Chargers vs. Cardinals: TV Schedule, Radio and Online Live Streaming Info

The best in the West are set to collide on Saturday when the San Diego Chargers travel to University of Phoenix Stadium to take on the Arizona Cardinals in Week 3 of the 2011 NFL Preseason.

San Diego Chargers

Both squads are looking to rebound from disappointing campaigns in 2010. Philip Rivers and the Bolts were slow to start last season, losing five out of their first seven contests before coming on strong in the second half, only to fall short of their fifth consecutive AFC West title and, in turn, a postseason berth.

This, despite pacing the NFL in offense and defense with the departure of franchise stalwarts LaDainian Tomlinson and Shawne Merriman as well as the lengthy holdout of Vincent Jackson.

Then again, the Chargers had far and away the worst special teams unit in all of football, which was more than the difference between winning the division and staying home in January.

Norv Turner's team returned to camp this summer with renewed hope for 2011 after hanging on to most of their principle free agents and adding former San Francisco 49ers Takeo Spikes and Travis LaBoy to their linebacking corps.

On the flip side, San Diegans will miss Darren Sproles and Brandon Siler, who joined the Saints and the Chiefs, respectively, and still have yet to find a definitive successor to LT's throne. What's more, the Bolts will barely be able to enjoy their relatively mild divisional schedule, with dates against the Patriots, the Packers, the Jets and the Ravens interspersed between rumbles with their regional rivals.

Arizona Cardinals

The Cards, on the other hand, had no hope of even sniffing the playoffs, even in the moribund NFC West, whose champion (the Seattle Seahawks) backed into the title with a 7-9 record. What little hope Arizona had of reaching the playoffs for the third year in a row went down the drain during a seven-game losing streak in the middle of the season.

The mediocrity of a 5-11 finish was not lost on Ken Whisenhunt's club, who struggled to find replacements for retired quarterback Kurt Warner and defensive stars Antrel Rolle and Karlos Dansby, who took off for the east coast via free agency.

To rectify their fallen hopes, the Cards acquired Kevin Kolb from the Philadelphia Eagles (giving up Pro Bowl corner Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and a second-round pick) and immediately anointed him the next savior of the franchise. They also managed to swipe linebacker Stewart Bradley from Philly, though as a free agent rather than via trade.

Kolb's success or failure will likely hinge on the performance of an offensive line that yielded 50 sacks last season, tied for the second-most in the league. As such, the jury is still out on the return of Lyle Sendlein, Levi Brown and Deuce Lutui, who were all culpable in that fiasco.

What to Watch For

These two teams last met in October of 2010, when the Chargers trounced the Cards by a margin of 41-10 at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego. Pro Bowl tight end Antonio Gates tore Arizona's defense to shreds, piling up 144 yards and two touchdowns on just seven catches. 

As for Saturday's tilt, Cards fans will want to pay close attention to how Kolb fares in his next-to-last tune-up before the regular season kicks off against the Carolina Panthers on September 11th. He'll need to establish a solid rapport with All-World wideout Larry Fitzgerald.

The Bolts will look for Ryan Mathews to further establish himself as the No. 1 'back after enduring a disappointing, injury-riddled rookie campaign. The former first-rounder out of Fresno State ran well against the Dallas Cowboys, picking up 35 yards and a touchdown on seven carries, but will be pushed by veteran Mike Tolbert and rookie Jordan Todman, whom the Chargers drafted out of UConn in the sixth round.

How to Watch

Fans in Arizona can catch all the action starting at 7:00 PM MST on KNXV ABC15 and on radio via KTAR 620 AM and Sirius channel 88. Chargers faithful can turn to KFMB at 7:00 PM PDT to follow their beloved Bolts. For those more inclined to watch from their computers, be sure to check out the game online on NFL Preseason Live.

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