With a 1-5 overall record and everyone, including dads of future Hall of Fame players, criticizing the coaching staff, the Arizona Cardinals are in rough shape.
Tonight, they'll look for their first home win of the season when they take on the 2-4 Denver Broncos. Can rookie quarterback Josh Rosen lead the Cards to their first home win of the season? Here are a pair of predictions from the ABC15 sports team.
ABC15 sports director Craig Fouhy
This is a showdown between two struggling teams, with both desperately needing a win, and both sitting on the doorstep of playoff elimination. With the Cardinals offensive line looking more like a MASH unit than an NFL front five, Von Miller and Bradley Chubb may have a field day against Josh Rosen and David Johnson.
Like the Cardinals, the Broncos' offensive line is thin, with starting guard Ron Leary out for the season and former Cardinal Jared Veldheer trying to come back from a knee injury. Like Miller and Chubb, look for Chandler Jones to have some fun Thursday night.
Add in the fact that the Cardinals coaching staff is on the verge of possibly being fired and losing the team in the locker room, and this makes for a must win for Arizona. But I don't think the Cards will get it done. Broncos 19, Cardinals 14
ABC15.com sportswriter Shane Dale
The Cardinals have had a miserable time stopping the run this season. Most recently, the Cardinals made Vikings backup running back Latavius Murray look like a future Hall of Famer. If you have Broncos RBs Royce Freeman or Phillip Lindsay on your fantasy team, start them. Heck, if you own them both, start them both.
Thursday's game, however, is a winnable one for the Cardinals. Broncos QB Case Keenum has thrown eight interceptions this season, and only seven teams have more takeaways than the Cards, who can force more Keenum mistakes with a decent pass rush and a capable secondary. Plus, strange things tend to happen in Thursday night matchups.
So, two bold predictions: The Cards pull the upset, and Larry Fitzgerald finally scores his first touchdown of the season. Cardinals 23, Broncos 17
