Chargers vs. Cardinals: TV Info, Spread, Injury Updates, Game Time and More

Two teams on the hunt to build on stellar campaigns one season ago help to usher in the 2014 season when the San Diego Chargers make the trip to the desert to take on the Arizona Cardinals for the second Monday Night Football contest of Week 1.

For the hosts, 2013 was bittersweet. Bruce Arians spurred a significant turnaround and Arizona won 10 games—only to miss the playoffs in the ultra-competitive NFC West.

The visitors, led by Comeback Player of the Year Philip Rivers, snuck into the postseason after four straight wins and got their first win since 2008 before bowing out.

Mostly healthy and with a year of experience under the guidance of new regimes, the two sides figure to put on a show to cap off the opening week. Below is a look at all of the game's pertinent info.

When: Monday, Sept. 8, 10:20 p.m. ET

Where: University of Phoenix Stadium, Glendale, Arizona

Watch: ESPN

Live Stream WatchESPN

Betting Info: (via Odds Shark)

Over/Under: 46.5

Spread: Arizona (-3)

Team Injury Reports 

Name	Position	Status
Keenan Allen	WR	Probable
Jeromey Clary	OG	Out

Name	Position	Status
Kevin Minter	LB	Probable
Tyrann Mathieu	S	Probable
Larry Fitzgerald	WR	Probable
Andre Ellington	RB	Questionable

Injury info via ESPN.

Grand (Offensive) Expectations

USA TODAY Sports

Such is the narrative when two offensive minds meet on the battlefield in the second year of what both hope are long-term plans.

Arians' vision is helped by the presence of future Hall-of-Fame wideout Larry Fitzgerald, but most expect that further improvement from third-year wideout Michael Floyd will put things over the top in the vertical-oriented attack.

Last year, Floyd caught 66 passes for 1,054 yards and five touchdowns, but plenty believe that is just the beginning for the Notre Dame product. In fact, some went on to suggest that he would eventually overtake Fitzgerald in the pecking order, as illustrated by Sports On Earth's Dan Pompei:

Even if Floyd does not meet expectations, the additions of rookie John Brown and free agent Tedd Ginn should keep the offense moving along.

A major leap is expected from running back Andre Ellington, too. On just 118 totes last year as a rookie, he averaged 5.5 yards per carry on his way to 652 yards and three touchdowns, with another 371 yards and a score through the air on better than nine yards per catch. The only catch with Ellington this week is that he has been dealing with minor injury issues.

San Diego carries a similar story after quarterback guru Mike McCoy got the absolute most out of Rivers in quite some time. His production overshadowed a stellar campaign from running back Ryan Mathews, who for the first time in his four-year career played in a full 16 games. The result was 1,255 yards and six scores on 285 carries.

For San Diego, the aspiration is that Mathews simply stay healthy. But if not, Danny Woodhead is still around and the team added Donald Brown, who last season averaged better than five yards per carry and scored six times as a reserve in Indianapolis.

Interestingly enough, offensive leaps will be put to a serious test Monday thanks to quietly evolving defenses.

Defensive Returners

John Cordes/Associated Press

It is entirely too easy to forget just how potent the San Diego pass-rush can be. Both Melvin Ingram and Dwight Freeney played in just four games apiece last year, so it is easy to forget that the two form one of the most formidable duos in the league.

"I’ve been wanting to play with Melvin for a while now," Freeney said, per ESPN.com's Eric D. Williams. "Melvin gets after it, and it’s going to be really fun. There’s going to be a lot of speed off of that edge."

In 2012, both players ranked in the top 20 3-4 outside linebackers at Pro Football Focus (subscription required), and now that they are back to form, fans should expect to see them consistently get after the rather immobile Carson Palmer Monday night.

Rick Scuteri/Associated Press

For Arizona, a stellar defense that touts one of the NFL's best corners in Patrick Peterson (who gets the tough task of shutting down last year's top rookie wideout, Keenan Allen) but has already lost Darnell Dockett for the season, anxiously awaits the return of safety Tyrann Mathieu.

As a rookie, Mathieu racked up 68 total tackles, a sack and two interceptions while ranking as the No. 3 overall corner in the NFL at PFF. His status is a bit up in the air as he makes his way back from a knee injury, but a return would obviously impede what McCoy's offense is able to do Monday.

Really, it would not be all too shocking if underrated defenses flipped the script and kept things tight throughout. We can't know until they get on the field, though.

Prediction

Gregory Bull/Associated Press

A weakness is rather difficult to find when it comes to this particular matchup. Arizona figures to have an edge at home, but Rivers has a wealth of weapons at his disposal and is no stranger to high-profile games.

The saving grace for San Diego, other than the fact it holds a 9-3 all-time advantage over Arizona, is the fact the Cardinals will be without two of their top defenders in Dockett and suspended linebacker Daryl Washington.

That throws things in Rivers' favor ever so slightly, which is all he needs at this point of his career to steal a win.

Prediction: Chargers 17, Cardinals 13

Note: Stats courtesy of NFL.com. All advanced metrics via Pro Football Focus (subscription required).