Los Angeles Chargers at Arizona Cardinals predictions, odds, picks for NFL 'Monday Night Football' 

• Chargers vs. Cardinals spread: Chargers -1.5
• Chargers vs. Cardinals over/under: 44 points
• Chargers vs. Cardinals moneyline: Chargers -120, Cardinals +100
• Chargers vs. Cardinals pick: First Half Over 21.5

My Cardinals vs. Chargers best bet is on the first-half over. For all of your NFL bets, be sure to find the best lines by using our live NFL odds page.

Spread

The Chargers have started the season well, but their defense will face their first truly difficult test of the season tonight. I’m not backing either side and have my pick focused elsewhere.

Moneyline

Like the spread, I’m not betting either team’s moneyline.

Over/Under

The Chargers usually start games well with solid coaching offensively. Arizona will also provide the Chargers defense with a balanced offensive challenge that unit has not faced yet this season.

I’m backing both teams to start well offensively and am taking the over on the first-half total.

My pick: First Half Over 21.5

Los Angeles Chargers vs. Arizona Cardinals NFL 'Monday Night Football' Preview

Arizona comes into this game a bit healthier. Marvin Harrison Jr. looks ready to go, but the Chargers are still banged up in the secondary and Joey Bosa has not been practicing and is unlikely to be ready.

Still, the Chargers defense is the standout unit on the field — at least that’s what the numbers say. There’s no arguing with what defensive coordinator Jesse Minter’s unit has done in his first season coming over from Michigan, but it’s fair to question who they’ve done it against.

The Chargers defense ranks third in DVOA and in the top seven against both the run and the pass, but all but one Chargers opponent thus far ranks in the bottom 10 of the NFL offensively. The one good offensive opponent was the Chiefs and with apologies to Patrick Mahomes, that team was missing its top two RBs and WRs and is not exactly firing on all cylinders offensively.

Arizona’s offense has been inconsistent but represents the first real well-rounded offensive threat Minter’s defense will face. The Chargers have yet to see a game hit 40 points with their run-heavy defensive-first play style right out of the Big 10, but a soft Arizona secondary and tough Cards offense could push this game’s scoring up from Los Angeles’ usual.

Arizona has gone over the total in nine of 11 home games under head coach Jonathan Gannon with at least 48 points in eight of those games and an average total at 51.5 points per game. With the total below 45 here, we’re getting a suppressed number because of these Chargers game scripts thus far.

That puts the over in play, despite the usual primetime under trends.

If we do get scoring, it could start early. The Cardinals are 2-4 against the spread (ATS) in the first half and have trailed by double digits at the half in four straight outings. Meanwhile, the Chargers are 4-1 ATS in the first half and have led at the half in four straight.

Jim Harbaugh has his team off to a good start, running the ball and finding some points early, and his team should be able to get that scripted offense off to a good start in Arizona. But the Cardinals offense is a new test for the Chargers unit too, so we could end up getting a surprising number of points both ways.

The over makes sense, and so does a Chargers first-half play against the number. How about combining both angles and just playing a first-half over 21.5?

Arizona is 6-0 to that number so far this season with at least 24 points in every Cardinals first half and an average number of 29.2 points per game at the half.

We’ll let these teams duke it out in the second half after we’re done watching Ravens–Bucs. With any luck, by the time you figure out how to stream this game on ESPN+, the halftime score will already be trending up and ready for a fun late-night finish.

Pick: First Half Over 21.5

Betting Trends

• 53% of bets and 55% of the money are on the Chargers to cover the spread.
• 80% of bets and 81% of the money are on the over.
• 68% of bets and 79% of the money on the moneyline are on the Chargers.

How to Watch: Time, Channel, Streaming

Cardinals vs. Chargers is scheduled for a 9 p.m. ET start time, live from State Farm Stadium in Glendale, AZ, on Monday night. The game is broadcasted live by ESPN+.