Arizona Cardinals (3-0, 2-1 ATS) @ Denver Broncos (2-1, 0-3 ATS)
*ATS= against the spread
BETDAQ Line: Denver -7.5 (47.5)
Significant Injuries
Arizona: G Paul Fanaika (questionable– knee), QB Carson Palmer (out– shoulder), LB Glenn Carson (out– ankle)
Denver: S David Bruton (questionable– ankle), LB Lerentee McCray (questionable– knee)
Recent Trends
Arizona is 5-0 ATS in their last 5 road games
Arizona is 7-1 ATS in their last 8 games following a win
Arizona is 8-2 ATS in their last 10 games overall
Denver is 6-0 ATS in their last 6 games following a loss
Denver is 1-5 ATS in their last 6 home games
The UNDER is 4-1 in Arizona’s last 5 games overall
The UNDER is 4-1 in Denver’s last 5 games following a bye week
The OVER is 5-0 in the last 5 meetings between these 2 teams
Three reasons to back Arizona
1. The Cardinals have a dominant defense that ranks 2nd in the NFL in points allowed (15.0 ppg), and this week they’ll face a Denver offense that has regressed in every area after a tremendous year in 2013. The Broncos currently rank 24th in total offense.
2. Arizona is one of the best road teams in the NFL, covering in five consecutive games away from home. The Broncos, meanwhile, are just 1-5 ATS in their last 6 home games.
3. There are only two undefeated teams remaining through 4 weeks of the 2014 season, and Arizona is one of them. They’re simply too good to be on the receiving end of a number like 7.5, but I guess it shouldn’t surprise anyone that Denver is overvalued, seeing how they have yet to cover this season despite winning 2 of their 3 games.
Three reasons to back Denver
1. The Broncos have the NFL’s best quarterback, Peyton Manning, and in Denver’s last game– an overtime loss to Seattle– Manning further demonstrated his greatness by moving the offense right down the field against the league’s best defense in the game’s final minute. Manning, flanked by terrific wideouts Demaryius Thomas, Wes Welker, and Emmanuel Sanders, will be too much for the young Arizona secondary to handle.
2. The Cardinals have a middling offense that is averaging just 335 yards and 22 points per game. They simply won’t be able to keep up with a Denver offense that set several NFL records last season and gave the fearsome Seahawks defense all they could handle in Week 3.
3. Drew Stanton will be making his third consecutive start for the Cardinals in place of an injured Carson Palmer, and Stanton’s play so far this season has been less than inspiring, to say the least. He’s completing just 51.8% of his passes and seems confused at times, which basically means he’s the polar opposite of his counterpart this week, Peyton Manning. Yep, it’s Drew Stanton vs. Peyton Manning… need I say more?
Prediction
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