- WHEN: Sunday, Oct. 5; 2:05 p.m. MDT.
- WHERE: Sports Authority Field at Mile High.
- TV: FOX.
- SERIES RECORD: Broncos lead, 7-1-1.
- JOHN FOX'S RECORD: 7-1 (0-1 in the postseason).
- PEYTON MANNING'S RECORD: 2-0.
- SERIES STREAK: Denver had won seven consecutive games before losing in 2010.
- LAST TIME: Cardinals 43, Broncos 13; Dec. 12, 2010. In Eric Studesville's first game as interim head coach, the Broncos fell to the Cardinals for the first and only time. Although the Broncos would eventually improve in form and effort over his four-week stewardship, his first game in charge was a washout, as the Cardinals throttled the Broncos in all three phases. Leading the way for the Cardinals was kicker Jay Feely, who ran for a touchdown on a fake field goal, kicked five field goals and accounted for 25 of the Cardinals' 43 points. The Broncos turned over the football six times -- three via Kyle Orton interceptions. Orton was injured in the loss and would not play again in 2010.
- LAST TIME IN DENVER: Broncos 37, Cardinals 7; Dec. 29, 2002. Eliminated from the wild-card race thanks to results earlier that afternoon, the Broncos overcame a sluggish first half to score four unanswered second-half touchdowns in pounding the Cardinals. Steve Beuerlein started for Brian Griese, who was benched earlier that week, and carved up the Cardinals, completing 16 of 24 passes for 203 yards and two scores. Clinton Portis ran for 228 yards, two touchdowns and averaged 9.5 yards per carry, and Ed McCaffrey caught seven passes for 112 yards in what would be the final 100-yard game of his career. The rout allowed the Broncos to escape with a winning season; however, it was the first time since 1985 that they missed the playoffs after finishing above .500. The game was also Jake Plummer's last as a Cardinal; three months later, he would sign with the Broncos, with Beuerlein returning as his backup. NOTING THE GAME:
- The Broncos go into this game after their earliest bye (Week 4) since 2006. Denver has won four consecutive regular-season games after a bye and is 19-6 overall after bye weeks, including 13-4 at home.
- Arizona starting quarterback Carson Palmer has faced the Broncos six previous times in his career -- three times with Cincinnati and three times with Oakland. His teams have gone 1-5, with the only triumph coming on Monday Night Football in 2004, a 23-10 Bengals win. He has a career rating of 75.9 against the Broncos, and has thrown more interceptions (nine) than touchdowns (eight).
- In the last five games between the teams dating back to 1995, the winner has scored at least 37 points every time. For the seven games since the Broncos' 7-0 season-opening win over the Big Red in 1977, the winning team has averaged 36.3 points, and the average margin has been 24.6 points.
- The Cardinals have averaged just 8.0 points in four games in Denver, and were held below 10 points three times.
- The Broncos have never had a losing season in a year in which they defeated the Cardinals, and have averaged 9.9 wins in those seasons.
- Arizona heads into this season hoping to build on the momentum its defense established late last season. In a 6-2 second half, the Cardinals ranked sixth in the league in sack rate (one every 13.7 pass plays) and ninth in passing yardage allowed per game (211.8 yards).
