The Los Angeles Chargers, a team many had already penciled in for big things this season, stumbled hard in Week 1, falling to the Arizona Cardinals at home. It was supposed to be a layup win, an easy start to their 2026 campaign.
That Was Supposed To Be The Easy Part!
Instead, they got thoroughly outplayed by Mike LaFleur’s squad, a first-time head coach, no less! Justin Herbert under center, Mike McDaniels running the offense, and they still couldn’t get it done. The worst part? The Cardinals are the kind of team people are already earmarking for a top five pick in next April’s NFL Draft. Losing to a team like *that* in your own building? That’s not just an upset; it’s a gut punch that sets a seriously bad tone.
A Gauntlet From Hell Awaits, Including a Trip to Lumen Field
And this was supposed to be the *easy* stretch of their schedule! They have a brutal gauntlet coming up, a stretch of games that will define their entire 2026 season. Next up, it’s an AFC West rivalry game at home against the Las Vegas Raiders. The Chargers will be favored, sure, but if they struggled this much with the Cardinals, how confident can you be against a Raiders team that looked “pretty decent” even against a “bad” Miami Dolphins squad?
Because after the Raiders, things get truly insane. They hit the road for back-to-back monsters: first, Buffalo at New Highmark Stadium against Josh Allen and that explosive Bills offense. Then, they roll into OUR house, Lumen Field, where the 12s will be absolutely deafening, ready to face off against *your* defending Super Bowl Champion Seahawks. After that, it’s back home to take on the reigning AFC West Champion Denver Broncos, then they hit the road *again* to face the Chiefs and the Rams. And it just keeps going! They’ll host the Houston Texans and their elite defense, before another road date against Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens. People are talking about the Broncos’ tough start, but the Chargers’ schedule is easily equally, if not more, difficult. This is a nightmare scenario.
So yeah, an upset loss to a “lowly” Cardinals team, one many have penciled in for a top 5 pick, is the absolute worst start imaginable for the Chargers. While the Broncos are battling it out tonight in Arrowhead against the returning Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs, trying to grab an early lead in the division, the Bolts are already in a hole. This Week 1 stumble throws the entire AFC West dynamic into chaos. Suddenly, the early control of the AFC West in 2026 might be a fight between the Denver Broncos and… the Las Vegas Raiders. What a wild thought for September, right? The Chargers have to turn this around, and fast.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Mile High Report.
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