The 2026 NFL season is finally in full swing. All of the work and effort brought forth by new head coach Mike LaFleur and his staff hit the field on the road against the Los Angeles Chargers.
Nobody in Vegas is expecting much from Arizona this year. In fact, they are underdogs in every contest on the calendar.
The biggest news is this new offense that LaFleur has installed. The concern going into this game was whether their shiny new toy, Jeremiyah Love, would play, and how the makeshift offensive line would perform. In the end, the Cardinals won 26-14.
So, who played well for the Cardinals? Who didn’t?
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**Play of the day** \- With the Cardinals up 23-14, the Chargers took over on their own 20 with 4:44 left in the game. Los Angeles has a very potent offense and can drive the field and score. Penalties killed the Chargers and had a third-and-30. 12-yards to TE David Njoku made it fourth-and-18 from their own 23. They had to go for it. Herbert found Njoku open, who assumed he could make 20 yards out of the catch since, annually, his YAC numbers are exceptional. Instead, CB Will Johnson hauled him down after a gain of 15 and a turnover on downs.
**Head coach Mike LaFleur** \- Congrats, coach, on your first win in your first game as a head coach in the NFL.
**K Chad Ryland** - As the Cardinals’ offense had numerous good drives, they just couldn’t convert that last pass or get a good run for another first down in order to get a new set of downs. Ryland came through again and again. He did miss that 54-yarder on Arizona’s second drive, but one more inch the other way and it wouldn’t have smacked the right upright. Very nice kickoff placement as well. Went 4 for 5 on field goals, 2-2 on PATs, and scored 14 points. Awesome day.
**TE Trey McBride** - This guy should just be on a template for every game. When does he have a bad game, or when does the opposing defense have a plan to thwart him? Right out of the gate 27-yards. Two possessions later, a nice 17-yard grab followed by a 10-yard reception. When the offense gets inside the 20-yard line, on any passing play, it should be coming his way. Led all receivers with 13 targets, nine catches for 95 yards, a 10.6 average per catch, and one TD grab.
**Opening drive** - Wow. Is this going to be a weekly thing? Whoever called the game’s first play is a mastermind. 27-yards to TE Trey McBride was an eye-opener to everyone in the NFL. Arizona used a good mix of pass and running plays, including an 11-yard scramble by QB Jacoby Brissett and the 11-yard catch by WR Kendrick Bourne. Suddenly, the Cardinals were sitting on the eight-yard line with a first-and-goal. A three-yard run by RB Jeremiyah Love got them to the five. Then Love took it outside for the game’s first score. We request that every game this year have a similar opening drive, please.
**DE Dante Stills** - All the defensive line talk was about whether DT Walter Nolen could remain healthy, the sacks of DE Josh Sweat, and how DT Roy Lopez was going to change the run-support game. Someone forgot to tell Dante Stills that he was still a good pass rusher and took away the job from DE Darius Robinson. The Chargers had started on their own 21 and had driven to Arizona’s seven. A loss by S Andrew Wingard, an incompletion, and a seven-year run now had Los Angeles with a fourth-and-goal at the three. The score was 10-7 Cardinals, so why not take the three? Ah, that Harbaugh bloodline. QB Justin Herbert dropped back to pass as LT Trey Pipkins was now playing left guard. Stills used his right hand and stunned Pipkins, then moved to the inside until he found Herbert for the sack. The Chargers had spent 10 plays and 4:56 of clock and ended up with nothing.
**LB Jack Gibbens** \- Not much has been said about the seasoned veteran, but he led all tacklers with seven and had a half sack as the game was winding down. Nice job.
**Finishing by the offense** - Making good drives by this new offense wasn’t an issue all game. Finishing was another matter. The Cardinals’ second possession at their own 30. Several good plays were 10 yards to Bourne, then 17-yard and 10-yard completions to McBride. Next, gains of only six yards plus an incompletion forced the offense to attempt a 54-yard field goal. On the next possession, Arizona spent 12 plays with 6:31 of clock only to die at the Chargers’ nine-yard line. This drive had touchdown written all over it. The Cards ended up with three instead of seven. The following two drives? At the LA 26 and a 44-yard field goal. A 15-yard facemask penalty on Marv Harrison pushed the offense back. The next drive: on the 15, and yet another field goal. Last three plays on this drive? Minus one rush, incompletion, incompletion. In the fourth quarter, after the blocked punt and TD by McBride, the defense provided an interception. Arizona was leading 23-14. This was the time to put a nail in that coffin, but instead, the offense sputtered, and after a sack by LB Troy Dye, it was time to punt.
**Limited usage of receivers** - This offense plugged along and drove the field all game. But the big dogs in the receiver room hardly got any attention. Marv Harrison had just three targets, with one sensational catch for 33 yards. Michael Wilson had seven targets, but only five catches for 56 yards. Bourne had a decent game with eight targets, eight catches for 75 yards. If this offense is going to fly, these three need the ball more.
**Defensive pass rushers** - Josh Sweat, two tackles, Darius Robinson one tackle, Walter Nolen one tackle, and L.J. Collier one tackle. Needless to say, this Cardinals’ defense is going to need more from these guys going forward.
**LB Jordan Burke** - Had a good position on most coverage situations and had an important sack. He did have that costly 24-yard pass interference call in the second quarter that got the Chargers out of a deep hole. Finished with three tackles, one sack, one tackle for loss, and one QB hit.
**ST Simi Fehoko** - Yes, the Cardinals’ receiver room is very deep. And players must find other jobs to get them on the field. Fehoko has been a really good special teams player as a sure tackler, but now? He can add kick blocking to his resume. The play was a designed stunt. LB Eku Leota pushed the left guard into the tackle as the long snapper blocked down as well. The upback, SS Kendall Williamson, also helped out to the left side, which opened a huge hole up the center. Fehoko came free up the middle. Williamson could have prevented the block, but tried to block another player, not seeing Fehoko loop. The result was a blocked punt and a Cardinals first down on the two-yard line. Two plays later, Brissett found McBride for six.
**Offensive line** - Held up for most of the game and only allowed one sack. 116 yards on the ground isn’t anything special, but this group did give Brissett ample time to survey the field as he passed for 277 yards. Needs improvement, but considering that three of the guys were new, they did a great job. Hopefully the run production will develop.
**RB Jeremiyah Love** \- The rookie came into the game questionable, but showed he has abilities. The game’s first touchdown was designed to go inside, but instead, he took it outside and had one man to beat. Love then stiff-armed CB Cam Hart, which enabled him to score his first-ever NFL touchdown. A great block by LT Paris Johnson sealed off the corner. 11 carries for 41 yards.
**QB Jacoby Brissett** \- Great game manager. Had too many incompletions on the final downs of a lot of drives. Good thing this team has a good field goal kicker. Finished 27 for 32 for 277 yards, a 7.5-yard-per-catch average, one TD, zero picks, sacked only once, and a 103.1 QB rating. Six rushes for 14 yards.
See More:
* [Arizona Cardinals Game Information](/arizona-cardinals-game-information)
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