The Arizona Cardinals defeated the Los Angeles Chargers 26-14 on September 13, 2026, at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, marking a successful head coaching debut for Mike LaFleur, according to the Associated Press. Playing before an announced attendance of 70,540, the Cardinals capitalized on two Chargers turnovers and controlled the game clock for 37 minutes and 31 seconds.
Game Flow and Scoring Summary
The Cardinals established an early physical presence when rookie running back Jeremiyah Love capped an 11-play, 70-yard opening drive with a 5-yard rushing touchdown with 8:49 remaining in the first quarter, backed by an extra point from kicker Chad Ryland. The Chargers answered immediately when running back Omarion Hampton rushed for an 8-yard touchdown, finishing a 77-yard drive and tying the game 7-7 following a kick by Cameron Dicker.
From the second quarter onward, Arizona methodically pulled away. Ryland converted field goals from 27 and 44 yards before halftime, sending the Cardinals into the locker room with a 13-7 advantage. Ryland added a 34-yard field goal midway through the third quarter to stretch the lead to 16-7.
Los Angeles briefly sparked a comeback when quarterback Justin Herbert connected with wide receiver Ladd McConkey on an 8-yard touchdown pass with 6:03 left in the third period, trimming the deficit to 16-14. However, the Cardinals sealed the victory in the fourth quarter. Quarterback Jacoby Brissett threw a 3-yard touchdown pass to tight end Trey McBride, and Ryland added his fourth field goal of the evening from 49 yards out with 2:33 remaining, bringing the final score to 26-14 as reported by ESPN.
Offensive Statistics and Key Performers
Arizona outgained Los Angeles 393 total yards to 268 and converted 23 first downs compared to 17 for the Chargers. Jacoby Brissett anchored the Cardinals’ offense by completing 27 of 37 pass attempts for 277 yards and one touchdown without throwing an interception. Tight end Trey McBride led all receivers with 9 catches for 95 yards and a score, while running back T. Allgeier paced the ground game with 61 rushing yards on 17 carries.
For the Chargers, Justin Herbert completed 17 of 27 passes for 209 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. Omarion Hampton contributed 43 rushing yards and a touchdown on 12 carries, while Ladd McConkey caught 5 passes for 82 yards and a touchdown. Defensively, safety Derwin James Jr. recorded 10 tackles, including 7 solo stops, for Los Angeles, but the team’s offense struggled on third downs, converting just 2 of 8 attempts.
Context and Standings Impact
Entering the matchup as underdogs following an injury-riddled three-win prior campaign, the Cardinals opened their 2026 NFL regular-season slate with a 1-0 record. The loss dropped the Chargers to 0-1 on the young season.
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