INGLEWOOD, CA – It’s too early to call it a reckoning. There isn’t enough data yet to determine if there’s hope of a resurgence. The only thing we know for sure is that it wasn’t a repeat of failure.
If the Arizona Cardinals proved anything during their surprising 26-14 upset victory over the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday, Sept. 13, it’s that they refused to be a pushover.
They were also competitive, competent and mostly in control on an afternoon where laidback and lackadaisical Chargers fans didn’t seem to care or complain. The home crowd didn’t start to boo until Jacoby Brissett’s 3-yard touchdown pass to Trey McBride gave Arizona a 23-14 lead with 11:44 left in the fourth quarter.
By that time, Mike LaFleur was well on his way to becoming
the first full-time Cardinals head coach to get a win in his first game since Don Coryell in 1973, and the Chargers’ Jim Harbaugh was about to lose his first season opener in eight tries as an NFL head coach.
It wasn’t technically over with that much time on the clock, but it might as well have been.
“No, I never feel (like that),” LaFleur started to say afterward, adding, “I liked how we were. It felt like we were conditioned to go out and continue to play. That’s what I felt.
"I felt their energy. I felt their edge. In all phases.”
McBride’s TD grab in the left corner of the end zone at SoFi Stadium was the cherry on top of an unexpectedly rich dessert provided by a Cardinals team that was listed as a 9½-point underdog. The fact that it came against one of the league’s premier veteran safeties, Derwin James Jr., made it that much sweeter.
McBride won that matchup most of the game, hauling in a game-high nine catches for a game-high 95 yards.
“It wasn’t a good play call by any means,” said the playcaller himself, LaFleur. “It wasn’t a very good play design. But sometimes when you’ve got really good players and the quarterback can guide him (open) like he did, they make it right.”
How’s this for making it right? These Cardinals just might be 2-0 if they can pull the tablecloth out from under the defending Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks this Sunday at State Farm Stadium. And who says it won’t happen?
Seattle will be without its injured starting quarterback, Sam Darnold, and Brissett (27 of 37 for 277 yards) feels like a superior QB to the Seahawks’ backup, Drew Lock. Besides, with the type of confidence oozing out of the visiting locker room here on Sunday, the Bird Gang might still be flying high come Week 2.
Yes, it’s early. But after this stunner, in which Arizona outgained Los Angeles 393 yards to 268, won the turnover battle 2-0 and had a 15-minute advantage in time of possession, it feels safe to say these aren’t the same old Cardinals.
Not that you’ll find many Arizona players saying, “I told you so.”
“It’s a new team, new players, new scheme,” Cardinals veteran safety Budda Baker said. “We knew we were going to come out and try our best and see what happens after that. It’s definitely exciting to get a win, but that’s all it is – Week 1. It’s on to the next week.”
Yeah, but they held the Chargers, a playoff team a year ago, to just 14 points.
“It’s just a start,” Baker said, calmly. “I definitely believe in our team and believe in this defense, and I think we’ll have a chance to become very good if we continue to put the work in. It’s definitely going to be exciting going against (the Seahawks), but at the end of the day, it’s the next game.
“We’ll put the work in and see what happens on Sunday.”
Besides some heady play from Brissett and a healthy rushing attack (116 yards) featuring Tyler Allgeier and rookie Jeremiyah Love (who scored his first NFL touchdown), four memorable plays highlighted this win:
*The first came with a minute remaining in the third quarter while the Cardinals were nursing a 16-14 lead. Edge rusher Josh Sweat, who had been quiet all day after not participating in any offseason workouts, training camp or preseason games, forced the Chargers to punt by making a shoestring tackle on Omarion Hampton for a 1-yard loss.
*The next two occurred during the Chargers’ ensuing possession when Jordan Burch sacked Justin Herbert for a 4-yard loss and Simi Fehoko blocked J.K. Scott’s punt, which led to the Cardinals taking over at the L.A. 3-yard line.
*The dagger came two plays later with McBride’s touchdown catch over James.
As good as things looked, Brissett noted the Cardinals' inefficiency in the red zone (going just 2 for 5 and settling for four Chad Ryland field goals) and remarked how much better things could get with a little tidying up and polish.
“Yeah, and I think when we get back tonight and tomorrow and look at the film, it’ll be like how close we were to really winning the game,” he said. “I thought our defense played a hell of a game and so did special teams. That was the difference.
“The offense has to do our part, but I’m extremely happy and proud of the guys. To win on the road in a tough environment against a really good team, that’s what you ask for.”
So, is it too much to ask for a second straight victory by the Little Team That Could?
“We’ll get to them when we get to them,” Brissett said of the Seahawks. “I’m just extremely proud of the guys today.”
Reach McManaman at bob.mcmanaman@arizonarepublic .Follow him on X, formerly Twitter: @azbobbymac and listen to him live every Tuesday at 3:30 p.m. on Roc and Manuch with Jimmy B on ESPN 620 (KTAR-AM) and every Thursday on the Doug Franz Unplugged podcast via Apple or Spotify.
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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: It's easy to overreact to Cardinals' stunner. Let's do it anyway | Opinion
