The Arizona Cardinals kick off their regular season on Sunday, and honestly, folks, they’re walking into a firestorm as big underdogs against the Los Angeles Chargers. Everyone’s already writing them off, but it’s Week 1, and anything can happen, right? This Cardinals offense? It’s believed to be pretty good. Their defense though? That’s where the giant questions start piling up.
Jacoby Brissett’s Wild Ride: Outgunning the Chargers Early
Okay, first things first: this team *has* to light up the scoreboard early. We’re talking absolute critical points right out of the gate. Why? Because Mike McDaniel’s stepping in as the Chargers’ new offensive coordinator, and his attack is probably going to be solid. Plus, let’s be real, our defense has way more questions than answers right now. If we don’t score, and we fall behind by two scores right off the bat, we’re looking at a replay of last season, when we got blown out game after game. Nobody wants to start 2026 like that!
And while we’re on offense, we gotta protect Jacoby Brissett. The man is tough, yeah, we know that. He can take a hit. But the Chargers are bringing the heat with Khalil Mack, Tuli Tuipulotu, and even rookie Akheem Mesidor coming off the edge. If Brissett doesn’t get time to make his throws and get rid of the ball, this whole thing could unravel faster than you can say “touchdown.” Giving him a clean pocket isn’t just a suggestion; it’s the absolute minimum requirement for us to stay in this game.
The Nearly Impossible Mission: Stopping Herbert and McDaniel’s Attack
Now, for the defense, the biggest, hairiest monster in the room is pressuring Justin Herbert. Let’s be honest, it’s not going to be easy. We barely have a pass rush outside of Josh Sweat, and the Chargers have Rashawn Slater and Joe Alt, who are absolute brick walls at tackle. Those guys are elite. But hey, there’s a sliver of hope! Their *interior* offensive line has some question marks. So, if Walter Nolen and Dante Stills can actually push that pocket, maybe, just maybe, we can rattle Herbert and force a mistake or two. We’ll take anything we can get, right?
Then we’ve got to talk about slowing down the Chargers’ run game. McDaniel’s scheme is one of the best in the league, and he’s got a stable of backs with Omarion Hampton, Keaton Mitchell, and Kimani Vidal. This isn’t just about bending; it’s about not breaking. We absolutely need to stop that ground attack dead in its tracks. Why? Because forcing them into long third downs is our *only* chance to bring the pressure on Herbert. If they’re just gashing us on first and second down, we’re never getting a shot at the quarterback. This is the definition of high stakes for our defense in Week 1.
So, as the Cardinals gear up for Sunday’s opener, it’s clear they’ve got their work cut out for them. Can they pull off the shocker against the Chargers? It all comes down to executing these four keys. Get hyped, because Week 1 always brings the unexpected!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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