The Arizona Cardinals should be looking ahead to their Week 2 matchup against the Seattle Seahawks. But if their Week 1 upset over the Los Angeles Chargers was any indication, this Cardinals team isn't going to be the pushover some were anticipating this season.
The Mike LaFleur era is off to a strong start in the desert. While the hiring appears to be a win for Arizona, we also must give credit to the players Monti Ossenfort brought in this offseason. Acquisitions like wide receiver Kendrick Bourne, safety Andrew Wingard, and linebacker Jack Gibbens have already made a significant impact.
Kendrick Bourne
Bourne emerged as the Cardinals' WR1 in their Week 1 win, catching all eight targets from Jacoby Brissett for 75 yards. While it remains to be seen where he lands in the pass-catching pecking order going forward, it was encouraging to see him establish a clear connection with Brissett.
In general, the production shouldn't come as a surprise. Sure, it's a small one-game sample size, but this carried over from the preseason, when Bourne solidified his starting role alongside Marvin Harrison Jr. and Michael Wilson.
What a steal for Arizona, as it appears they came away with a reliable starting receiver on a two-year, $10 million deal.
Andrew Wingard
The Cardinals defense as a whole was a pleasant surprise, limiting Justin Herbert and the Chargers to just 14 points. One strength is their safety play, with Wingard now starting alongside star Budda Baker.
The former Jacksonville Jaguars safety shined in Week 1, recording four tackles, a forced fumble on Omarion Hampton, and, most significantly, the game-sealing interception on Herbert in the fourth quarter.
The Cardinals defense still has plenty of gaps left to fill, but this is already proving to be a strong addition to help address that side of the ball.
Jack Gibbens
Gibbens has quickly become a key part of the Cardinals defense. He beat out Cody Simon at camp to ultimately win the starting linebacker spot alongside Mack Wilson Sr. That immediately proved to be the right decision by LaFleu.
Gibbens nearly played the entire game against the Chargers, even leading the Cardinals in tackles (7). While he won't be a needle-mover for this defense, Gibbens has not only won the camp battle but is also already making a steady contribution, showing the Cardinals won this move on the margins.
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