Here is how the general population reacted to the Chargers’ loss to the Cardinals, which includes thoughts on the questionable penalty on the final drive.
The Chargers lost to the Cardinals on Monday night.
The Bolts are now 3-3.
Here’s how social media reacted to the Week 7 game:
The #Chargers need to trade for a #1 WR tonight. Justin Herbert did absolutely everything he could. This game pissed me off. You let one slip. These are the losses that come back to haunt you.
Here’s our recap of the Chargers’ 17-15 road loss to the Cardinals.
The Chargers lost to the Cardinals on Monday night, falling to 3-3.
Here’s our recap of the Week 7 loss.
It was over when…
Cardinals kicker Chad Ryland made a 32-yard field goal as time expired.
Notable number
Justin Herbert threw for 349 yards with a 97.1 passer rating tonight. No other quarterback in NFL history has thrown for that many yards with that high of a passer rating and yet had his team fail to score an offensive touchdown and lose the game, according to OptaSTATS.
3 stars of the game
QB Justin Herbert: Despite not having much of a supporting cast around him to throw to, Herbert was still sharp and kept the Chargers in this game. He finished the contest 27 of 39 passing for 349 yards. Herbert also averaged 8.9 yards per pass, which is incredible, given the lack of talent in the receiving room.
TE Will Dissly: Dissly was signed primarily as a blocking tight end. But on Monday night, he stepped up as Los Angeles’ top target in the passing game. Dissly caught eight catches for 81 yards.
K Cameron Dicker: All the Bolts’ points came from field goals. Dicker made all five field goals he attempted, connecting from 59, 50, 29, 47 and 40 yards out.
Quick hits
Herbert played his best game of the season, throwing for over 300 yards. However, the Chargers still came up short. He connected with nine different pass-catchers. Five of them had catches that went for over 20 yards. But the group still struggled to create consistent separation and dealt with dropped passes.
Coming into this game, many, including myself, thought the Chargers would have success running the ball against a Cardinals defense that ranked 29th against the run. Los Angeles failed to do so. J.K. Dobbins only had 40 yards on 14 carries (2.9 YPC). Arizona did a good job of winning at the line of scrimmage and filling holes.
The Chargers failed to find the end zone in their only trip to the red zone. They have had 14 straight drives without a touchdown. The lack of talent among the skill players has been a factor, but Greg Roman’s playcalling is also to blame.
The Cardinals had their way against the Chargers on the ground. James Connor ran 19 times for 101 yards. Los Angeles had a hard time bringing down Connor the entire game, including on the final drive when he scampered for a 33-yard gain to get Arizona in position for the game-winning field goal.
We emphasized how imperative it was for the Chargers to contain Kyler Murray. For the most part, Murray was kept in check until he wasn’t when he ran along the sideline for a 44-yard touchdown.
The Chargers had a few plays they wish had gone the other way. It started with Teair Tart’s interception, which the Cardinals punched out and recovered. Shortly after, Jalen Reagor caught a deep pass and had it popped out into the end zone for a touchback. Cam Hart forced a fumble on Connor early in the second quarter, but Trey McBride recovered it.
The Chargers committed five penalties, but the last two were the most detrimental. As it approached the two-minute warning, a third-down flag was thrown for illegal contact/holding, but it was picked up. That would’ve resulted in a fresh set of downs. Then, Hart was flagged for unnecessary roughness on a hit to Marvin Harrison Jr.
What’s next?
The Chargers are back home to face the Saints (2-5) on Sunday, Oct. 27, at 1:05 p.m. PT. The game will be televised on FOX.
The Chargers are set for their first primetime game of the season in Week 7 against the Cardinals.
We are just hours away from kickoff in Glendale, AZ. The Chargers are coming off a thrilling victory in Week 6 and need another win on Monday night to stay above .500.
Despite being on the road, Jim Harbaugh’s squad is slightly favored for the primetime matchup.
With that, here are some bold predictions for Monday night’s contest.
J.K. Dobbins goes for 100+ rushing yards
Dobbins went for over 100 yards in the first two weeks of the season but has not done so since then. However, there’s no better opportunity for him to reach that feat again. The Cardinals have allowed 153 yards on the ground per game, the third-most in the NFL. Dobbins is coming off a 96-yard performance in Week 6, and the Chargers offensive line should be able to open massive running lanes for the sixth-year running back.
A Charger tops 60 receiving yards
The Cardinals’ defense is also vulnerable in the passing game, as they rank 23rd. Now, 60 yards doesn’t sound like a lot, but the Chargers have had just one pass catcher in the top 51 yards in a game this season. Ladd McConkey had 67 yards in Week 4 against the Chiefs, and he’s the most likely candidate to lead the team on Monday if he plays. Quentin Johnston is doubtful, while McConkey is questionable with a hip issue. If he plays, look for him to take advantage of Arizona’s poor set of cornerbacks.
Chargers win the turnover battle by 2+
This has been a recipe for success for Harbaugh’s squad this season. In five games, the Chargers are +7 in the turnover department, which ranks third in the NFL despite playing just five games on the season. The offense has only turned the ball twice, a major reason for their 3-2 record. On the flip side, the Cardinals have the same number of giveaways (8) as takeaways.
Find out who the Chargers Wire staff is picking between Los Angeles and Arizona.
The Los Angeles Chargers kick off Week 7 against the Arizona Cardinals.
Who is going to come out victorious?
Here is a look at the predictions from each of our writers at Chargers Wire:
Gavino:
The Chargers come into a State Farm Stadium looking to improve against a Cardinals team dominated by the Packers a week ago. Los Angeles should have success running the football against an Arizona defense that’s allowing an average of 153.0 yards per game on the ground. The Bolts’ defense is the strength of the team, ranking No. 1 in points allowed per game (13.2). It will be difficult for the Cardinals’ offense to find success. Chargers 24, Cardinals 14
Alex K:
Los Angeles has been a top 3 unit against the run this season by EPA/rush, whereas Arizona has ranked in the bottom 10. Expect that to be the difference in a showdown between two of the league’s top rushing offenses. The Chargers’ ability to pass the ball last week was also an encouraging sign that could factor in with Cardinals starters Sean Murphy-Bunting and Garrett Williams dealing with injuries. Chargers 27, Cardinals 13
Instant analysis of the Packers’ 24-22 win over the Texans in Week 7.
The Green Bay Packers won a back-and-forth showdown with the Houston Texans on Sunday at Lambeau Field, using three touchdown passes from Jordan Love, four sacks of C.J. Stroud and a game-winning field goal from new kicker Brandon McManus to escape with a 24-22 victory.
After falling behind 22-21 late, Love led a 44-yard drive to set up McManus — who signed on Wednesday — for a 45-yarder with three seconds left. Even after a timeout negated his first attempt and a poor snap on his second, McManus made the game-winner as time expired.
Here is an instant analysis of the Packers’ win over the Texans in Week 7:
Final score: Packers 24, Texans 22
1
2
3
4
F
HOU (5-2)
3
16
0
3
22
GB (5-2)
0
14
7
3
24
Live scoring
First quarter
HOU 3, GB 0: Ka’imi Fairbairn 23-yard field goal (11:48)
Second quarter
GB 7, HOU 3: Tucker Kraft 14-yard catch (13:16)
HOU 10, GB 7: Joe Mixon 2-yard run (11:52)
GB 14, HOU 10: Dontayvion Wicks 30-yard catch (8:51)
GB 14, HOU 13: Ka’imi Fairbairn 52-yard field goal (4:30)
HOU 19, GB 14: Joe Mixon 4-yard run (1:13)
Third quarter
GB 21, HOU 19: Josh Jacobs 8-yard catch (7:25)
Fourth quarter
HOU 22, GB 21: Ka’imi Fairbairn 35-yard field goal (1:44)
GB 24, HOU 22: Brandon McManus 45-yard field goal (0:00)
It was over when…
… Daniel Whelan got down the hold and Brandon McManus snuck his kick inside the left upright as time expired, giving the Packers a dramatic 24-22 win over the Texans.
Game balls
Offense — WR Romeo Doubs/QB Jordan Love: Love gets a game ball for delivering a game-winning drive and making a handful of special throws. Doubs, meanwhile, caught eight passes for 94 yards, including a pair of catches on the final drive.
Defense — LB Eric Wilson: The veteran linebacker delivered two sacks, four tackles for loss and a pass breakup. His production helped the Packers limit the Texans to 55 net passing yards.
Special teams — K Brandon McManus/P Daniel Whelan: McManus gets a game ball for a game-winner in his first appearance as a Packer. Whelan gets one for five field-flipping punts, including three over 60 yards, and a great final hold on the game-winning kick.
Key stat
55: The Texans finished with 55 net passing yards. C.J. Stroud completed only 10 of 21 passes, and the Packers sacked him four times for -31 yards. Stroud found only six completions to wide receivers and finished with one completion over 20 yards.
Deciding factor
Overwhelming offensive depth: On one touchdown drive in the first half, seven different players touched the ball in a meaningful way. On the game-winning drive, Love connected with three different targets. Three different players caught a touchdown pass, and Josh Jacobs produced three explosive runs. It wasn’t always pretty, but when the Packers needed plays in big spots, the sheer number of playmakers helped Matt LaFleur’s team find them.
Jordan Love watch
Sunday was a rollercoaster experience for Jordan Love and the Packers offense. Love threw sublime touchdown passes to Tucker Kraft and Dontayvion Wicks in the first half, extending his streak with two or more passing touchdowns in a game to 11, including the postseason. He also led a terrific go-ahead touchdown drive to start the second half, and he masterfully executed the two-minute drill late to set up the game-winning field goal. That’s all high-level stuff. Love also threw two picks, including one on a terrible throw targeting Christian Watson, and the Packers offense stalled too often against a defense missing five starters. Still, Love completed 24 of 33 passes, threw three touchdown passes and won the game late.
Play of the game
Love’s first touchdown pass was a thing of beauty. He rifled the ball into a small window, and Tucker Kraft made an incredible diving catch to haul in the 14-yard score on third down.
Linebacker Quay Walker exited the game with a concussion and did not return. He will need to go through the league’s concussion protocol before he returns to the field.
What’s next
The Packers will go to Jacksonville to play the Jaguars, who are coming back from a two-week trip in London. Doug Pederson’s team beat the New England Patriots earlier Sunday to improve to 2-5. A week earlier, the Chicago Bears cruised past the Jaguars.
Find out who experts are picking between the Chargers and Cardinals.
The Los Angeles Chargers are 2.5-point favorites over the Arizona Cardinals in Week 7 of the 2024 regular season. The over/under is 44 points, per BetMGM Sportsbook.
That means oddsmakers are taking bets on whether the two teams will combine to score more than or fewer than 44 points.
My score prediction for the game is a 24-14 win for the Chargers, with a combined total of 38 points. So, if I were putting money based on my prediction, I’d bet the under.
As for game picks, analysts believe Los Angeles is going to win.
Expert
Pick
Nate Davis (USA Today)
Chargers
Jarrett Bell (USA Today)
Chargers
Mike Clay (ESPN)
Chargers
Matt Bowen (ESPN)
Chargers
Pete Prisco (CBS Sports)
Chargers
Bill Bender (Sporting News)
Chargers
NFL.com Staff
Chargers (5-0)
Bleacher Report
Chargers
Monday’s game will begin at 6:00 p.m. PT and be televised on ESPN+.
Here are some important things to know about the Cardinals ahead of the Week 7 matchup with the Chargers.
The Chargers are on the road to face the Cardinals in primetime on Monday, Oct. 21, at 6:00 p.m. PT.
To get you prepped for the Week 7 bout, here are five key things to know about Los Angeles’ opponent ahead of the matchup.
How things are going…
The Cardinals are 2-4 on the season. Their best win came in Week 5 when they defeated the 49ers, 24-23.
Men on the move
The Cardinals boast the seventh-best rushing offense in the NFL. James Connor is No. 8 overall in rushing yards (403). While Connor is Arizona’s workhorse, Kyler Murray is lethal with his legs. Murray has the third-most rushing yards among all quarterbacks (261) and averages 8.7 yards per carry.
Problems with the passing game
The Cardinals’ offensive success has come on the ground, and they’re still trying to put it together through the air. They rank 24th in that department. Arizona selected Marvin Harrison Jr. in the first round to provide a spark, but he’s been up and down this season. He’s also in concussion protocol and his availability for Monday night looms large.
Dud of a defense
The Cardinals’ defense has struggled this season. They’ve given up 27.2 points per game, which ranks 27th in the league. Arizona hasn’t been able to get to opposing quarterbacks, ranking last in the NFL in ESPN’s pass rush win rate metric and 30th in pressure rate. They’ve also been gashed on the ground, surrendering 153.0 rush yards per carry (29th).
Look out for…
Tight end Trey McBride. Even if Harrison is available, Murray will still be looking to involve McBride heavily. McBride has at least six catches in three of his past four games. The Chargers have surrendered the eighth-most receptions to tight ends this season (32).
The Chargers had five non-participants on the first injury report.
The Chargers had their first practice before Monday’s matchup with the Cardinals on Thursday.
Los Angeles had five non-participants: EDGE Joey Bosa (hip), CB Kristian Fulton (hamstring), TE Hayden Hurst (groin), WR Quentin Johnston (ankle) and CB Deane Leonard (hamstring).
WR D.J. Chark (groin), TE Will Dissly (shoulder), WR Simi Fehoko (shoulder/groin), OL Zion Johnson (ankle), WR Ladd McConkey (hip), OT Trey Pipkins (shoulder) and CB Ja’Sir Taylor (fibula) were limited.
The stars, studs and duds from the Packers’ Week 6 win over the Cardinals.
The Green Bay Packers improved to 4-2 with a convincing and comfortable win over the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday at Lambeau Field. Matt LaFleur’s team jumped out to a 24-0 lead in the first half, absorbed a counter punch from the Cardinals and then finished the job with three takeaways and a productive run game down the stretch.
The Packers produced more first downs, total yards, passing yards, rushing yards and third down conversions while also winning the turnover battle.
Here are the stars, studs and duds from the Packers’ Week 6 win over the Cardinals:
Stars
QB Jordan Love: Without a truly unfortunate interception thrown when Bo Melton slipped down, Love’s passer rating would have been 132.8 — a better representation of how well he played. Love was excellent on third or fourth down, throwing three touchdown passes and producing seven total conversions. When not blitzed, Love sliced and diced the Cardinals, averaging almost 10 yards per attempt. Even against pressure, he found Romeo Doubs for a touchdown against a free runner. Love hit a layup deep shot to Christian Watson, and he consistently found the underneath or intermediate target. His throw to Watson on fourth down — a perfectly layered ball into the smallest of windows — was incredible. Love completed passes to nine different players, scrambled three times for positive gains and wasn’t sacked.
S Evan Williams: The rookie safety killed two drives with elite plays. In the first half, Williams took the quarterback on a zone read and made a terrific open-field tackle on Kyler Murray behind the line of scrimmage, forcing a punt. Later, his punch — perfectly timed and placed on the ball — forced a fumble with the Cardinals driving. Williams is mixing down-to-down reliability with impact plays.
Studs
RT Zach Tom: Another quietly dominant performance. Tom didn’t allow a pressure over 38 pass-blocking snaps, per PFF.
DE Rashan Gary: This might have been Gary’s best game of the season. He created three pressures, including one near-sack and a quarterback hit. Gary also had two stops against the run, and his pass-rushing discipline helped keep Kyler Murray in the pocket.
CB/PR Keisean Nixon: He was in on a run stuff on the Cardinals’ first play from scrimmage. He broke up a third down pass in the first half, forcing a punt. He returned a punt 39 yards, flipping the field and setting up a touchdown. He even returned two kicks. Nixon finished with 99 return yards, a season high.
RB Josh Jacobs: He produced an explosive run on the Packers’ first touchdown drive, consistently gained tough yards between the tackles, caught all three targets for 28 yards, forced five missed tackles and produced four total first downs. His 90 total yards were a team high.
DL Karl Brooks: His turnover was a fantastic individual play. Brooks read the screen, pursued the ball and stripped James Conner before recovering the fumble. Without Devonte Wyatt available, Brooks has consistently made big plays.
LB Edgerrin Cooper: The rookie linebacker stuffed Trey Benson after a 1-yard gain and made a tackle covering a kickoff. He flew around the field, showcasing speed and aggressiveness. The Packers want more consistency with his run fits but his talent can’t be kept off the field. Cooper played 38 snaps.
LB Ty’Ron Hopper: Over 15 special teams snaps, Hopper produced three tackles — two solo and one assisted — covering kickoffs.
Duds
K Brayden Narveson: Another miss. Narveson’s 44-yarder went wide right in the second half. The rookie has a miss in four of six games this season and leads the NFL with five total misses through six weeks. He did remain perfect on extra points.