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The Arizona Cardinals have been a difficult team to figure out during the 2024 season. They have truly been a Jekyll and Hyde team, bouncing back and forth between a frisky NFC berserker and a barely functional team with huge talent deficiencies on both sides of the ball. You might as well flip a coin each week to determine which version you're going to watch.
Arizona started the season with two great games in a row, a close loss to the Bills and a thumping of the Rams. Then the Cardinals went on a two-game skid with losses to the Lions and Commanders, which in their defense look like some of the NFC's stronger teams.
However, the Cardinals followed that up with a narrow victory over the 49ers then a complete no-show against the Packers. There is very little rhyme or reason to why the Cardinals have been this streaky.
That makes Monday's game against the Chargers a very fascinating matchup to consider. Which version of the Cardinals will show up? And how much danger are they in against a middling Chargers team?
Here are three Cardinals bold predictions ahead of their crucial Week 7 matchup against the Chargers on Monday Night Football.
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Kyler Murray will have huge day on the ground, lead the Cardinals in rushing yards
If you ask Kyler Murray, the Cardinals are ready to bounce back in Week 7.
Arizona should be motivated after an embarrassing no-show game against the Packers last week. Kyler Murray should be the player who is leading the charge, willing his team to victory in order to rescue their season.
It has been a minute since we've seen a truly special Kyler Murray performance where he puts all of the pieces of his talent together. The Cardinals desperately need this to happen against the Chargers, and I think Murray is able to deliver.
My prediction: Kyler Murray will have a complete performance against the Chargers, passing and running the ball all over the field. Murray will not only have an impressive statistical day passing the football, he will also shred the Chargers defense on the ground. So much so that Murray will be Arizona's leading rusher with over 60 rushing yards.
Cardinals rookie Marvin Harrison Jr. puts up a strong performance during his first NFL primetime game
Marvin Harrison Jr. is the second most important player on the team, next to only Kyler Murray.
When Murray and Harrison Jr. have their connection locked in, they are a serious problem for opposing defenses. The rookie wide receiver suffered a concussion in the first half against the Packers and did not return to the game. Thankfully, Harrison Jr. has cleared concussion protocol and is expected to play on Monday Night Football.
Getting Harrison Jr. back in the mix completes the Cardinals offense and makes them a pain to stop. The combination of Kyler Murray, Marvin Harrison Jr., James Conner, Trey McBride, and the rest of the skill position players creates a complicated offense for opposing defenses to stop.
My prediction: Marvin Harrison Jr. will have an excellent game after coming back from his concussion. Expect him to hauled in at least six passes for over 100 receiving yards and a touchdown.
Neither defense puts up much of a fight, leading to a shootout on Monday Night Football
Neither the Cardinals nor the Chargers have a particularly fearsome defense. Both units are solid, but they are more than capable of giving up big yards to an opponent. This is particularly true when you look at the threat that each offense poses to the opposing defense.
Los Angeles has a strong pass rush, but Arizona has multiple ways to answer that pressure and create big plays as a result. Meanwhile, the Cardinals have already shown that strong running teams can bully them on the ground.
If you are a fan of strong defensive performances, then this may not be the Monday Night Football game for you.
My prediction: both teams have poor defensive performances, which make each offense look quite good. Each offensive unit will score at least 28 points and there will be no defensive touchdowns by either team. We may see a turnover or two, but I imagine those will be more in the realm of unforced errors from the offense as opposed to being legitimately forced by the defense. Whoever has the ball last could end up winning this game.
