It's Week 1 of the 2026 NFL season, and it's a clean slate for each team. That includes the Arizona Cardinals and Los Angeles Chargers, who have a mid-Sunday matchup on CBS and streaming on Paramount+. The Chargers are known as the "what if" team, always having high potential, but never quite going as far as they should.
The team has made the playoffs three times in the last four years, never winning a postseason game. With new offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel, Justin Herbert's offense should reach a new level. Protecting Herbert will be key to a positive trajectory for the team and crucial if they want to enforce a strong run game, as McDaniel is known for.
This is the first look at what should be a high-paced offense focused on moving the ball quickly and keeping Herbert's jersey clean. Pro Bowler Joe Alt says the way they've approached the run game has "been much different." CBS Sports has the Cardinals coming in last place in their strong division and predicts they could end the year with the worst record in the league (though the Dolphins may take that honor). They will be led by new head coach Mike LaFleur as they rebuild in Arizona.
The Cardinals went 3-14 last season, the worst record in the NFC and tied for the worst in the league. Arizona had the third overall pick in this year's draft and used it to take a running back, a move not everyone agreed with, given the numerous holes on the team. The Chargers replaced offensive coordinator Greg Roman with McDaniel, the former Miami Dolphins head coach.
He is now working with Herbert, who has been a consistent quarterback and now may have the pieces around him to thrive. The Chargers made additions to their offensive line after having the second-most sacks (60) in the league last season. But CBS Sports gave them a C- for their free agency moves for not using their plentiful cap space effectively.
One key addition was center Tyler Biadasz, who suffered a major knee injury this offseason and landed on injured reserve. Rookie center Jake Slaughter is up next for the position. The upside is that tackles Rashawn Slater and Joe Alt are healthy after missing time last year.
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