2001 · Week 2

Final

Broncos

Denver

QB Brian Griese

38·17

Cardinals

Arizona

QB Jake Plummer

Sun Devil Stadium · outdoors · grass · 103°F · wind 6mph

Closing spread

DEN -8.5

Total

45

Model margin

+2.9est.

ARI perspective

Push chance

None

half-point line — cannot push

Win probability

  • Cardinals
  • Broncos

How each play moved the game.

Cardinals winsBroncos wins

Matchup

Where the edges are

Season-long league percentiles for both sides, mirrored. The saturated side of a lopsided row holds the edge.

Broncosedge mapCardinals
  • -0.044EPA / play-0.028
  • 42.2%Success rate39.3%
  • -0.020EPA / dropback+0.073
  • -0.075EPA / rush-0.182
  • 6.2%Explosive rate8.5%
  • 37.7%Third-down rate28.9%
  • 55.8%Red-zone TD rate48.3%
  • 1.49Points / drive1.12
  • 2.4%Turnover rate2.4%
  • -0.038EPA / play allowed+0.014

Bar length is league percentile, already oriented so longer is better. The saturated side of a lopsided row holds the edge; rows within ~12 points are washed as even.

The rivalry

DEN lead 6–1 since 1999

DEN have won 3 straight. Meetings average 52.4 points. ARI are 1-6 ATS in the series.

Previous meetings
SeasonMatchupScoreWinner
2022 · W15ARI @ DEN1524DEN
2018 · W7DEN @ ARI4510DEN
2014 · W5ARI @ DEN2041DEN
2010 · W14DEN @ ARI1343ARI
2006 · W15DEN @ ARI3720DEN
2002 · W17ARI @ DEN737DEN

Box score

Individual performances

Broncos

Passing

PlayerC/AttYdsTDINT
Brian Griese22/3124230

Rushing

PlayerCarYdsAvgTD
Olandis Gary14906.41
Mike Anderson19583.10
Gus Frerotte4-1-0.30

Receiving

PlayerRecTgtYdsTD
Rod Smith14161622
Desmond Clark34340
Eddie Kennison22120
Patrick Hape1111

Cardinals

Passing

PlayerC/AttYdsTDINT
Jake Plummer16/2824211

Rushing

PlayerCarYdsAvgTD
Thomas Jones17653.81
Jake Plummer11919.00

Receiving

PlayerRecTgtYdsTD
David Boston8111450
MarTay Jenkins13300
Frank Sanders47280
Tywan Mitchell11200
Thomas Jones11130
Terry Hardy1261

Where this game is likely to land

  • Model
  • Smooth (normal)
  • Betting line

Probability of each final margin. Football scoring clusters — the spikes at 3 and 7 are real, and a smooth model misses them.

line -8.53.9%6.9%7.5%3.1%4.8%

Positive margins favour Cardinals; negative favour Broncos.

Half-point at risk

1.67%

outcomes that flip if the line moves 0.5

Model home win

57.0%

Expected total

44.5est.

Model

Where the number comes from

Each component is additive, in points of expected margin.

  • Team ratings (opponent-adjusted EPA)+0.30
  • Home-field advantage+2.56
  • Quarterback adjustment0.00
  • Rest differential+0.08
  • Expected margin+2.94