The second of two Monday Night Football matchups in Week 7 of the 2024 NFL season features the Arizona Cardinals hosting the Los Angeles Chargers at University of Phoenix Stadium. We’ll be diving into all of the primetime games this season, and this one isn’t any different. With that in mind, keep reading for betting odds, picks and player props for this exciting showdown. Also, make sure you head over to our Week 7 NFL Betting Hub for a look at all of our NFL betting content.
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How To Watch Chargers vs. Cardinals
When: Monday, October 21st at 9:00 pm ET
Where: University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona
Channel: ABC/ESPN/ESPN+
Chargers vs. Cardinals Odds
Odds from DraftKings Sportsbook as of Saturday, October 19th. Look around for the best prices!
Moneyline: Chargers -122, Cardinals +102
Spread: Chargers -1.5 (-112), Cardinals +1.5 (-108)
Total: Over 44 (-112), Under 44 (-108)
Chargers vs. Cardinals Analysis
Not having Joey Bosa against a mobile quarterback like Kyler Murray stings, but Los Angeles really should be able to win this game. The Chargers are third in the league in EPA per play allowed (-0.160) this year. They have been the best rushing defense in the league, while also being a top-five passing defense. Meanwhile, the Cardinals have a ton of talent on the offensive side of the ball, but they’re averaging only 22.2 points per game this year. And they scored 69 total points in the first two weeks of the year. Since Week 3, Arizona is 25th in the league in EPA per play (-0.078), and the Cardinals would be 26th in the league in that statistic if that was their mark over the course of the entire season. With that in mind, I find it hard to believe Arizona will be able to consistently march down the field against Los Angeles.
The Cardinals also happen to be 23rd in the league in Rush EPA per play allowed (-0.027) this year. That’s troubling against a Chargers team that loves to pound the rock. Los Angeles might not have any star running backs, but this team is going to be persistent in using the run to set up Justin Herbert and the passing game. And I’d be surprised if Herbert doesn’t take advantage of the Cardinals’ weak rushing defense by making some big throws over the top.
Los Angeles is simply a much better defensive team than Arizona, and I’m not sure the Cardinals are better than the Chargers on offense. So, even though this is a road game for Jim Harbaugh’s group, I’d be stunned if Los Angeles doesn’t find a way to pull this out. In Harbaugh’s coaching career, his teams are 17-3 straight-up as road favorites of 7 or less. And while a lot of that winning took place in San Francisco, this year’s team is 2-0 in that situation. Harbaugh is also 16-9 SU in games with lines of +3 to -3 in his career. He’s a winner and he gets the best out of his teams in situations like these.
Chargers vs. Cardinals Player Props
J.K. Dobbins Over 76.5 Yards (-113)
Dobbins has been one of the best stories of the season. The oft-injured running back has rushed for 438 yards and three touchdowns already, and he should be able to turn in a big game against the Cardinals. That said, I’m playing Dobbins to rush for at least 77 yards. That’s obviously a pretty high number, but Dobbins has rushed for at least 96 yards in three of the five games he has played this season. And Dobbins is now going up against arguably the worst rushing defense he has seen all year. I’m expecting him to flirt with 100 or so yards in this one, even with some other running backs likely to mix in for Los Angeles.
Chargers vs. Cardinals Pick
The Chargers defense should be a little too much for a Cardinals offense that is suddenly struggling in a big way. And while Los Angeles’ offense leaves a lot to be desired, the team should be able to run on Arizona here. That will likely be enough for Harbaugh’s team to go out and win in a difficult road environment. It’s just not often you get such a good price on a team with a better coach, quarterback and defense. So, this is a play that I’m adding to my list of Week 7 NFL best bets.
Bet: Chargers ML (-122)
