Arizona Cardinals vs Los Angeles Chargers Predictions
Sunday, September 13, 2026 at 4:25pm EST at SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, CA
Chargers
Who wins this game?
Professional Picks On This Game
Cardinals vs. Chargers Prediction: Arizona’s Secondary Absences Favor Los Angeles
Analysis updated September 12, 2026 at 7:04 AM CDT
Quentin Johnston faces a depleted Arizona secondary, but backing the Chargers to win is different from asking them to cover 10.5 points.
Arizona’s absences give Los Angeles an opening
Arizona will be without cornerback Garrett Williams and safety Dadrion Taylor-Demerson, according to Arizona Sports, a local sports news outlet. That gives the Chargers a potential passing-game advantage against SPF’s 10.5-point spread. The Los Angeles Chargers’ official preview notes that Quentin Johnston scored 16 receiving touchdowns over the previous two seasons.
Arizona Sports also reports that Cardinals guard Isaiah Adams is out with a knee injury, while running back Jeremiyah Love is a game-time decision with an ankle injury. Those concerns could make it harder for Arizona to sustain drives, though Love’s availability remains unsettled.
The pick and the wager
Los Angeles has its own personnel questions. The Los Angeles Chargers report that rookie Jake Slaughter will start at center and linebacker Denzel Perryman is on injured reserve. Arizona Sports lists edge rusher Tuli Tuipulotu as questionable with a hip injury. A rookie handling the center duties and defensive availability concerns temper the case for a double-digit win.
The Chargers are the straight-up pick, with low confidence. SPF lists Los Angeles at -550 and Arizona at +410, alongside the Chargers’ -10.5 spread. The matchup favors Los Angeles, but it doesn't establish that either favorite price is worth taking. Pass.
SPF’s total is 46.5, with both sides at -110. Arizona’s secondary absences could help Los Angeles score, while the Cardinals’ offensive injuries could limit their own production. Those competing effects leave no supported total wager.