By Earl Heath | Contributing Sports Writer
Everyone is fired up on opening day, and this week it was the Arizona Cardinals who came into SoFi Stadium and took care of business.
The Cardinals, led by rookie head coach Mike LaFleur, defeated the Jim Harbaugh-led Los Angeles Chargers 26-14 in front of 70,540 fans.
Brissett Steps In
Jacoby Brissett made his first start for Arizona in place of Kyler Murray, who was sidelined with an injury.
Brissett delivered a strong performance, throwing for 277 yards and helping the Cardinals control the game. Following Sunday’s victory, Brissett has now accumulated 3,643 passing yards in 13 games since becoming Arizona’s starter — the most passing yards by any quarterback in the NFL during that span.
For LaFleur, the victory marked an important beginning to his tenure in Arizona. He became the first Cardinals coach to win his debut since Don Coryell in 1973.
The victory also came at a familiar location. LaFleur earned his first win as Cardinals head coach at SoFi Stadium, where he coached his final game as the Los Angeles Rams’ offensive coordinator last season before joining Arizona in February.
Chargers Struggle to Find Rhythm
The Chargers had difficulty generating consistent offense against the Cardinals.
Justin Herbert completed 17 of 27 passes for a touchdown, but the Chargers were unable to keep pace with Arizona throughout the afternoon.
Defensively, Derwin James Jr. led Los Angeles with seven tackles, while Cam Hart also contributed to the Chargers’ defensive effort.
Arizona’s ability to make plays on both sides of the ball allowed the Cardinals to leave SoFi Stadium with a 26-14 victory and a strong opening statement.
Next Up
The Chargers will remain at SoFi Stadium this week when they host the Las Vegas Raiders.