Thursday Night Football: Pregame Analysis and Betting Pick
The Arizona Cardinals will host the Denver Broncos on Thursday Night Football during week seven of the NFL season. Both the Cardinals and Broncos are struggling this season, but the winner of this game could get a huge boost. The Denver Broncos are 8-1-1 against the Arizona Cardinals dating back to 1973.
The Arizona Cardinals come into this game with a 1-5 record and are in last place in the NFC West. The Cardinal’s lone win of the season came against the San Francisco 49ers in week five of the season. The Denver Broncos got off to a 2-0 start this season, but have lost four straight games to fall into third place in the AFC West. The Denver Broncos are a 2.5 point road favorite over the Cardinals in this game.
Cardinals Can’t Find Offense
The Arizona Cardinals have one of the worst offenses in the NFL, and it is the biggest reason for their 1-5 record. The Cardinals are averaging just 13.7 points per game this season, which is the second-worst average in the NFL. Arizona has yet to rack up over 300 yards of total offense this season, but they are facing a struggling defense in this game. The Cardinals will need to find the end zone in this game.
Cardinals rookie quarterback Josh Rosen has struggled since taking over the starting job. Rosen has completed just 55 percent of his passes this season and is averaging just 143 passing yards per game. All-Pro running back David Johnson is also having a bad year after missing almost all of 2017. Johnson is averaging just 3.2 yards per carry so far this season but has scored five touchdowns for the Cardinals.
Broncos Can’t Stop the Run
The Denver Broncos defense has struggled in recent weeks and is a big reason for their four-game losing streak. The Broncos are giving up an average of 161 rushing yards per game, which is by far the worst mark in the NFL. Denver gave up 208 rushing yards to Rams running back Todd Gurley in a week six blowout loss. The Broncos will need to slow down David Johnson and the Cardinal’s rushing attack in this game.
Broncos quarterback Case Keenum has struggled in his first season in Denver. Keenum has thrown eight interceptions and just seven touchdowns this season and has completed just 63 percent of his passes this season. The Bronco’s offense will look to get back on track against a bad Cardinals team in this game.
Broncos Beat Cardinals on TNF
The Arizona Cardinals were expecting to be much improved this season, but they look like one of the worst teams in the NFL. Arizona is the only team in the NFL to not gain at least 300 yards of total offense in a game this season, and that trend should continue in this game.
The Broncos still have time to turn their season around, and it will start with a big win on Thursday night. Denver must find a way to stop the run, and they will do just that against the Cardinals. Bet the Denver Broncos -2.5 over the Cardinals on Thursday Night Football.
