncos head into this game as the favorites by about a touchdown. The reason is obvious as Russell Wilson will be starting the game under center. A majority of the starters are healthy outside of a few names like Justin Simmons, Javonte Williams, Mike McGlinchey, and Baron Browning who are dealing with injuries. All four of those names are crucial to the success of this team. Williams ended his 2022 season early with a brutal injury but Payton said he expects to play some snaps during the preseason at some point. Right tackle McGlinchey sustained a knee sprain and will miss a few weeks.

The key to covering the spread and winning this game for the Broncos will be determined by how well they play in the first quarter. I'm sure Payton will mix things up on offense without exposing much of his playbook. The Broncos added running back Samaje Perine to the team during the offseason and should get the bulk of the carries early on Friday night. Tight end Adam Trautman and receiver Marquez Callaway joined the squad as they rejoin Payton and company from the New Orleans Saints. The offense looks good on paper, and Friday night we will see how good they look early on.

The defense is led by Simmons, who is dealing with a groin injury. His status is unclear for Friday night. Pat Surtain II has turned into one of the top corners in the game and some have him as the top in their eyes. He alongside Simmons and Kareem Jackson forms a stacked secondary. The defensive line is nasty as well with Frank Clark, Zach Allen, Randy Gregory, and Josey Jewell. If the defensive starters play for the entire first quarter, then I don't expect them to allow many points if any at all.

Why The Cardinals Could Cover The Spread

Just a few days after signing ex-Colts running back Marlon Mack, he suffered a torn ACL in practice and is now out for the season. That is a huge blow for the Cardinals who are desperate for all the help they can get. Kyler Murray is still running the show and has former college teammate Hollywood Brown as his top target. DeAndre Hopkins is now in Tennessee and they are running low on talent. James Conner is a touchdown-scoring machine and is still in the prime of his career. They are going to rely on him a lot this season.

With Kyzir White added to the linebacker core from the Philadelphia Eagles, Isaiah Simmons will move to a hybrid safety role alongside Budda Baker. Those three names are probably going to be the top players on the defensive side of the ball all season for Arizona. With JJ Watt retired and Zach Allen now in Denver, Cameron Thomas is expected to step up and should get a lot of action to prove himself Friday night.

Final Broncos-Cardinals Prediction & Pick

With Kyler Murray still out as he rehabs his way back from his knee injury and the Broncos starting their guys, it's going to be hard to bet against Denver in this one. I would also consider taking the under as the Broncos' defense is very good and the temperatures will be high.

Final Broncos-Cardinals Prediction & Pick: Broncos -5.5 (-110); Under 37.5 (-110)