Cardinals vs Broncos Prediction, Picks, Odds & Lineups – Saturday Night Preseason Football

• Denver is a 3-point home favorite with both teams sitting their starters Saturday night
• Sean Payton and Jonathan Gannon confirmed no first-teamers will play after joint practices
• See my Cardinals vs Broncos predictions, plus the latest odds and backup lineups below

The Arizona Cardinals and Denver Broncos wrap up a week of joint practices with their second preseason game Saturday night at Empower Field. But don’t expect to see any stars under the lights.

Both Sean Payton and Jonathan Gannon confirmed their starters will watch from the sideline after getting plenty of work against each other in practice. That makes this a battle of backups with Denver laying 3 points in the NFL odds. The total sits at a modest 38.5 points.

Here’s a look at my Cardinals vs Broncos predictions and picks, along with Saturday night preseason football odds and lineups.

Cardinals vs Broncos Prediction

This game has all the makings of a defensive slugfest. Neither team will trot out its starting quarterbacks, and the drop-off is steep on both sides. But Denver has the clear edge in backup quality.

Jarrett Stidham lit up San Francisco last week, going 14-for-15 for 136 yards and two touchdowns. That’s not sustainable, but it shows he can operate Sean Payton’s system efficiently. Sam Ehlinger provides decent depth behind him. Meanwhile, Arizona counters with Jacoby Brissett and Clayton Tune, a clear downgrade.

The real story will be Denver’s defense. They forced four turnovers against the 49ers and held them scoreless for the final three quarters. Multiple camp reports rave about the Broncos’ defensive depth. That unit should feast on Arizona’s backup offensive line, which struggled mightily in pass protection last week.

Arizona managed just three second-half points against Kansas City despite Kyler Murray playing early. Without him and Trey McBride, who dominated Thursday’s joint practice, the Cardinals’ offense could sputter completely. Clayton Tune threw for just 47 yards with an interception on nine attempts last week.

I see Denver controlling both lines of scrimmage. Their defensive depth will create short fields for the offense, and Stidham should do enough to build a comfortable lead. The Cardinals will struggle to sustain drives without their playmakers. This profiles as a 20-13 type of game with Denver pulling away late.

Cardinals vs Broncos Picks

• Broncos -3 (-115)
• Under 38.5 (-115)

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Based on my predictions, my best picks are backing Denver and the under. The Broncos have a massive advantage at backup quarterback with Stidham and Ehlinger versus Brissett and Tune. That gap becomes even wider when you factor in Denver’s superior defensive depth.

Sean Payton treats the preseason seriously. He went 3-0 last year and has Denver on a five-game preseason winning streak, all against the spread. Jonathan Gannon? He’s won just three preseason games since 2023, and all were by exactly three points. His teams lost both previous Week 2 games by seven or more.

My under bet aligns with the quarterback situations. Arizona scored just three second-half points last week with their backups. Denver’s defense shut out San Francisco after the first quarter. With both teams missing their offensive weapons and leaning on unproven quarterbacks, points will be at a premium.

Home field still matters in preseason. The altitude, the crowd noise, and the familiar surroundings all come into play with second and third-stringers trying to make the roster. Denver’s depth should shine through in the second half when the real evaluation begins.

Arizona vs Denver Odds

Denver sits as a 3-point home favorite and -175 on the moneyline, while Arizona comes back at +145. The line has held steady despite both teams announcing their starters will sit.

The total of 38.5 points reflects the expected defensive struggle with backups under center.

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Odds as of August 16th at BetMGM. New customers can take advantage of the BetMGM promo code or browse other NFL betting promos.

Cardinals vs Broncos Lineups

Sean Payton made it crystal clear: “Neither Jonathan Gannon or myself are going to play the ones.” That means no Bo Nix, no Kyler Murray, and no stars on either side. Payton mentioned five or six players on “eight-play pitch counts” who might see limited action, but the frontline players at quarterback, offensive line, defensive line, and cornerback will all sit.

For Denver, Jarrett Stidham and Sam Ehlinger will split quarterback duties. Payton said there will be “a group in the first half and a group in the second half,” suggesting each quarterback gets extended run with their respective units. Running backs RJ Harvey, Tyler Badie, and Blake Watson should see plenty of touches as Denver evaluates its depth.

Notable Cardinals and Broncos Playing Tonight

Arizona will lean on Jacoby Brissett and Clayton Tune at quarterback. Brissett managed two touchdown passes last week but only threw for 81 yards on eight attempts. Tune struggled even more, completing just five of nine passes for 47 yards with an interception.

The Cardinals have an interesting running back battle brewing. Trey Benson, Emari Demercado, and DeeJay Dallas are all fighting to be James Conner’s backup. Demercado flashed last week with a 43-yard touchdown catch, and this game gives them another chance to separate.

On defense, watch for Xavier Thomas and Jordan Burch. Both had strong showings against Kansas City, bringing pressure with the second team. They’ll need to step up again with most defensive starters watching from the sideline.

Denver’s receivers could make the difference. Trent Sherfield caught three passes for 73 yards and a touchdown last week. Lucas Krull and Caden Prieskorn both found the end zone as well. With better quarterback play than Arizona’s backups can provide, these pass catchers should find more opportunities.