Football is finally upon us! After waiting an entire offseason, Chargers fans have to sit through the entire Week 1 schedule before watching the Bolts take on the Arizona Cardinals in their Monday Night Football matchup.
The Cardinals actually finished with a better record than the Chargers last season (10-6) but missed out on the playoffs in a competitive NFC.
Head coach Bruce Arians leads a strong defensive team that expects to be in the playoff mix again.
Let’s break down what we’ll see from the Cardinals.
Who to Watch on Offense
Carson Palmer: While he’s not a superstar by any means, the quarterback is able to get the job done. He completed 63 percent of his passes for 4,274 yards last year, but struggled with allowing sacks (41 last year) and interceptions (22).
Larry Fitzgerald: He has been the longtime top option through the air for the Cards, leading the team with 10 receiving touchdowns last year. The 6-foot-3 deep receiver could have a field day on San Diego’s smaller secondary.
Michael Floyd: His season actually eclipsed Fitzgerald’s last year, as the third-year wideout topped 1,000 yards. He’s expected to have a breakout year this season.
Jonathan Dwyer: Starting running back Andre Ellington may miss this game – and potentially a good amount of time – with a foot injury. That leaves room for Dwyer and Stepfan Taylor to get some action. Watch for Dwyer to outperform his fellow backup RB.
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Who to Watch on Defense
Patrick Peterson: Look for the shutdown corner to cover Chargers burner Keenan Allen most of the night. This could be the key matchup of the evening.
Ed Stinson and Kareem Martinto: The rookie defensive ends need to come up with some plays for an otherwise depleted defense.
Daryl Washington, Darnell Docktt and Tyrann Mathieu: It might be more about who we don’t see from the Cardinals D. Washington was suspended for the season for violating the league’s substance abuse policy. Dockett is out for the year with a knee injury and Mathieu is still recovering from an ACL tear last year that might jeopardize his start of the season.
Who to Watch on Special Teams
Ted Ginn Jr.: After spending the last year with the Carolina Panthers, Ginn comes out west and takes over kick return duties. He had 556 receiving yards and 595 kickoff return yards for the Panthers last year.
Chandler Catanzaro: The rookie from Clemson beat out longtime kicker Jay Feely for the job this summer. He hit all three field goals in last week’s preseason game against the Chargers. We’ll see how he does when it counts.
