Chargers Cardinals Betting – Preseason Week Three Means the Starters Wiill Play
Sports betting NFL fans keep a close eye on preseason week three games as they are good indicators of how each NFL team will look in the regular season. Last year, the San Diego Chargers had the best offense and defense in football but could not make the playoffs. The Arizona Cardinals had major problems throughout their entire team, but the most noticeable struggle was at quarterback. This year, the Cardinals hope that former Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Kevin Kolb can be the answer to bringing success to the desert.
- What: NFL Betting Lines
- When: Saturday, August 7th, 10:00 PM ET
- Where: University of Phoenix Stadium, Glendale, AZ
- Pick: San Diego Chargers
What’s On The Line
The Cardinals are rebuilding, and they are hoping that the team can rebuild around Kevin Kolb. So far, Kolb is having problems adjusting to the Cardinals’ offense, but once he gets comfortable he can be effective. The Chargers are just trying to reduce penalties and mistakes before the season begins. Discipline has been the name of the game for head coach Norv Turner and his team.
Offensive Matchups: Chargers Cardinals Betting
San Diego fans will get a chance to see starting quarterback Philip Rivers and the first-team offense for at least the first half of this game. The sportsbook promo offensive trio for San Diego of quarterback Rivers, running back Ryan Mathews and wide receiver Vincent Jackson look like they are ready for the regular season. The one thing that the Chargers will be looking for on offense is some depth at running back. With Darren Sproles gone, the Chargers need to see who can step in if Ryan Mathews suffers another season-ending injury.
It is now or never for Arizona quarterback Kevin Kolb. Kolb has been learning the Arizona offense and playing conservative for the first two games of the preseason. While head coach Ken Wisenhunt is unlikely to show all of his offensive plans in a preseason game, Kolb will get the green light to show how he can run the Arizona offense. The running back tandem of Beanie Wells and Alfonso Smith seems ready for the season, but the running back depth chart really takes a tumble once it gets past those two. The Cardinals will spend the second half of this game trying to find some depth at running back.
Betting Edge: Chargers
Defensive Matchups: Chargers Cardinals Betting
Last season, the San Diego Chargers had a top three defense in the NFL. They could stop the run and get pressure on the opposing quarterback. So far in this preseason, the defense looks like it is starting off slow. But Norv Turner has been looking at a lot of players this preseason and it appears as though he is trying to solidify his second and third-strings. But this is still one of the best defensive units in the NFL, and it will show that in the first half of this game.
In preseason week two, the Cardinals defense was able to stand up to the first-string running game of the Green Bay Packers. The Cardinals are still having issues covering the pass, and that will kill them in this game. Every one of the Packers’ quarterbacks last week threw a touchdown pass. Philip Rivers alone will be too much for the Cardinals’ defense to handle.
Betting Edge: Chargers
Outlook and Pick: Chargers Cardinals Betting
The first half of this game will be played like a regular season game. That should be enough to put the Cardinals out of it early. But Arizona fans should not lose heart. The Cardinals have better pieces to work with this year. It is just going to take time for those pieces to gel and become a cohesive unit.
Pick: San Diego Chargers
