Jacoby Brissett threw for 277 yards and a touchdown, Jeremiyah Love added a TD in his NFL debut and the visiting Arizona Cardinals pulled off a 26-14 victory over the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday at Inglewood, Calif.
Trey McBride had nine receptions for 95 yards and a TD as the Cardinals won their season opener after losing their final nine games of the 2025 season. The victory came in the first game for Mike LaFleur, who is the first Cardinals head coach since Hall of Famer Don Coryell (St. Louis) in 1973 to win in his debut.
Arizona used a blocked punt from Simi Fehoko and an interception from Andrew Wingard, both in the fourth quarter, to put away the victory. Chad Ryland made four field goals for the Cardinals.
Justin Herbert was held to 209 passing yards with a touchdown and an interception, while Ladd McConkey caught seven passes for 82 yards and a score before departing toward the end of the third quarter with a chest injury.
Omarion Hampton rushed for 43 yards and a touchdown as Los Angeles was unable to find sustained offense in their first game under new offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel.
The Cardinals took a 7-0 lead when they took their opening drive 70 yards and finished it on a 5-yard touchdown from Love. The score came on the third career carry for Love, the No. 3 overall draft pick in April out of Notre Dame.
The Chargers tied the score on their opening possession when Hampton scored from 8 yards to complete a 77-yard drive.
Ryland made a pair of field goals in the second quarter, including a 44 yarder on the final play of the first half to give the Cardinals a 13-7 lead.
Arizona grabbed a 16-7 lead near the midway point of the third quarter on a 34-yard field goal from Ryland.
Los Angeles pulled within 16-14 on an 8-yard TD pass from Herbert to McConkey with 6:03 remaining in the third quarter.
After Fekoho blocked a JK Scott punt early in the fourth quarter to give Arizona the ball at the 3-yard line, Brissett found McBride on a short TD pass two plays later for a 23-14 lead with 11:44 remaining.
On the Chargers’ next drive, Herbert was intercepted by Wingard near the Cardinals’ goal line on a long pass attempt to all but seal the victory.
Ryland made a 49-yard field goal with 2:33 remaining.
Los Angeles turned the ball over on downs with its final two possessions of the game.
