ARIZONA, USA — With Kyler Murray out with a torn ACL and Russell Wilson in concussion protocol during the week, the Cardinals' game against the Broncos could feature backup QBs Colt McCoy and Brett Rypien.
Both teams have already been eliminated from playoff contention and could be in for more big changes come the offseason.
The Cardinals have lost three in a row and five of their past six and the Broncos have lost all five of their games after beating Jacksonville in London just prior to their bye.
That means the Broncos haven't won a game on American soil since Sept. 25.
ARIZONA (4-9) at DENVER (3-10)
Sunday, 4:05 p.m. EST, FOX
FANDUEL SPORTSBOOK NFL LINE: Broncos by 2 1/2.
AGAINST THE SPREAD: Arizona 6-7, Denver 5-8.
SERIES RECORD: Broncos lead 9-1-1.
LAST MEETING: Broncos beat Cardinals 45-10 on Oct. 18, 2018, at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona.
LAST WEEK: Cardinals lost to Patriots 27-13, Broncos lost to Chiefs 34-28.
CARDINALS OFFENSE: OVERALL (20), RUSH (17), PASS (18), SCORING (17).
CARDINALS DEFENSE: OVERALL (21), RUSH (8), PASS (25), SCORING (32).
BRONCOS OFFENSE: OVERALL (27), RUSH (25), PASS (22), SCORING (32).
BRONCOS DEFENSE: OVERALL (7), RUSH (17), PASS (7), SCORING (4).
TURNOVER DIFFERENTIAL: Cardinals even, Broncos plus-2.
CARDINALS PLAYER TO WATCH: RB James Conner ran for 215 yards over his past two games, including 85 yards against the Patriots on Monday night. He likely would have had a second straight 100-yard game, but when the Cardinals fell behind by two touchdowns in the second half, they had to throw the ball more.
BRONCOS PLAYER TO WATCH: WR Jerry Jeudy is coming off the best game of his career, a three-touchdown exclamation against the Chiefs after moving over to the “X” receiver spot with Courtland Sutton sidelined by a bad hamstring. Jeudy's fortunate he wasn't ejected for bumping an official after heatedly complaining about not drawing a holding call late in the second quarter.
KEY INJURIES: Arizona DE Zach Allen underwent hand surgery and will miss the game. He’s second on the team with 5½ sacks. WR Rondale Moore (groin) was put on injured reserve Wednesday. CB Byron Murphy Jr. (back) missed the Patriots game and is day to day. Colt McCoy had an MRI after the Patriots game, but said he is not in concussion protocol and is preparing to play. Broncos QB Russell Wilson was in concussion protocol during the week after getting knocked unconscious against the Chiefs. He participated in individual throwing drills Wednesday. ... Broncos pass rusher Randy Gregory is expected to return Sunday after missing nine games with a knee injury. ... DE Dre'Mont Jones is dealing with a sore hip.
KEY MATCHUP: Denver's scoring offense, which is ranked last in the league, against Arizona's scoring defense, which is ranked last in the league.
SERIES NOTES: The only time the Cardinals have beaten the Broncos came on Dec. 12, 2010, following Josh McDaniels' firing in Denver. Running backs coach Eric Studesville took over as interim head coach and went 1-3. But it all started with a 43-13 wipeout by the Cardinals that ended a seven-game winning streak in the series by Denver. The teams tied in their first game in 1973 in St. Louis. The Broncos have won the past two meetings, including in 2018 when Von Miller promised a whooping and Denver delivered with a 35-point win at Arizona.
STATS AND STUFF: The Cardinals have lost five of their past six games, including three straight. ... The Cardinals are 11-3 in road games since the beginning of the 2021 season. Out of their four wins this season, three have come on the road. ... The Cardinals started their ninth different offensive line combination of the season against the Patriots. Four of the team’s five O-linemen have missed significant time. Starting RG Will Hernandez was designated to return from IR this week. ... LB Isaiah Simmons has 42 tackles, two interceptions, three sacks, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery and six passes defended over his past seven games. ... WR DeAndre Hopkins leads the league with 56 catches since Week 7. ... Cardinals defensive coordinator Vance Joseph was the Broncos head coach in 2017 and '18. ... The Cardinals have a plus-19 turnover margin in 14 road games since 2021. ... Hopkins has caught at least one pass in 143 consecutive games. That’s the longest active streak in the NFL. ... RB James Conner has 20 rushing touchdowns in 25 games with the Cardinals. He’s run for 215 yards over his past two games, including a season-high 120 yards against the Chargers. ... Broncos QB Russell Wilson ran for a season-high 57 yards against the Chiefs last week, but sustained a concussion after his final run and dive toward the end zone. ... Wilson threw for three touchdowns in his previous start against the Cardinals on Jan. 9, 2022, a 38-30 Seattle win in his final game with the Seahawks. ... Wilson needs 195 passing yards to join Hall of Famer Peyton Manning as the only QBs to surpass 3,000 yards in each of their first 11 seasons. ... Brett Rypien had a TD pass and an interception in relief of Wilson last week. ... RB Latavius Murray had 157 scrimmage yards, a touchdown run and a touchdown catch in his previous game against the Cardinals in 2019 while with the Saints. ... RB Marlon Mack turned a short throw from Wilson into a career-long 66-yard touchdown catch last week. ... Jerry Jeudy had 73 yards and three TDs on eight receptions against the Chiefs. ... ILB Josey Jewell last week became the third player in the NFL to have double digits in tackles and pick off two passes in a game. Jewell's two interceptions of Patrick Mahomes were the first ones of his five-year NFL career. ... S Justin Simmons is the only player in the NFL with at least three interceptions in each of the past five seasons. ... CB Pat Surtain II had his first interception of the season last week on a pass Mahomes was trying to throw away at his receiver's feet.
FANTASY TIP: Surtain could cancel out Hopkins, so go with Jeudy even if Rypien gets the start ahead of Wilson. Two of Rypien's three career touchdown passes have gone to Jeudy, including one last week.
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