Jeremiyah Love isn’t backing off.
As the Cardinals prepare for Week 2 of the 2026 NFL season, the rookie running back made it clear Thursday that his ankle issue isn’t changing his mindset. Love, who opened his pro career with Arizona after a standout run at Notre Dame, said he’s ready to keep rolling as long as he’s on the field.
“I didn’t feel limited by my ankle…. just got to be mindful of where my body is,” Love told the media, per Bo Brack of PHNX Sports. “Heading into this next week, it’s all gas no brakes.
If I’m on the field, I’m going. Whether my ankle is going to fall off, I’m on the field I got to do my job.”
That message comes after Love showed plenty in his debut against the Los Angeles Chargers. The third overall pick logged 11 carries for 41 yards and a touchdown, while also adding two catches for nine yards. He did deal with ankle pain after the game, but his update suggested he’s moving in the right direction.
For Arizona, the early signs are encouraging. The Cardinals are coming off a surprising 26-14 win over the Chargers, and Love looks positioned to be one of the central pieces in the offense going forward. Trey McBride is expected to be part of that mix as well, as the team continues building around Jacoby Brissett after moving on from Kyler Murray, who went to the Minnesota Vikings this past offseason.
The next test is a big one. Arizona heads into a Week 2 matchup with the defending Super Bowl champion Seahawks on Sept. 20 at 4:25 p.m. ET.
In Other News...
Chargers Suddenly Have A Raiders Problem Beyond Justin Herbert
The Chargers opened at home with a loss to the Cardinals, and the ugly part was how thoroughly the problems spread across the roster. Justin Herbert did not get enough help, but the roughest stretch may have come on special teams, where the kick return unit repeatedly left Los Angeles buried in poor field position and made the offense work from too far back too often.
Now the attention turns quickly to a divisional stretch that already includes the Raiders, and that is where the hidden cost of those special teams issues could show up again. For a team trying to keep pace in a tough early schedule, the margin is thin enough without giving away field position snap after snap, and the Chargers will need a cleaner third phase before the AFC West race starts getting even tighter. [Read more 🡒]
Chargers May Have An O-Line Fix Fans Need To Watch
The Chargers offensive line has already shown why it will stay under a microscope, with the team rotating players at left guard and giving up multiple sacks in a recent game. That kind of instability tends to linger for a contender, especially when it keeps forcing the staff to patch one spot while trying to protect the rest of the front.
One name worth keeping on the radar is Iowas Kade Pieper, whose profile has started to surface as a possible answer for a team that could use more help up front. The fit is still speculative and tied more to traits and need than any real draft certainty, but the idea is simple enough for Chargers fans: if the line remains an issue, this is the sort of prospect who could matter by the 2027 NFL Draft. [Read more 🡒]
Chargers Could Catch A Huge Break In Raiders Week 2 Plan
Brock Bowers was back on the practice field for the Raiders this week after having a meniscus trim on Sept. 8, his first session since the procedure, but the return comes with obvious caution attached. Las Vegas is being careful with one of its most important weapons after he sat out the season opener, and the Chargers are paying close attention to every update as Week 2 approaches.
Klint Kubiak still listed Bowers as doubtful for the matchup with Los Angeles, with his final participation status yet to be settled. For a Chargers defense that would rather not see the Raiders tight end working full speed, the early outlook offers a possible break, even if the week still has time to change the picture. [Read more 🡒]