Denver Broncos rookie first-round pick Paxton Lynch won’t be starting once the regular season begins, but hopes to get some much-needed experience in Week 4 of the preseason. Lynch is expected to play the entire game against the Arizona Cardinals.
He wasn’t polished enough to get in the hunt for the starting quarterback job but is still seen as the signal-caller of the future in Denver. This could be a good game to get his confidence up as Lynch might not be playing for the foreseeable future once the regular season begins.
This Week 4 preseason matchup will be held on Thursday, September 1, 2016, at 9:30 p.m. ET at University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona.
NFL Odds at BookMaker.eu
Broncos +4
Cardinals -4
Over/Under 38
Odds Analysis
The Cardinals haven’t looked very sharp in the preseason, as the offense has averaged only 12.3 points per game. Despite that, the team is favored, as it is the home team in this matchup. The Broncos are getting more of the action as the four-point underdogs and that looks like the right wager.
Quarterback Rotation
The Cardinals are expected to only use third-string quarterback Matt Barkley for the duration of the contest. Starting quarterback Carson Palmer has played sparingly throughout the preseason and will sit during this action in order to guarantee his health heading into the regular season.
Backup quarterback Drew Stanton is another veteran who doesn’t need the experience of an extra preseason game. Barkley has struggled during the exhibition matchups, completing 30-of-57 passes for 368 yards with two touchdowns and three interceptions.
Barkley is hoping to secure the third quarterback job with the Cardinals, although there is a greater possibility that the team only keeps Palmer and Stanton on the active roster.
Lynch hopes to play well for the Broncos. He is 27-of-46 for 244 yards with two touchdowns and an interception. Trevor Siemian seems to have control of the starting job for the Broncos and will sit so he can be prepared for the regular season opener.
Coaching History
Cardinals coach Bruce Arians has a career preseason record of 6-9. He won three of four games his first year at the helm but has not gotten over .500 since, and won’t be able to this season. Arians has never gone winless in a preseason year.
Broncos coach Gary Kubiak has a preseason record of 23-15 in his career. He has won three out of four preseason games in four straight seasons as coach. He can make it five in a row with a victory in this finale.
Free ATS Pick
The Broncos have the better quarterback as Lynch has more potential than Barkley at this point in their careers. He will aim to show well to give the Broncos faith if Siemian struggles during the regular season.
Barkley has shown a nice arm at times but has thrown too many interceptions. The vaunted starting Broncos defense won’t be playing as both sides will be sitting their starters, but Barkley has to prove he can do it against even lower-level competition.
While Arizona is favored, the Broncos seem to be the better choice. They have the spread that can be used to a gambler’s advantage, and Lynch could be in store for a breakout game.
NFL Odds: Broncos 17, Cardinals 13
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