Our Cardinals vs Chargers prediction backs Los Angeles clearly. Arizona travels to SoFi Stadium on Sunday, September 13 for the late window. CBS has the 4:25 PM ET kickoff, one of four games in that slot. Both sides open the 2026 NFL campaign here. The block below carries Squawka Signal’s live read, moreover, including where the value sits. Signal rates every game on the Week 1 card the same way.
Los Angeles finished 11-6 and reached the postseason; Arizona went 3-14 and lost their last nine. Indeed, that losing run is the longest carried into this weekend by any team.
The Chargers held opponents to a 75.0 passer rating in 2025, the best mark of any team playing this round. Arizona, by contrast, allowed 59 sacks.
Arizona Cardinals @ Los Angeles Chargers
Arizona CardinalsSquawka23%Market18%▲ Value
Los Angeles ChargersSquawka77%Market82%▼ Slight laySquawka Signal is our model’s read against devigged market prices, updated after every result — not betting advice. How the NFL Signal works. 21+. Play responsibly.
Cardinals vs Chargers: our editor’s prop
One editorial call to sit alongside the live Signal numbers above.
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Cardinals vs Chargers: 2025 season form
Los Angeles finished 11-6 at plus 28. Arizona went 3-14 at minus 133, and the Cardinals lost their final nine games.
| 2025 regular season | Cardinals | Chargers |
|---|---|---|
| Record | 3-14 | 11-6 |
| Points for | 355 | 368 |
| Points against | 488 | 340 |
| Point differential | -133 | +28 |
| Sacks recorded | 30 | 45 |
| Sacks allowed | 59 | 60 |
| Interceptions made | 10 | 19 |
| Third-down offense | 41.5% | 45.8% |
| Red-zone offense | 54.1% | 47.4% |
| Red zone allowed | 63.2% | 46.9% |
| Opponent passer rating | 97.6 | 75.0 |
The defensive rows separate them. Los Angeles held opponents to a 75.0 passer rating and made 19 interceptions, both the better marks in this fixture. However, the Chargers also allowed 60 sacks, so their line is no stronger than Arizona’s.
Cardinals vs Chargers injury report and team news
This section updates as soon as the Out, Doubtful and Questionable tags appear. For now, one quarterback room is settled and the other is not.
Arizona has not confirmed a starter. Jacoby Brissett threw for 3,366 yards in 2025, though Gardner Minshew II and the rookie Carson Beck are both on the roster. Trey McBride and Michael Wilson lead the receivers regardless, meanwhile, with James Conner in the backfield.
Justin Herbert starts for Los Angeles. Ladd McConkey and Quentin Johnston lead the receivers, moreover, with Omarion Hampton carrying the run game and David Njoku at tight end.
Arizona CardinalsLos Angeles ChargersThe matchup that decides it: the Chargers secondary against an unsettled Arizona passing game
Los Angeles conceded a 75.0 opponent passer rating in 2025 and intercepted 19 passes. Both figures lead this weekend’s fixtures.
Arizona threw for 3,955 yards, more than the Chargers managed. However, they allowed 59 sacks doing it, and the quarterback is still undecided.
Trey McBride is the counterweight. Indeed, 1,239 receiving yards from a tight end was sixth in the league last season, and he is the one Arizona player Los Angeles must account for.
Players to watch
- Justin Herbert (LAC, QB): 3,727 passing yards and 26 touchdowns in 2025, notably his most productive year.
- Tuli Tuipulotu (LAC, OLB): 13 sacks last season, notably against a line that allowed 59.
- Ladd McConkey (LAC, WR): Notably the Chargers’ primary receiving target.
- Trey McBride (ARI, TE): 1,239 receiving yards, indeed sixth in the league and first among tight ends.
- James Conner (ARI, RB): Notably leads a backfield that gained 1,583 yards at 4.33 a carry.
How to watch Cardinals vs Chargers
The game kicks off at 4:25 PM ET on Sunday, September 13 at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood. CBS has the broadcast, meanwhile, with Paramount+ streaming it. Because this is the late Sunday window, coverage is regional, so check your local listings.
| Detail | Cardinals vs Chargers |
|---|---|
| Date | Sunday, September 13, 2026 |
| Kickoff | 4:25 PM ET / 3:25 PM CT / 2:25 PM MT / 1:25 PM PT |
| Venue | SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, CA |
| TV | CBS |
| Live stream | CBS / Paramount+ |
| Week | Week 1, 2026 NFL season |
Cardinals vs Chargers prediction and score projection
Our Cardinals vs Chargers prediction is a comfortable Los Angeles win. The best pass defense on the slate against an offense with no confirmed quarterback is a straightforward read.
Arizona is not without weapons. Trey McBride and Michael Wilson both cleared 1,000 receiving yards, moreover, and the Cardinals moved the ball through the air all season. Nevertheless 59 sacks allowed tells you how it usually ended.
So we will take the Chargers to win, 27-17. Which side carries the value, though, is a separate question from who wins, and the live read on that sits in the Signal block.
Signal rates every game on our NFL picks page. Meanwhile the title race is priced through Super Bowl LXI odds, with both conferences on the NFC and AFC Championship pages. Finally, player markets sit with our NFL player props coverage, and kickoff is confirmed on NFL.com.
Cardinals vs Chargers FAQ
Los Angeles, clearly. The Chargers finished 11-6 and allowed a 75.0 opponent passer rating, the best mark on this weekend’s slate, while Arizona went 3-14. Ultimately the live win probability and the current market price both sit in the Signal block on this page.
Spreads move all week; therefore both the live line and our model’s projected line sit in the Signal block rather than in this answer. As a guide to the gap: Los Angeles finished 11-6 at plus 28, Arizona 3-14 at minus 133.
CBS has the broadcast and Paramount+ streams it. Kickoff is 4:25 PM ET on Sunday, September 13, 2026 from SoFi Stadium in Inglewood. Notably, coverage is regional in the late window.
Arizona had not confirmed a starter at the time of writing. Jacoby Brissett threw for 3,366 yards in 2025, and Gardner Minshew II and the rookie Carson Beck are also on the roster.
Chargers 27-17. Los Angeles held opponents to a 75.0 passer rating last season, and Arizona allowed 59 sacks while losing their final nine games.
21+ | Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER | Signal probabilities and odds approximate at time of writing and subject to change