Cardinals vs. Chargers: Mike LaFleur's Debut Turns Week 1's Biggest Underdog Into a 26-14 Shock

Point spreads are suggestions, and the Arizona Cardinals treated this one like a dare. The NFL's biggest Week 1 underdog walked into SoFi Stadium on Sunday against a Chargers team favored by 9 1/2 points and left with a 26-14 win that was not remotely fluky. Arizona held the ball for 37:31, ran 72 plays to the Chargers' 51 and outgained them 393 to 268. That's not an upset. That's a hostile takeover.

Mike LaFleur, a first-time head coach who spent 12 years grinding as an NFL assistant with five different teams, became the first Cardinals coach to win his debut since Don Coryell in 1973. He pulled it off in the same building where he coached his final game as the Rams' offensive coordinator. If that isn't the cold open of a sports documentary, nothing is.

How Arizona Bullied the Bolts

The tone got set on the first snap of the season, a 27-yard catch by Trey McBride. At the end of that 11-play opening drive, Jeremiyah Love, the No. 3 overall pick, introduced himself to Cam Hart with a stiff-arm and a 5-yard touchdown run.

The Chargers punched back. Omarion Hampton looked bottled up near the 5 on his 8-yard touchdown run and simply refused to go down, and it was 7-7.

From there, Arizona's defense grabbed the wheel. Chad Ryland clanged a 54-yarder off the right upright, but on the next series safety Andrew Wingard forced a Hampton fumble that cornerback Will Johnson recovered. Ryland made amends with a 27-yarder for a 10-7 lead.

Then came the stand. Justin Herbert drove the Chargers to fourth-and-goal at the Arizona 3 at the two-minute warning, and Dante Stills won his rush instantly, dropping Herbert for a 10-yard loss. Arizona went 61 yards the other way and Ryland hit a 44-yarder as the half expired: 13-7.

Ryland's 34-yarder pushed it to 16-7 in the third, and the Chargers finally found life when a 48-yard pass interference flag on Max Melton set up Herbert's 8-yard touchdown to Ladd McConkey, who barely squeezed into the corner. 16-14. Game on.

Then the fourth quarter happened to Los Angeles. Its four possessions in the period ended with a blocked punt, an interception, a turnover on downs and another turnover on downs. That's not a closing kick. That's a blooper reel.

Brissett Steady, McBride Unguardable, Wingard Unhinged

Jacoby Brissett was exactly what a new staff dreams about in Week 1: 27 of 37, 277 yards, a touchdown, no interceptions and a 103.1 passer rating. Nothing flashy. Just a veteran running the offense like a well-organized group chat.

"I’m just so happy that we were able to go on the road and get a win," Brissett said.

McBride was the engine, catching nine of his 13 targets for 95 yards and the dagger touchdown. Kendrick Bourne went eight-for-eight on his targets for 75 yards, which gave Brissett a chance to roast the fantasy crowd: "Pretty sure none of y'all had him on your fantasy team."

Love's line was quieter than the hype (11 carries, 41 yards), but he forced six missed tackles and became the first Cardinals running back to score a rushing touchdown in his first NFL game since Tim Hightower in 2008.

"It just reassured me I am still who I am," Love said.

Ryland went 4 for 5 on field goals for 14 points. And Wingard played like a man who had been reading the preseason rankings out loud in the mirror, finishing with an interception, a forced fumble and plenty to say about it.

"Everyone has been trashing this defense, trashing coach Rallis," Wingard said.

Punt, Block, Party

The decision that flipped the game is one plenty of modern coaches would not make. Early in the fourth quarter, clinging to 16-14, Arizona faced fourth-and-1 at its own 40. LaFleur punted. The defense forced a three-and-out, Simi Fehoko blocked the Chargers' punt, and two snaps later Brissett found McBride from 3 yards out for a nine-point cushion.

Wingard then picked off Herbert on the very next possession, ranging deep to steal a long throw. Ryland's 49-yarder with 2:33 left made it 26-14, and the Chargers never got closer.

"I told the guys, 'Humility is a day away in this league,'" LaFleur said.

Spoken like a coach who knows the defending champs are next on the schedule.

The Receipts

• 37:31 to 22:29: Arizona's time of possession edge. The Chargers barely got the aux cord.
• 0 for 3: Los Angeles on fourth down, with two of those failures coming in the final five minutes.
• 0 to 2: Turnovers, Arizona vs. Los Angeles.
• 2001: The last time before Sunday that the Cardinals won a road game against the Chargers.
• 8 for 111: Arizona's penalty line, the one ugly number on an otherwise tidy sheet.

Respect the Birds (Or Don't, They Seem to Like That)

This is a franchise coming off an injury-riddled three-win season, with 18 new players and a new staff. Stills put the chip on the shoulder into words: "I just feel like we've been disrespected ever since I've been here." One week won't settle that, and the red zone still needs work after Arizona went 2 for 5 inside the 20. But a defense that held the Chargers to 268 yards and 81 rushing yards has earned the right to talk.

For Los Angeles, it's a gut punch in the first game with Mike McDaniel calling plays. Herbert went 17 of 27 for 209 yards with a touchdown and an interception and was sacked three times.

"They played well, but it’s on us to play better," Herbert said.

Jim Harbaugh went straight to resolve: "It’ll be about our resolve, the way we bounce back." Health is a concern too, with McConkey taking a hard hit to the hip in the third quarter and safety Elijah Molden hurting a hamstring. The Chargers host Las Vegas next Sunday. The Cardinals get no time to bask, because defending Super Bowl champion Seattle comes to town.

The Wait Was Worth It

LaFleur admitted the buildup nearly broke him. "These last few days have been almost miserable waiting," he said. "Just really happy for those guys." Fifty-three years after Coryell, a Cardinals coach finally started his tenure 1-0. Turns out the misery was just the trailer.

Stats from the official box score via ESPN. Postgame quotes as reported by the Associated Press and azcardinals.com.