The Arizona Cardinals will welcome the Los Angeles Chargers to State Farm Stadium in Glendale, AZ for a Monday Night Football doubleheader game tonight at 9 p.m. ET following the Ravens vs. Buccaneers game. The Cardinals, coming off a rough 21-point loss to the Green Bay Packers during Week 6, will hope for the home field advantage as they face QB Justin Herbert and the Chargers. Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh, who is undergoing treatment for a heart condition, has confirmed that he'll be on the sidelines for this Monday's game. Here’s all the info you need about tonight's Chargers vs. Cardinals game, and Check out live game-day updates here.
The Arizona Cardinals are set to host their first primetime game in nearly two years on Monday at State Farm Stadium. Here is information on what to know before attending the Monday Night Football matchup against the Los Angeles Chargers.
Kickoff & Weather
Kickoff from State Farm Stadium on Monday is scheduled for 6 p.m.
The roof is expected to be open at State Farm Stadium for the Cardinals’ Monday Night Football matchup against the Chargers. Fans are encouraged to dress for the weather. Temperatures are expected to sit around 82 degrees at kickoff.
Uniforms & Tickets
The Cardinals will be wearing their all-black uniforms on Monday night against the Chargers. Fans are also encouraged to wear black.
A limited number of seats for Monday night’s game remain available and can be purchased online. Every ticket and parking pass is electronic, so fans are advised to have them pulled up in advance for swift entry.
Stadium Access & Parking
Club gates will open at 2:45 p.m., while the main entrances will open at 4:30 p.m.
Fans will be able to park at Sportsman’s Park carparks and other game day lots starting at 2 p.m. on Monday. Heavy freeway traffic is expected so fans are advised to show up between 2-4 p.m. to avoid any major delays. More parking information is available online.
Rideshare Drop-off & Pick-up
Fans using Uber or Lyft should be dropped off at the Rideshare Zone, which is located on the south side of State Farm Stadium in the Black Lot (Cardinals Way between 95th and 91st Avenues). When getting picked up, fans should leave through BetMGM Gate 1 or Bud Light Gate 3 and then walk south along the Black Lot pathway in order to be picked up at the assigned location. More rideshare information is available online.
Tailgating
Fans are able to tailgate on The Great Lawn starting at 2 p.m. The space spans more than eight acres and will be open for pre-game tailgating exclusively. There will be a performance on the Great Lawn Stage at 3 p.m.
In-Game Entertainment
The Phoenix Children’s Chorus will sing the Star-Spangled Banner before kickoff on Monday.
A special lightshow will provide entertainment to fans at halftime.
Stadium Security & Bag Policy
All fans attending the event will have to participate in a mandatory security screening before entering.
The NFL’s clear bag policy will be in effect and fans are asked to limit the items brought inside the stadium.
Fans will be allowed a 12” x 6” x 12” clear plastic bag or a one-gallon plastic freezer bag or a small clutch bag, including wallets that are no larger than 4.5” x 6.5.” Clear backpacks, fanny packs and cinch bags that are within the allowable dimensions can also be brought inside.
Bags that do not adhere to the bag policy will not be permitted inside the stadium but can be kept in a mobile bag check location outside of the stadium. It will cost $20 per bag to be stored for the game.
The full list of prohibited items is available online.
Where to Watch
The Cardinals take on the Chargers at 6 p.m. MST on Monday. Catch all the action on the Arizona Sports app, 98.7 and ArizonaSports.com.
Cardinals vs. Chargers: A Closer Look
Week 7 in the NFL features another Monday night doubleheader. The Baltimore Ravens and Tampa Bay Buccaneers kick off at 8:15 p.m. ET, followed by the Los Angeles Chargers and Arizona Cardinals at 9 p.m. ET. Our NFL nightcap includes two former NFL Offensive Rookies of the Year in Justin Herbert and Kyler Murray, and this could be a very entertaining matchup.
The Chargers enter this matchup at 3-2 after defeating Bo Nix and the Denver Broncos last week, 23-16. As for the Cardinals, they fell to 2-4 after getting blown out by the Green Bay Packers last Sunday, 34-21. Jonathan Gannon's defense has struggled through six weeks, but could Monday night be a turning point?
This is Jim Harbaugh's first Monday night game since returning to the NFL ranks. He is Mr. Monday night, as Harbaugh is a perfect 6-0 as an NFL head coach on Monday nights, and won each game by double digits. Murray on the other hand is 3-6 as a starter in prime time. The last time he played on “Monday Night Football,” he unfortunately tore his ACL.
Let's break down this AFC West vs. NFC West prime-time matchup. But first, here's how you can watch the game.
Date: Monday, Oct. 21 | Time: 9 p.m. ETLocation: State Farm Stadium (Glendale, Arizona)Stream: ESPN+Follow: CBS Sports App Odds: Chargers -1.5, O/U 44 (BetMGM sportsbook)
There's no mistaking what the Chargers want to do on offense. They want to run the ball. Los Angeles ranked No. 11 in rushing offense entering this weekend (127.8 rushing yards per game), and No. 30 in passing offense (153.2 passing yards per game). Herbert entered the weekend ranked No. 29 in pass attempts with 125.
J.K. Dobbins entered Sunday tied for sixth in rushing yards with 438. Those 438 rushing yards are the most by a Charger through the first five games of a season since LaDainian Tomlinson in 2005. Last week in the victory against the Broncos, Dobbins was given a career-high 25 rushing attempts.
It's a good thing when Dobbins is getting the rock. He averages 120.7 rushing yards per game and 7.0 yards per rush in wins this season, and just 38 rushing yards per game with 2.6 yards per rush in losses. Dobbins hasn't crossed 100 yards rushing since Week 2, but the Cardinals entered Sunday with the fourth-worst rushing defense in the NFL, allowing 153 rushing yards per game.
Two more things to keep in mind when the Chargers have the ball: This offense is the opposite of Kliff Kingsbury's Washington Commanders, if you will. The Chargers average 32.7 seconds per play on offense, which is the longest of any team in the NFL. Then, the Cardinals rank dead last in opponent third-down percentage (49.3%). So, the Chargers are going to look to dominate time of possession, orchestrate long drives and keep the Cardinals offense off the field.
Bet J.K. Dobbins props at DraftKings sportsbook.
There's no denying that Murray is the star of this offense, and what makes him so unique is his athleticism and dual-threat ability. However, Murray has recorded fewer than 15 rushing yards in two out of the past three games. Coincidentally, or maybe not so coincidentally, the Cards lost those two contests. When Murray rushed for 83 yards and a touchdown vs. the San Francisco 49ers, Arizona won. When he rushed for 59 yards vs. the Los Angeles Rams, Arizona won.
Murray is going to have to make an impact with his legs if Arizona wants to win this game, whether that's converting a third-and-8 with a big scramble, or finishing a drive with a red-zone rushing touchdown. He is averaging 8.7 yards per rush this season, which is the highest mark among players that have rushed at least 30 times. Just two quarterbacks entered this weekend with more rushing yards than Murray: Lamar Jackson and Jayden Daniels.
When it comes to the passing game, Marvin Harrison Jr. is officially out of concussion protocol, which is a good thing. But keep an eye on tight end Trey McBride. He caught every single one of his eight targets last week against the Packers for a season-high 96 yards. Remember, he was Arizona's leading receiver last year with 825 yards and three touchdowns.
If the Chargers want to dominate time of possession, then it's the Cardinals that need to put together more splash plays.
Bet Kyler Murray prop bets at FanDuel sportsbook.
We've already established that Harbaugh is magical on Monday nights, but Herbert is also 6-1 against the spread in road prime-time games. The Chargers have a top six defense and an offense that looks to wear you down. The Cardinals certainly have playmakers across the board that can hurt you, and they are one of these feisty squads that you have to keep down for 60 minutes. As we saw against the 49ers a couple weeks ago, they can come back on you. With that being said, I'll take the favorites to win a close game. Even though the Cardinals will be wearing those sexy black uniforms.
Projected score: Chargers 24-20 over Cardinals
Bonus: The SportsLine projection model is leaning Over the point total, and it also says one side of the spread cashes in nearly 60% of simulations. Find out who, here.
