Stunning Week 1 Upset
Arizona Cardinals Stun Los Angeles Chargers 26-14 in Mike LaFleur Debut
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Key Points
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The Chargers had a chance to tie the game late in the second quarter, but Jim Harbaugh’s decision to go for it on fourth-and-goal from Arizona’s 3-yard line ended with Justin Herbert being sacked. Arizona then drove for a field goal and took a 13-7 halftime lead.
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Arizona entered the season with exceptionally low expectations: The Athletic’s Austin Mock projected the Cardinals to win just 4.4 games, the fewest in the NFL. The victory therefore prompted questions about whether the team could be considerably better than forecast.
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Jacoby Brissett distributed the ball broadly rather than locking onto one target: six Cardinals receivers caught passes, while Trey McBride, Kendrick Bourne and Michael Wilson each recorded at least five receptions.
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Arizona was widely viewed as a major underdog entering the game; Bleacher Report said the Chargers were 8.5-point favorites according to FanDuel Sportsbook, underscoring the scale of the upset.
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The win came against the backdrop of Arizona’s recent struggles: After beating Los Angeles 17-15 in Week 7 of 2024 and moving to 6-4 with a four-game winning streak, the Cardinals had gone 5-19 before this matchup.
The Arizona Cardinals pulled off one of Week 1's biggest upsets, stunning the Los Angeles Chargers 26-14 at SoFi Stadium in head coach Mike LaFleur's debut. Associated Press reported that Arizona dominated on both sides of the ball, with quarterback Jacoby Brissett completing 27 of 37 passes for 277 yards and zero interceptions while rookie running back Jeremiyah Love scored his first NFL touchdown. The Chargers, favored by 8.5 points according to Bleacher Report, self-destructed with a fumble, two turnovers on downs, a blocked punt, and a late Justin Herbert interception.
The victory is stunning because The Athletic had projected the Cardinals to win just 4.4 games—the fewest in the NFL entering 2026. Arizona entered the season as a rebuilding team coming off a 3-14 record, making this dominant performance against a Mike McDaniel-coached division rival a potential turning point for a franchise that has struggled since late 2024.
Brissett's Efficient Distribution and Love's Return Spark Cardinals Offense
Brissett spread the ball to six different Cardinals receivers, with tight end Trey McBride catching nine passes for 95 yards and a touchdown. Arizona Sports noted that Love, despite playing on a recovering ankle after a preseason injury, generated 38 of his 41 rushing yards after contact, forcing six missed tackles. The offensive balance kept Los Angeles guessing and forced the Chargers to rely on an unprepared secondary to cover McBride and receivers like Kendrick Bourne and Michael Wilson.
Harbaugh's Aggressive Call Backfires in Pivotal Second-Quarter Moment
With a chance to tie the game late in the second quarter, Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh ordered a 4th-and-goal play from Arizona's 3-yard line. Herbert was sacked on the attempt, giving Arizona prime field position. The Cardinals capitalized with a field goal to take a 13-7 lead into halftime, deflating Los Angeles momentum and setting the stage for Arizona's fourth-quarter surge.
Cardinals Defense and Special Teams Shut Down Chargers Comeback
Arizona's defense, which faced criticism heading into the season, held the high-powered Chargers passing attack to just 14 points and forced two key turnovers. Safety Andrew Wingard forced a fumble and sealed the game with a late interception against Herbert, while Arizona Sports highlighted defensive coordinator Nick Rallis' scheme as critical to the shutout performance. A blocked punt by Simi Fehoko set up a Trey McBride touchdown that made it 23-14, putting the game out of reach.
LaFleur Dismisses Preseason Doubts in Winning Head Coaching Debut
Mike LaFleur, the former Rams offensive coordinator, won his first game as an NFL head coach and the first Cardinals non-interim head coach to win a debut since 1973, according to Associated Press. LaFleur told reporters, "We're not dumb, it's not that we don't hear the noise. We just ignore the noise, be above the noise." His calm leadership and offensive game plan proved effective against a Chargers team that converted only 2 of 8 third downs and looked out of sync from the start.
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