Arizona Cardinals vs Los Angeles Chargers Final — September 13, 2026
Final score and result vs the closing line
Arizona Cardinals 26, Los Angeles Chargers 14
Arizona Cardinals won by 12.
- Against the closing spread (Los Angeles Chargers -9.5): Arizona Cardinals covered.
- Combined score 40 vs the closing total of 47: Under.
- Arizona Cardinals closed at +372 on the moneyline (a 20% no-vig market-implied chance).
The pre-game matchup
The Cardinals visited the Chargers at SoFi Stadium on Sunday, September 13 at 4:25 PM ET in Week 1.
Last season (2025), the Cardinals had the 23rd-ranked offense by EPA per play (expected points added per snap) and the 27th-ranked defense. Meanwhile, the Chargers had the 25th-ranked offense and the 7th-ranked defense. When the Cardinals have the ball, a 23rd-ranked offense (−0.018 EPA per play) meets a 7th-ranked defense (−0.083 allowed); when the Chargers have it, a 25th-ranked offense (−0.023) meets a 27th-ranked defense (+0.088 allowed).
By success rate (the share of plays that gain expected points), the Cardinals offense was at 43.0% (22nd) and the Chargers offense at 43.1% (19th). Through the air, the Cardinals averaged +0.023 EPA per dropback (20th) against a Chargers pass defense ranked 9th; the Chargers averaged +0.001 (23rd) against a Cardinals pass defense ranked 26th. The Cardinals scored 20.9 points per game (23rd) and allowed 28.7 (29th); the Chargers scored 21.6 (20th) and allowed 20.0 (9th). The new season has no games yet, so these are last season's full-season numbers; rosters change over the offseason.
The Chargers closed as 9.5-point favorites at home against the Cardinals. The spread opened at Chargers -10.5. The total closed at 47, down from 47.5 at the open. After removing the vig, the closing moneyline (Cardinals +372, Chargers -495) prices the Cardinals at 20% and the Chargers at 80%.
Written from the numbers available before kickoff.
Tale of the tape
CardinalsFull 2025 regular season (last season), captured before kickoff. League rank in small type (32 teams); the gold side ranks higher. Bars show rank, longest = 1st. Source: play-by-play via the public NFL Lab tables (raw EPA, not opponent-adjusted).
Coaching and tendencies
| Staff | Cardinals | Chargers |
|---|---|---|
| Head coach | Mike LaFleur | Jim Harbaugh |
| Offensive coordinator | Nathaniel Hackett | Mike McDaniel |
| Defensive coordinator | Nick Rallis | Chris O'Leary |
Season to date before kickoff, from play-by-play (regular season). Ranks out of 32 teams; for style stats with no better or worse, rank 1 = highest. Coaching staff: Wikipedia contributors (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Injury report
- Garrett Williams CBOutAchilles
- Isaiah Adams GOutKnee
- Dadrion Taylor-Demerson SOutRibs
- Tuli Tuipulotu DEQuestionableHip
Starters (and the primary passer) on the game's official injury report, as of the latest report captured before kickoff.
Travel and schedule
The Cardinals travel about 350 miles.
Distance is straight-line from each team's home stadium; time-zone change is at kickoff. Rest counts days since each team's previous game.
Head-to-head
The teams have met 3 times since 2015: the Cardinals won 1 and the Chargers 2. In the most recent meeting (October 21, 2024), the Cardinals won 17-15; the Cardinals averaged +0.036 EPA per play; the Chargers averaged +0.049 EPA per play.
| Date | Score | Spread | Total | EPA/play |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 21, 2024 | Chargers 15, Cardinals 17 Cardinals won | Chargers -1 Cardinals covered | 44 under | Cardinals +0.036 · Chargers +0.049 |
| Nov 27, 2022 | Chargers 25, Cardinals 24 Chargers won | Chargers -2.5 Cardinals covered | 48.5 over | Cardinals +0.058 · Chargers +0.069 |
| Nov 25, 2018 | Cardinals 10, Chargers 45 Chargers won | Chargers -14 Chargers covered | 43.5 over | Cardinals −0.321 · Chargers +0.354 |
The last five meetings since 2015, most recent first. Spread and total are the nflverse closing lines.
Closing line and line movement
Cardinals +10.5 (-112)
Cardinals +9.5 (-112)
Chargers -595 82%
Chargers -495 80%
Consensus of US sportsbooks. Open = first line after both teams' previous games; Close = consensus at kickoff. Percentages are the moneyline's no-vig market-implied chances.
Dig deeper
Teams
Arizona Cardinals
Los Angeles Chargers
- Los Angeles Chargers team stats
- Los Angeles Chargers at Seattle Seahawks (Oct 4)
- Los Angeles Chargers 16, Buffalo Bills 24 (Sep 27)
- Las Vegas Raiders 26, Los Angeles Chargers 14 (Sep 20)
Gridiron & Wine graded a pick on this game: see the archived pick.
More NFL games on September 13, 2026
- Chicago Bears 59, Carolina Panthers 37 (Sep 13)
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers 27, Cincinnati Bengals 33 (Sep 13)
- Buffalo Bills 36, Houston Texans 31 (Sep 13)
- Baltimore Ravens 41, Indianapolis Colts 23 (Sep 13)
- Cleveland Browns 10, Jacksonville Jaguars 34 (Sep 13)
- Miami Dolphins 13, Las Vegas Raiders 27 (Sep 13)
- Green Bay Packers 22, Minnesota Vikings 39 (Sep 13)
- Washington Commanders 22, Philadelphia Eagles 24 (Sep 13)
- Dallas Cowboys 20, New York Giants 28 (Sep 13)
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