Justin Herbert and the Los Angeles Chargers have quietly moved to 3-2, largely depending on JK Dobbins and the running game. Tonight, they travel to take on Kyler Murray and the Arizona Cardinals, who are in desperate need of a win. Kickoff is scheduled for 9:00 p.m. ET at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, with the game airing on ESPN+.
My Chargers vs. Cardinals predictions don't expect much from Marvin Harrison Jr. as he is slated to return following a concussion.
Continue reading for free NFL picks for Monday, October 21. For a deeper dive into the action, don't forget our Chargers vs. Cardinals props and a spotlight on Arizona QB Kyler Murray props.
Chargers vs Cardinals MNF prediction
My best bet
Marvin Harrison Jr. Under 4.5 receptions (-160 at FanDuel)
My analysis
While he's certainly had some bright moments, Arizona Cardinals rookie receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. has been an undeniable disappointment to this point after going fourth overall in the draft.
The 22-year-old has just two games with five or more receptions and two with 50+ yards. And although he's been cleared to play tonight, he is also coming off of a concussion that knocked him out of last week's game.
Even before that, he was beginning to see his snap participation dip, going from 88 and 92% in Weeks 3 and 4 to 76% in Week 5. While he's not a major factor, Zay Jones' return from suspension adds one more name to get into the mix.
Harrison would likely draw Kristian Fulton's attention for most of his routes, and Fulton has been one of the league's better cornerbacks this season. The Cardinals need Harrison to be a major contributor, but considering his injury and overall ineffectiveness, it might take some time bringing him up to speed.
Chargers vs Cardinals MNF same-game parlay
Marvin Harrison Jr. Under 4.5 receptions
JK Dobbins Under 79.5 rush yds
Justin Herbert Under 1.5 pass TDs
On the other side of this matchup, the Los Angeles Chargers run game is and should be the focus.
The Chargers have been unshy about giving JK Dobbins a full workload despite coming off of back-to-back season-ending injuries, capped with the 25 rushes he was given last week.
He turned that into just 96 yards (3.8 YPC) and had failed to go over tonight's total in the previous two games despite tallying 14 and 15 attempts (2.3 and 2.9 YPC in those games). Kimani Vidal also impressed Jim Harbaugh in his season debut last week, and may siphon off more opportunities tonight and as the season progresses.
On top of that, the Cardinals rush defense (15th in DVOA) is not as inviting to attack as their pass defense has been (28th) so Dobbins may continue to struggle from an efficiency standpoint.
In the air, we should see Justin Herbert expectedly go under his passing touchdown total as well.
He has just one multi-touchdown game this year and had them in just half of his full games last year in what was a much more pass-centric offense (36.6 passing attempts per game vs 20.8 this year).
Learn how to bet a same-game parlay with these helpful tips and strategies.
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Chargers vs Cardinals odds
Chargers vs Cardinals live odds
Chargers vs Cardinals opening odds
- Spread: Los Angeles -2.5 | Arizona +2.5
- Moneyline: Los Angeles -145 | Arizona +120
- Over/Under: Over 43.5 | Under 43.5
Odds courtesy of FanDuel
Chargers vs Cardinals spread and Over/Under analysis
- The Chargers are 3-2 (2-1 on the road) against the spread this year, and the Cardinals are 3-3 (1-2 at home).
- FanDuel is reporting that 75% of tickets and 84% of handle are on the Chargers spread.
- The Chargers have gone 4-1 to the Under this year (no other team has fewer Unders) and Arizona has gone 3-2-1 to the Over.
- FanDuel is reporting that 61% of tickets and 76% of handle are on the Over.
- The Chargers' 25.4 pass attempts per game is the league's lowest mark, and the gap between them and the 31st team is as large as the gap between the 31st and 26th.
- The Cardinals' 220.3 passing yards allowed per game is the tenth-worst mark on the year, but they have come on the fourth-lowest pass attempts per game (28.3).
Chargers vs Cardinals betting trend to know
The Cardinals have lost five of their last six games against the Chargers, but just one game has come since Kyler Murray was drafted in 2019. Find more NFL betting trends for Chargers vs. Cardinals.
How to watch Chargers vs Cardinals
| Location: | State Farm Stadium, Glendale, AZ |
| Date: | Monday, 10-21, 2024 |
| Kickoff: | 9:00 p.m. ET |
| TV: | ESPN+ |
Learn how to live stream Chargers vs. Cardinals for free.
Chargers vs Cardinals latest injuries
Chargers vs Cardinals weather
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