Arizona
Cardinals
0-0
42
FINAL
22
Los Angeles
Chargers
0-0
AI Recap
AI RECAPIn a decisive opening matchup of the 2026 season, the Arizona Cardinals topped the Los Angeles Chargers with a commanding 42-22 victory. This win sets a strong tone for the Cardinals as they look to build momentum early in the season.
Quarterback Deshaun Watson shone brightly for Arizona, racking up an impressive 390 passing yards and throwing three touchdown passes. His favorite target, Marvin Harrison Jr., was unstoppable, accumulating 197 receiving yards, showcasing a dynamic connection that kept the Chargers' defense on its heels. Meanwhile, Omarion Hampton led the Chargers' ground attack with 107 rushing yards, but it wasn’t enough to keep pace with the Cardinals' explosive offense.
Defensively, the Cardinals made crucial plays that swung the game in their favor. Linebacker Zaven Collins recorded two sacks, applying consistent pressure on the Chargers' offense and disrupting their rhythm. The turning point came midway through the second quarter when Collins' relentless pursuit led to a crucial turnover, allowing Arizona to extend their lead and maintain control throughout the contest.
Passing
| Player | Pos | ATT | CMP | YDS | TD | INT | RTG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deshaun Watson | QB | 41 | 25 | 390 | 3 | 2 | 96.5 |
| Justin Herbert | QB | 28 | 15 | 166 | 2 | 2 | 65.4 |
Rushing
| Player | Pos | ATT | YDS | YPC | TD | LNG | FUM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Omarion Hampton | HB | 11 | 107 | 9.7 | 1 | 62 | 0 |
| Jeremiyah Love | HB | 14 | 25 | 1.8 | 3 | 5 | 0 |
| Marvin Harrison Jr | WR | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| David Njoku | TE | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Receiving
| Player | Pos | REC | YDS | YPR | TD | LNG | DROP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marvin Harrison Jr | WR | 6 | 197 | 32.8 | 2 | 73 | 1 |
| Trey McBride | TE | 8 | 74 | 9.3 | 0 | 21 | 0 |
| Jeremiyah Love | HB | 5 | 66 | 13.2 | 1 | 29 | 1 |
| Brandon Aiyuk | WR | 1 | 61 | 61.0 | 1 | 61 | 0 |
| Ladd McConkey | WR | 2 | 56 | 28.0 | 1 | 47 | 1 |
| Michael Wilson | WR | 5 | 51 | 10.2 | 0 | 18 | 1 |
| David Njoku | TE | 6 | 31 | 5.2 | 0 | 11 | 1 |
| Omarion Hampton | HB | 4 | 14 | 3.5 | 0 | 15 | 0 |
| Quentin Johnston | WR | 1 | 9 | 9.0 | 0 | 9 | 0 |
| Reggie Virgil | WR | 1 | 2 | 2.0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Kimani Vidal | HB | 1 | -5 | -5.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Defense
| Player | Pos | TKL | SACK | INT | FF | PD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Derwin James Jr | SS | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Dadrion Taylor-Demerson | FS | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Genesis Smith | SS | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Zaven Collins | LEDG | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Daiyan Henley | WILL | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| Akheem Mesidor | REDG | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jack Gibbens | MIKE | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Tarheeb Still | CB | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Max Melton | CB | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Budda Baker | SS | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Donte Jackson | CB | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Kitan Crawford | SS | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Elijah Molden | FS | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Andrew Wingard | FS | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Denzel Perryman | MIKE | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Kaleb Proctor | DT | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Garrett Williams | CB | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Will Johnson | CB | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Mack Wilson Sr | MIKE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Teair Tart | DT | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Cody Simon | WILL | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Josh Sweat | REDG | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Khalil Mack | REDG | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Baron Browning | LEDG | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Marlowe Wax | MIKE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Kicking
| Player | Pos | FGM | FGA | XPM | LNG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chad Ryland | K | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Cameron Dicker | K | 1 | 1 | 1 | 38 |

