The Cardinals walked into Los Angeles and turned Week 1 on its head, beating the Chargers 26-14 in a result few saw coming. Arizona, a team many expected to struggle this season, left with a win powered by Jacoby Brissett, rookie running back Jeremiyah Love and a defense that kept finding ways to make life miserable for the home team.
For the Chargers, it was the kind of opener that leaves a lot of questions hanging in the air. Los Angeles came in with Super Bowl aspirations after bringing in Mike McDaniel as offensive coordinator, but the offense never found a rhythm and finished with just 14 points.
Arizona set the tone immediately. On the game’s first possession, the Cardinals rolled 70 yards down the field and Love finished the drive with his first NFL touchdown to make it 7-0. The Chargers answered with a touchdown of their own, and after Arizona missed a field goal, it looked briefly like Los Angeles had settled in.
That feeling didn’t last.
Omarion Hampton coughed up the ball in Cardinals territory, wiping out a promising chance for the Chargers. Arizona took advantage by putting together a field-goal drive to grab a 10-7 lead midway through the second quarter.
The Cardinals carried a three-point edge into halftime, and while the Chargers had the ball first after the break, they managed only 19 yards before punting. Arizona responded with another field goal to stretch the margin to six.
Los Angeles did punch back. The Chargers put together a touchdown drive to move ahead 14-13 midway through the third quarter, and for a stretch both teams traded punts. Then came the turning point: Arizona blocked a Chargers punt and got the ball deep in Los Angeles territory, then cashed it in for a touchdown.
That sequence pushed the Cardinals in front 20-14 and put the Chargers in chase mode. Justin Herbert then threw his only interception of the day on a deep attempt, and Arizona made it count with a field goal on the next possession.
Down 23-14 with time running out, Los Angeles didn’t have enough left to recover. The Cardinals added one more field goal to finish off the 26-14 upset.
It was a rough night for the Chargers on both sides of the ball, but especially on special teams, where the blocked punt changed the game. Arizona, meanwhile, came away with a win that gave Mike LaFleur his first victory as head coach.
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Chargers Already Face An Ugly Harbaugh Backlash After Week 1
The Chargers Week 1 loss to the Cardinals did more than spoil a home opener. A 26-14 defeat to Arizona quickly pushed Jim Harbaugh into the sort of early-season scrutiny that follows any flat start, especially with the coach pointing to his defense afterward as a major concern. For a team trying to reset under a new regime, it was the kind of opening-night stumble that makes every roster choice feel a little louder the next morning.
Breiden Fehoko turned up that volume with a social-media critique aimed at Harbaugh and general manager Joe Hortiz, adding another layer of pressure around how the Chargers built this group. Now the attention shifts to a short-week kind of response game against the Raiders, with Harbaugh already having to calm the noise before it has much time to spread. [Read more 🡒]
Cardinals Sent A Message In Week 1 Few Fans Expected
Week 1 in Los Angeles gave the Cardinals something they have been chasing for a while: an early-season road win built on defense, special teams and just enough offense to keep the Chargers at arms length. A blocked punt turned into a touchdown, Jeremiyah Love got Arizona on the board early, and the Cardinals kept stacking plays that tilted the game their way long before the final whistle.
The defensive effort was the part that really stood out, with Andrew Wingard coming up with a key interception and Dante Stills delivering a sack on fourth-and-goal to slam the door on a Chargers push. For a team that entered the opener with plenty of questions, the 26-14 result was a clear reminder that Arizona may be able to win in more ways than one this season. [Read more 🡒]
Jacoby Brissett Cashed In Immediately On Cardinals Debut Win
Jacoby Brissetts first start with the Cardinals did more than give the offense a steadier feel in a 26-14 win over the Chargers. It also triggered a $285,000 bonus for playing at least half the snaps, a tidy early return on the one-year, $15.5 million contract he signed in July. Brissett handled the assignment cleanly, completing 27 of 37 passes for 277 yards and a touchdown as Arizona snapped into a more efficient rhythm.
For Mike LaFleur, it was his first victory as the Cardinals full-time head coach, a useful marker in a season where every early step matters. The deal also includes win incentives that top out at 10, so Brissetts debut did more than settle one game in the standings. It put a little extra attention on how quickly this partnership can keep paying off if the Cardinals keep moving in the right direction. [Read more 🡒]