Week 7 of the NFL regular season concludes with the Los Angeles Chargers traveling to Arizona to face the Cardinals on Monday night.
The Chargers (3-2) are seeking to stay within shouting distance of undefeated Kansas City after beating Denver 23-16 last Sunday. Meanwhile, the Cardinals (2-4) are looking to climb out of the basement of the NFC West and stay in the thick of the wild card picture.
THE ODDS
The Chargers are consensus 3.5-point favorites on the road despite entering with one of the least productive offenses in the NFL five games into the Jim Harbaugh era.
Despite Los Angeles’ anemic offense, the Chargers have been backed by 69 percent of the spread-line money since the line opened at 1.5 points at BetRivers. Their -118 moneyline has drawn 69 percent of the money as well.
The Cardinals enter Monday night 14th in total offense while the Chargers are 29th, but the Over has still remained highly popular, drawing 83 percent of the money at 44.0 total points.
PROP PICKS
–Chargers QB Justin Herbert Over 18.5 Completions (-109 at BetRivers): This has drawn 7.3 percent of all player prop money wagered on this game even though Herbert has topped 17 completions just once this season. That did come in the team’s most recent outing in which Herbert completed 21-of-34 passes for 237 yards.
–Chargers LB Daiyan Henley Under 0.25 Sacks (-750 at DraftKings): This has been the most popular player prop at the book for this game despite the small payout. The second-year linebacker doesn’t have a sack through his first 20 career NFL games and is highly unlikely to register his first one against the Cardinals’ extremely slippery quarterback Kyler Murray.
THE NEWS
Los Angeles’ highly-paid quarterback Herbert is averaging just 163 passing yards per game.
Could Arizona’s defense prove to be the cure?
The Cardinals are tied for 27th in scoring defense by allowing 27.2 points per game. Arizona has allowed 34 or more points on three occasions, including last week’s 21-point loss to the Green Bay Packers.
So perhaps the opportunity is there for Los Angeles to get its offense moving. The Chargers are 25th in scoring offense at 18.2 points per game and sit 29th in total offense at 281 yards per game during Harbaugh’s first season with the club.
As for Herbert, he topped 200 passing yards for the first time all season when he threw for 237 in last weekend’s 23-16 road victory over the Denver Broncos.
The scoring output is the Chargers’ second most of the season.
“I’d like to win every game by 60 points, but this is the NFL,” said Herbert, who has thrown for 815 yards this season, 28th most in the league entering Week 7. “You have to go out there and give your best effort every week. We’re exactly where we are right now, and we have to find a way to keep getting better and keep moving forward.”
Arizona needs to start stacking wins after a start that includes a 42-14 home loss to the Washington Commanders and last week’s 34-13 road setback to Green Bay.
The Cardinals fell behind 24-0 to the Packers in the first 25-plus minutes of the contest and later lost three second-half fumbles to sabotage any chance of a comeback. They committed 13 penalties for 100 yards.
Murray understands it was a shaky performance but said Thursday that a turnaround is possible.
“I don’t think anyone has given up on what we can accomplish,” Murray said.
Murray included a vow that he has “full faith” in the players and coaches.
“It’s a long season,” Murray said. “I’ve been on teams that started off hot and finished not where you want to, but I also understand the mindset and mentality that we have to have going into each week and moving forward.”
INJURY REPORT
Rookie receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. sustained a second-quarter concussion Sunday and missed the rest of the game. Harrison cleared concussion protocol on Thursday, practiced in full the next two days and is expected to play Monday night.
Harrison, the fourth overall pick of the 2024 draft, has 17 catches for team highs of 279 yards and four touchdowns.
Meanwhile, Harbaugh will wear a heart monitor during this contest after briefly leaving last week’s game against the Broncos due to arrhythmia. It was Harbaugh’s second in-game heart incident as a coach, the other coming in 2012 with the San Francisco 49ers.
Harbaugh said that he passed tests performed by his cardiologist.
“Got some test results back. ‘The heart of an athlete’ is a direct quote from my cardiologist,” Harbaugh said Thursday. “That made me feel good. … Back in rhythm, hopefully that sticks. Got the monitor on.”
Chargers star pass rusher Joey Bosa (hip) did not practice this week and is in danger of missing his third consecutive game. He is officially listed as doubtful.
Cornerbacks Kristian Fulton and Deane Leonard, both with hamstring injuries, also did not practice for Los Angeles this week. The same was true for tight end Hayden Hurst (groin) and wideout Quentin Johnston (ankle).
Leonard was officially ruled out, Hurst and Johnston are doubtful, and Fulton is questionable.
Also questionable are wide receivers DJ Chark Jr. (groin), Derius Davis (hamstring) and Simi Fehoko (shoulder/groin), wide receiver Ladd McConkey (shoulder) and cornerback Ja’Sir Taylor (fibula).
Gannon also said that defensive tackle Bilal Nichols is done for the season. He sustained a neck stinger in each of the past two games.
PREDICTION
The Chargers are significantly more banged-up than the Cardinals. Los Angeles’ depth will be strenuously tested, especially on the defensive side of the ball while attempting to keep Murray penned in. –Cardinals 27, Chargers 23
