Broncos vs. Cardinals NFL Betting Odds, Picks: Arizona RB Jeremiyah Love Likely Out Again
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Kevin Tompkins
In Week 7, we’ve got an interconference clash as the 4-2 Denver Broncos, fresh off a 17-14 overtime win over the Seattle Seahawks on Thursday night, head to State Farm Stadium to take on a 2-4 Arizona Cardinals team coming off one of the biggest upsets of the season.
The Broncos have somehow won four of their first six games despite one of the least productive offences in the league, and they’ve done it against a gauntlet that included the Chiefs, Jaguars, Rams, 49ers, Chargers and Seahawks. The Broncos’ defence has carried the load in wins over the Rams, Chargers and Seahawks.
Meanwhile, the Cardinals opened the season by stunning the Chargers 26-14 on the road before dropping four straight to the Seahawks, 49ers, Giants and Lions. Last week, Arizona went into SoFi Stadium as 12.5-point underdogs and beat the Rams 18-16, with Chad Ryland kicking six field goals, including a 43-yarder as time expired.
Broncos vs. Cardinals Kickoff, Weather, TV, Streaming Info
Kickoff for Sunday’s game is at 4:05 PM ET at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. The game will air on CBS, with streaming available on Paramount+ and NFL+.
Weather won’t be a factor for Week 7’s game, with State Farm Stadium’s retractable roof keeping things in check for both teams.
NFL Betting Odds, Point Spread, Trends
The visiting Broncos are 4.5-point road favourites on the NFL odds board with a -238 money line. The home Cardinals are placed at +195 on the money line, and the game total sits at 43.5 points.
This season, Denver has been winning in spite of Bo Nix, who is averaging just 5.6 yards per attempt and has thrown for fewer than 200 yards in four of six games. Denver ranks 24th in EPA per play, 29th in success rate and 31st in yards per play. The defence has bailed them out, forcing 10 turnovers, piling up 18 sacks and allowing just 5.0 yards per play, even with Patrick Surtain II missing the last two games. That’s why the Broncos are 4-2 against the spread while the under is 5-1 in their games.
As for the Cardinals, Jacoby Brissett has been able to move the ball, and Arizona ranks ninth in offensive success rate. The glaring problem is finishing drives, as the Cardinals have scored 21 or fewer points in three of six games and didn’t find the end zone at all against the Rams. The defence has been the bigger concern, ranking 28th in yards per play allowed and giving up a league-worst 9.1 yards per pass attempt through five weeks. Arizona is 3-3 against the spread but 0-2 ATS at home.
With the Broncos’ offence unable to create explosives and the Cardinals struggling to finish in the red zone, the under may be very much in play for this game, and taking the points with Arizona at home is worth a look as well. It’s never been more difficult to be on the Broncos than this week, so taking any team-based plays is not for the faint of heart.
NFL Player Odds and Props
Denver Broncos
Jaylen Waddle OVER 59.5 receiving yards
If there was ever a get-right spot for this Broncos passing game, this is it against the Cardinals. The Broncos traded multiple picks this offseason for Jaylen Waddle, and he leads Denver with 228 receiving yards. He’s been disappointing, but a lot of outside factors have something to do with that rather than Waddle’s play. He’s the one receiver in this Denver offence that’s capable of creating the explosive plays the Broncos have been missing. The Cardinals have allowed 9.1 yards per pass attempt this season; the worst mark in the NFL through five weeks, and an extra few days of rest should help Waddle shake off the shoulder issue he was evaluated for against the Seahawks.
Arizona Cardinals
Trey McBride OVER 6.5 receptions
Trey McBride has 42 catches through five games and was already the top target of this offence before Arizona traded Marvin Harrison Jr. to Houston. With fewer mouths to feed and Brissett leaning on the short and intermediate game to move the ball, McBride should soak up targets against the Broncos. Denver’s pass rush will force quick throws, which plays right into the tight end’s hands with a typically shorter aDOT than a wide receiver.
Denver Broncos
Nix has completed just 60.3% of his passes on the season, and his 17-of-27, 107-yard showing against Seattle last week summed up where this offence is right now. The run game hasn’t been much help either, with J.K. Dobbins posting 270 yards on 81 carries, though RJ Harvey has been a reliable checkdown with 23 catches. Jayden Waddle, Courtland Sutton and Evan Engram give Sean Payton’s playcalling enough weapons to attack a vulnerable Arizona secondary, if Nix can find them.
The defence is where the Broncos win games. Zach Allen and Nik Bonitto lead a pass rush with 18 sacks, Jonathon Cooper is back in the mix, and Ja’Quan McMillian’s overtime interception set up the game-winning field goal against Seattle. Denver has missed two key pieces of their defensive unit, with Surtain and Talanoa Hufanga banged up, but this unit smothered the Chargers and Seahawks in back-to-back weeks without Surtain.
Arizona Cardinals
With Harrison now in Houston, the passing game runs through McBride, Michael Wilson and Kendrick Bourne. The backfield is in flux again, as rookie Jeremiyah Love is questionable after missing the Rams game with an ankle injury and James Conner remains on IR. Bam Knight stepped in with 15 carries for 80 yards last week, outperforming Tyler Allgeier, and Arizona has a real opportunity on the ground against a Broncos defence that has been far more vulnerable against the run than the pass.
Defensively, the Cards showed signs of life, holding the Rams to 286 total yards and pressuring Matthew Stafford all afternoon. Still, the Cardinals have allowed touchdowns on 76.5% of opponent red zone trips. They’re still pretty bad, but will Denver even be able to take advantage of Arizona’s deficiencies on defence?
DEN
ARI