ARI
Arizona Cardinals
72.1PFM Team Score#31 NFL
Arizona Cardinals vs. Denver Broncos: PFM Team Comparison
PFM rates the Denver Broncos higher than the Arizona Cardinals overall, with a clear advantage. The main reasons are the stronger coaching operation and the stronger defense.
Current PFM Team Scores
Clear edgeDEN
Denver Broncos
82.0PFM Team Score#11 NFL
PFM JUDGMENT
Why PFM Rates the Denver Broncos Higher
Sean Payton is the coaching difference. Denver has the more dependable answers when the first answer stops working. The Arizona Cardinals are closest in offense, where the teams remain essentially even.
Denver also brings the stronger defense. Denver adds the deeper roster. That is enough to keep the Denver Broncos ahead.
TEAM DNA COMPARISON
Arizona vs. Denver Across the Core Pillars
The farther a team reaches, the stronger the rating. Each category also calls out which team has the edge and the exact gap. Hover on desktop or tap on mobile to isolate one team.
ARIArizona Cardinals
DENDenver Broncos
ARIZONA’S BEST PUSHBACK
Offense Is Arizona’s Only Close Fight
Arizona's offense gives the team one place to push back. The Cardinals are only 1.7 points behind Denver in Offense, but that is where Arizona's case ends. Denver still has Bo Nix at quarterback and the deeper roster, two advantages the Cardinals cannot match in this comparison.
COMPLETE COMPARISON
Where Each Team Has the Edge
PFM Team Score
ARI72.1
Arizona Cardinals 72.1DEN82.0
Denver Broncos 82.0Overall NFL Rank
ARI#31
Arizona Cardinals #31DEN#11
Denver Broncos #11QB Stability
ARI78.1
Arizona Cardinals 78.1DEN82.2
Denver Broncos 82.2Roster Strength
ARI72.8
Arizona Cardinals 72.8DEN80.4
Denver Broncos 80.4Coaching Direction
ARI71.4
Arizona Cardinals 71.4DEN85.0
Denver Broncos 85.0Recent Performance
ARI63.0
Arizona Cardinals 63.0DEN79.5
Denver Broncos 79.5Offense
ARI75.2
Arizona Cardinals 75.2DEN76.9
Denver Broncos 76.9Defense
ARI71.8
Arizona Cardinals 71.8DEN83.6
Denver Broncos 83.6Franchise Direction
ARI73.0
Arizona Cardinals 73.0DEN77.5
Denver Broncos 77.5Explosiveness
ARI63.6
Arizona Cardinals 63.6DEN66.6
Denver Broncos 66.6Conference Rank
ARI#16
Arizona Cardinals #16DEN#6
Denver Broncos #6Division Rank
ARI#4
Arizona Cardinals #4DEN#2
Denver Broncos #2Outlook
ARIPlayoff Long ShotDENPlayoff Contender
Stronger outlook: Denver BroncosSCHEDULE CONTEXT
Which Team Has the Tougher Road?
Arizona Cardinals
Remaining schedule rank: #2
Toughest stretch: Seattle Seahawks, Los Angeles Rams, Kansas City Chiefs
Strongest opponents: Kansas City Chiefs, San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks
Next five difficulty: 83.2
View Arizona Cardinals Road AheadDenver Broncos
Remaining schedule rank: #24
Toughest stretch: Buffalo Bills, New England Patriots, Los Angeles Chargers
Strongest opponents: Kansas City Chiefs, Buffalo Bills, New England Patriots
Next five difficulty: 78.5
View Denver Broncos Road AheadArizona has the tougher Road Ahead at No. 2. The strongest opponents include Kansas City Chiefs, San Francisco 49ers, and Seattle Seahawks. Denver also has the more favorable road, which adds to the stronger coaching operation and the stronger defense.
Explore Both Team Dashboards
Ratings and Schedule Freshness
PFM ratings updated October 13, 2026. Schedule data updated October 16, 2026.
How to Read This Comparison
PFM Team Score determines the overall order. The Team DNA comparison puts five core pillars on the same 0–100 scale, while the full rows show every current category.
PFM compares overall team strength rather than predicting one matchup. Road Ahead adds schedule context without changing PFM Team Score.
PFM ratings updated
How PFM grades NFL teams