4 Instant Takeaways as Cardinals Stun Chargers in Week 1 Win

The Arizona Cardinals got the win — here's four instant takeaways after defeating the Los Angeles Chargers.

Sep 13, 2026; Inglewood, California, USA; aArizona Cardinals safety Andrew Wingard (28) celebrates after making an interception against the Los Angeles Chargers during the fourth quarter at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: William Liang-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Arizona Cardinals began the season with a surprising win as the team notched a 26-14 victory over the Los Angeles Chargers.

This was a huge upset win by the Cardinals, as Arizona entered Week 1 as heavy underdogs entering SoFi Stadium.

4 of the biggest takeaways from the Cardinals' upset win over Los Angeles:

Trey McBride stays Hot 

Sep 13, 2026; Inglewood, California, USA; Arizona Cardinals tight end Trey McBride (85) reacts after a touchdown catch against the Los Angeles Chargers during the fourth quarter at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: William Liang-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

McBride is coming off one of the best seasons ever for a Cardinals player, breaking the receptions record for a tight end with 126 receptions. After getting into the coveted Madden 27 99 club, McBride continued to show why he is one of the best offensive players in the game.

McBride caught nine passes for 95 yards and a touchdown against Los Angeles. His first reception (the first catch of the game for 27 yards) helped Cardinals head coach Mike LaFleur get off on the right foot — Arizona would end up getting into the end zone later that drive.

McBride’s best play of the day actually came on a 2nd-and-4 conversion, where Cardinals quarterback Jacoby Brissett threw a tight pass that McBride hauled in despite tight coverage, leading to a first down. While it wasn’t flashy, it showed what McBride is best at: making tough catches and being a reliable pass catcher.

Starting Jacoby Brissett was the right move

Sep 13, 2026; Inglewood, California, USA; Arizona Cardinals quarterback Jacoby Brissett (7) throws a pass against the Los Angeles Chargers during the first half at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

After his very good performance in the Hall of Fame Game, many were saying that rookie quarterback Carson Beck should start the season. After all, with a very difficult schedule and division, it could make some sense to start the young passer.

However, LaFleur chose the veteran as his starter, and after Week 1, it looks like the right choice.

Brissett had an efficient day, totaling 277 yards passing with only ten completions. He also did not have any turnovers against a Chargers defense that features great playmakers such as edge rusher Khalil Mack, safety Derwin James, and edge rusher Tuli Tuipulotu.

Speaking of the Chargers, Brissett also outplayed Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert. Brissett had a passer rating of 103.1 while Herbert touted a 83.7 rating — it’s great to see that Brissett can outplay one of the league's more prominent quarterbacks.

Winning in the trenches

Sep 13, 2026; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Chargers tight end David Njoku (83) is tackled by Arizona Cardinals safety Andrew Wingard (28) during the fourth quarter at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: William Liang-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

When winning any football game, whether it be preseason, playoffs, or the regular season, it starts with the offensive and defensive line. The Cardinals were great in this department today.

There was an overall gloomy outlook around the offensive line as rookie guard Chase Bisontis tore his MCL in the preseason. However, the Cardinals o-line looked very solid, protecting Brissett very well and only allowing one sack on the day. 

On the other side of the ball, the Cardinals brought Herbert to the ground three times. The biggest play of the d-line and arguably the game was when defensive tackle Dante Stills sacked Herbert on 4th-and-goal. This forced a turnover on downs and ended a Chargers red-zone trip with no points near the end of the first half.

Tackling Troubles

Sep 13, 2026; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Chargers running back Omarion Hampton (8) carries the ball for a touchdown against the Arizona Cardinals during the first quarter at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: William Liang-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

While there are a lot of positives to take from this game, there was indeed one major concern: the lack of tackling. There were several times when the Cardinals' defense had issues taking down the Chargers' offensive playmakers on first contact.

A big example of this was the Chargers' first touchdown of the game, when running back Omarion Hampton got into the end zone after numerous failed tackle attempts. That was a trend that continued through the next stages of the game as well, and was a major talking point around Arizona's defense in preseason.

Next week, the Cardinals take on the Seattle Seahawks, who have shifty and elusive playmakers such as wide receivers Jaxon Smith-Njigba/Rashid Shaheed and first-round draft pick Jadarian Price at running back.

Overall, despite some issues, this was a very impressive win for the Cardinals and a great start to the year.