Betting Picks

Broncos at Cardinals: TNF NFL Week 7 Betting Preview and Pick

Thursday night this week features a rather dreary Denver Broncos at Arizona Cardinals matchup to kick off Week 7 of the NFL season. Denver is a 2.5-point NFL betting favorite in this Broncos vs. Cardinals spread, but Arizona will be our against the spread pick. The total is a low 40.5, but the under is still highly recommended.

About the only storyline here is that the Broncos could have selected UCLA’s Josh Rosen at No. 5 overall in this year’s draft, but ignored a big need for a young player at that position and took NC State defensive end Bradley Chubb. Maybe he’ll be a fine player, but if you can get a franchise quarterback, you get one. The Cardinals traded up from No. 15 to No. 10 to take Rosen, and he has shown some signs of being a very good quarterback down the road.

It’s Denver’s first trip to Arizona in eight years. The Broncos are 8-1-1 all-time against the Cardinals (including two games when the franchise was in St. Louis).

Why Arizona will cover this Broncos vs. Cardinals spread

This is one of those games where both teams are pretty evenly matched – in a bad way – and you simply lean the home side on a short week. The Cardinals are absolutely atrocious offensively and haven’t even reached 300 yards in a game yet this year. You name the offensive category, and they are likely either 31st (like in points, only ahead of Buffalo) or dead last.

Arizona didn’t convert a single first down in 10 tries on third down Sunday in a 27-17 loss at Minnesota. It finished with 269 yards and two turnovers. Rosen threw for 240 yards, but he was also intercepted. Tailback David Johnson, who was so good a couple of years ago, simply has nowhere to run. He has topped 55 yards once in 2018 and is averaging 3.2 yards per carry.

Denver betting notes for Thursday

The Broncos gave their backers a backdoor cover on Sunday in losing 23-20 at home to the Los Angeles Rams – Denver had been the only team in the league without an ATS win this season. It was +7 in that one, but Denver scored a garbage-time TD with 1:22 to go to lose by three. The Broncos were gashed for 270 yards rushing and are last in allowing 161.3 yards rushing per game. Arizona is second-to-last in allowing 151.2.

Veteran journeyman QB Case Keenum is proving his terrific 2017 season with the Vikings was a fluke as Keenum was picked off again Sunday and has eight interceptions after just seven all of last year. The fans want him benched immediately, but head coach Vance Joseph is sticking with Keenum for now.

Denver vs. Arizona line movement

Some books opened with the Broncos vs. Cardinals spread at -1.5 for Denver. The total has risen a point, but still should remain the week’s lowest.

Denver vs. Arizona matchup trends

• Denver has lost 11 of its past 12 on the road and is also 1-11 ATS in those.
• Arizona has won 12 of its past 15 at home after losing their previous home game (they did a couple of weeks ago).
• The under is 7-3 in the Cardinals’ past 10.