Aug 18, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Broncos quarterback Zach Wilson (4) passes the ball in the second half against the Green Bay Packers at Empower Field at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports
- The undefeated Denver Broncos host the winless Arizona Cardinals in their final preseason game
- Denver is favored but only by a field goal
- See the Arizona Cardinals vs Denver Broncos odds, picks, and predictions for August 25
The Denver Broncos (2-0, 1-0 home) look to complete a perfect preseason on Sunday afternoon when they welcome the Arizona Cardinals (0-2, 0-1 away) to Empower Field at Mile High at 2:30 pm MT/4:30 pm ET.
Denver, which is the highest-scoring team of the preseason so far, is favored in its final tune-up game, but the Cardinals vs Broncos odds show the spread at just a field goal, with the game total at a low 33.5.
Arizona Cardinals vs Denver Broncos Odds
| Teams | Spread | Moneyline | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arizona Cardinals | +3 (-108) | +140 | O 33.5 (-112) |
| Denver Broncos | -3 (-112) | -166 | U 33.5 (-108) |
On the moneyline, Denver is priced at -166 to improve to 3-0, while the Cardinals are +140 in Sunday’s NFL odds to pick up their first win of the preseason.
Odds as of Aug. 25 at DraftKings. Claim this week’s best NFL betting promos.
Arizona lost a heartbreaker in Week 1, falling 16-14 at home to New Orleans on a last-second field goal. They were outclassed by the Colts in Indianapolis in Week 2, falling 21-13 while getting out-gained 356 to 232, despite forcing the only two turnovers of the game. The Indianapolis run game racked up 166 yards at 4.5 yards per carry.
The Broncos won a 34-30 shootout with that same Colts team in Week 1 and then crushed the Packers 27-2 in Week 2, holding Green Bay to just 168 total yards of offense.
Both teams will start the season in the bottom-half of the league with respect to the Super Bowl odds. Denver is priced at +18333 to win Super Bowl 59, which is only ahead of the Carolina Panthers (+25000). The Cardinals are +10000 longshots.
Neither Starting QB Will Play in Week 3
Like most of the preseason finales, Sunday’s Cardinals vs Broncos game won’t feature either Week 1 starter. For the Cardinals, oft-injured Kyler Murray has missed every preseason game for the last two years, and that trend is going to continue in Week 3.
That means the snaps will go to backup Desmond Ridder and third-stringer Clayton Tune. Ridder, a former Atlanta Falcon, is 10/19 for 114 yards, no touchdowns, and no interceptions through his first two preseason games with the Cardinals. Tune, who has taken the majority of the snaps, is 23/34 for 242 yards, one TD, and no picks.
Don’t let Clayton Tune get hot! pic.twitter.com/jlwuLf5s7O
— PHNX Cardinals (@PHNX_Cardinals) August 11, 2024
For the Broncos, 24-year-old rookie QB Box Nix won the starting job. Head coach Sean Payton has already stated Nix will sit out Week 3 of the preseason. That leaves veterans Jarrett Stidham and Zach Wilson to share the load against the Cardinals.
Stidham is 11/18 for 102 yards and two interceptions through the first two weeks while Wilson, the former Jets starter, is 12/19 for 146 yards, one touchdown, and no picks and appears to have the lead in the battle for the backup spot.
Cardinals vs Broncos Prediction
The absence of Nix will have the Denver offense looking very different from the unit that dominated the last two weeks. Nix took almost as many snaps as Wilson and Stidham combined, and fully earned the starting position with his play.
But I don’t have a lot of confidence that Ridder and Tune are going to be able to move the ball against a Denver defense that pitched a shutout in its only other home game. (Green Bay’s only points last week came on a safety when Zach Wilson was sacked in the end zone.)
The Cardinals receiving corps, especially the preseason version, is ultra-thin, with undrafted rookies doing most of the “damage” for the team so far.
All in all, I am expecting another low-scoring game from the Cardinals – whose games are averaging just 32.0 PPG – and an uninspired offensive performance from Denver without their new offensive catalyst.
ARI vs DEN pick: Under 33.5 (-108)
-
FANATICS SPORTSBOOK$5M JERSEY DROP + $1,000 IN BONUS BETS
-
DRAFTKINGS SPORTSBOOKBET $5, GET $200 IN BONUS BETS + 1 MONTH OF NFL+ PREMIUM!
-
FANDUEL SPORTSBOOKBET $5, GET $200 IN BONUS BETS + 3 WEEKS OF NFL SUNDAY TICKET!
-
BETMGM SPORTSBOOKGET UP TO $1,500 BACK IN BONUS BETS!
-
BET365 SPORTSBOOKBET $5 & GET $150 IN BONUS BETS!
-
CAESARS SPORTSBOOKGET UP TO $1,000 BACK – ON CAESARS!
-
Must be 21+. GAMBLING PROBLEM? Call 1-800-GAMBLER (CO, IL, KS, KY, MD, MI, NC, NJ, OH, PA, TN, VA, VT, WV, WY); (800) 327-5050 or gamblinghelplinema.org (MA); (877) 8-HOPENY (NY); 1-800-NEXT-STEP (AZ); (888) 789-7777 (CT); 1-800-BETS-OFF (IA); 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN); mdgamblinghelp.org (MD); morethanagame.nc.gov (NC); 1800gambler.net (WV)
Sascha has been working in the sports-betting industry since 2014, and quickly paired his strong writing skills with a burgeoning knowledge of probability and statistics. He holds an undergraduate degree in linguistics and a Juris Doctor from the University of British Columbia.