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Cardinals Beat Chargers 26-14 in LaFleur Debut Win

By Drooid · Sep 15, 2026, 3:08 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

Story summary

Arizona Cardinals beat the Los Angeles Chargers 26-14, giving coach LaFleur a debut win.
LaFleur became the first non-interim Cardinals coach to win his debut since 1973.
The Cardinals entered as 9.5-point underdogs but won by 12 points, covering the spread.
Quarterback Jacoby Brissett completed 27 of 37 passes for 277 yards and a touchdown.
Tight end Trey McBride caught nine passes for 95 yards and the game-winning touchdown.

History

Historical Context

The Giants’ 17-14 win over the Patriots in Super Bowl XLII on February 3 2008 ended New England’s bid for a perfect 16-0 season, echoing the team’s 9-7 regular-season record—the lowest ever for a champion. That pattern of surprise persists, as the 2024 Cardinals, 9.5-point underdogs, defeated the Chargers 26-14, underscoring the NFL’s long-standing upset culture.

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Story summary

Arizona Cardinals beat the Los Angeles Chargers 26-14, giving coach LaFleur a debut win.
LaFleur became the first non-interim Cardinals coach to win his debut since 1973.
The Cardinals entered as 9.5-point underdogs but won by 12 points, covering the spread.
Quarterback Jacoby Brissett completed 27 of 37 passes for 277 yards and a touchdown.
Tight end Trey McBride caught nine passes for 95 yards and the game-winning touchdown.

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