Arizona Cardinals Matchup With Denver Broncos In Preseason Finale

The Arizona Cardinals head to Sports Authority Field at Mile High to take on the Denver Broncos in the preseason finale. Both teams will be resting their starters as backups and rookies battle for their NFL lives. The final 22 cuts will come on Friday and Saturday as teams reduce their rosters to the required 53 players.

Arizona Cardinals vs Denver Broncos

Preseason Week 4 - 09/03/15

Time: 9 PM ET/ 7 PM MT

TV: KTVD in Denver; ABC 15 in Phoenix

Location: Sports Authority Field at Mile High Stadium

Line: Broncos -6 (Westgate Superbook)

Arizona Cardinals

2015 Preseason Record

Overall:

1-2 (Tied-First, NFC West)

Home:

0-2

Road:

1-0

Last Game: Oakland Raiders 23 Arizona Cardinals 30

Carson Palmer spent most of the time running for his life from an aggressive Raiders defense that sacked the Cardinals quarterback three times and intercepted him twice. Palmer finished his final game of the preseason 8 for 22 for 103 yards. The Cardinals offense would score the winning touchdown in the fourth quarter when quarterback Logan Thomas directed a nine play, 91-yard drive.

The Cardinals first string defense held the Raiders to five field goals in the first half. The Raiders were unable to get into the endzone for their only touchdown of the game until the fourth quarter.

Denver Broncos

2015 Preseason Record

Overall:

3-0 (First, AFC West)

Home:

0-0

Road:

2-0

Last Game: San Francisco 49ers 12 Denver Broncos 19

The Broncos first string offense chewed up yards but failed to score a touchdown in it's one-half of work. Peyton Manning was 14 for 21 for 121 yards and an interception thrown in the endzone. The offensive line suffered lapses in it's protection as the 49ers sacked Manning three times.

The other side of the ball was a different story as Denver's new 3-4 defense continued to have a terrific preseason, sacking Colin Kaepernick twice, including a sack that resulted in a safety, and allowing just 13 yards of passing in the first half.

Last Meeting: 10/05/14- Cardinals 20 Broncos 41

The Broncos had a record setting day against the Cardinals the last time the two teams met in Week 5 of the 2014 season. Manning threw for 479 yards and four touchdowns that included his 500th career TD. Demaryius Thomas caught eight passes for a franchise record 226 yards and former Bronco Wes Welker's seven catches gave him 854 career receptions, a NFL record for an undrafted player.

Injuries hampered the Cardinals in the game as backup QB Drew Stanton, who was starting in place of the injured Palmer, went out with a concussion in the third quarter. Logan Thomas entered the game and on his third series connected with Andre Ellington for a 81-yard touchdown. The Cardinals defense gave up a record 568 yards to the Broncos in the game.

The Broncos improved their record to 3-1 while the Cardinals dropped to 3-1.

What to watch for:

Battle for Cardinals third string quarterback.

Phillip Sims and Logan Thomas will need to separate themselves from the other in their half of play on Thursday night.

Thomas, who served as the third quarterback last season, was the hero of the Cardinals win over the Oakland Raiders on Saturday with his game winning drive late in the fourth quarter. Thomas was 3 for 5 for 65 yards that included a 38-yard pass to Ifeanyi Momah.

Sims, an undrafted free agent signee, was 3 for 4 for 29 yards and a touchdown. On four of the six drives Sims has quarterbacked the Cardinals have scored. Sims will get the start against the Broncos as he hopes to go from a walk on tryout to third string quarterback in just four months.

Montee Ball hopes to get it together and outshine Juwan Thompson for the Broncos third running back.

Ball came into training camp hopeful of regaining the starting job he lost to C.J. Anderson last season. Dedicating himself to a new offseason training program, Ball wanted to prove to the Broncos that he was once again the power runner that Denver was so high on when they drafted him out of Wisconsin last year. Instead Ball has slid from second on the depth chart to fourth.

Ball has looked hesitant and confused during his rushes. Instead of running hard and making his cuts naturally, Ball appears as if he is trying to think through the play instead of just playing. He has lost the confidence of head coach Gary Kubiak and is in danger of being one of the final 22 cuts by Saturday if a trade can't be worked out first.

Goals of the Cardinals and Broncos:

Both teams are looking to accomplish similar things in the final game of the preseason. Both want to limit injuries, evaluate their bubble players, and come away with something that will give them a positive boost as they head into Week 1 of the regular season.