Shocked Bolts

The Arizona Cardinals entered the game as 10.5-point Swami underdogs but completely controlled the tempo at SoFi Stadium. Arizona dominated the time of possession, holding the ball for over 37 minutes compared to just 22 minutes for Los Angeles.

Cardinals quarterback Jacoby Brissett delivered a stellar performance, completing 27 of 37 passes for 277 yards and a touchdown with zero interceptions. Rookie running back Jeremiyah Love opened the scoring with a 4-yard touchdown run, setting the tone early.

The Chargers’ new-look offense, led by quarterback Justin Herbert and offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel, struggled with consistency. Herbert went 17-of-27 for 209 yards, one touchdown, and one costly late-game interception. A critical fourth-quarter blocked punt essentially sealed the victory for Arizona.

Team Statistics

Statistic	Arizona Cardinals	Los Angeles Chargers
Final Score	26	14
Total Yards	393	268
Passing Yards	277	209
Rushing Yards	116	59
Turnovers	0	2
Time of Possession	37:31	22:29

Key Takeaways & Aftermath

• Historical Upset: According to ESPN Research, the Cardinals became the first team in modern NFL history with a pre-season over-under win total of 3.5 or lower to win their Week 1 matchup. The loss also knocked out nearly one-third of all contestants in the $25 million Circa Survivor pool.
• LaFleur’s Debut: With the win, Mike LaFleur became the first full-time Cardinals head coach to win his franchise debut since Don Coryell in 1973.
• Harbaugh’s Regret: Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh called his team’s performance “sloppy” and publicly regretted not playing his starters more during the preseason.
• Injury Update: Los Angeles suffered an additional setback as star wide receiver Ladd McConkey exited the game with a rib injury and is currently considered day-to-day.

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