The rebuilding Arizona Cardinals entered this 2026 season with no realistic playoff expectations. They had to do that old cliché of defining wins and success differently, trying to at least establish a new winning culture under first-year head coach Mike LaFleur.
They've done a solid job of at least showing flashes of what this rebuilding roster could ultimately become. Here's how their matchups through the first three weeks have played out:
Week 1: 26-14 Win @ Los Angeles Chargers
Week 2: 7-31 Loss vs. Seattle Seahawks
Week 3: 30-36 Loss @ San Francisco 49ers
The Cardinals are now 1-2 and surprisingly tied with the contending Los Angeles Rams for last place in the stacked NFC West. That .333 win percentage is actually exceeding expectations, as many anticipated Arizona to finish around last year's 3-win season, challenging for the top overall pick in the 2027 NFL Draft.
Over the course of a 17-game season that places the Cardinals at five or six wins. Shoutout to The University of Arizona for the ability to do math.
But seriously, how could you view that as anything other than a relative success?
Grading Mike LaFleur's start with the Cardinals
The Cardinals entered the season as favorites to land the top pick in the draft, and immediately pulled off the biggest upset of Week 1.
It's somewhat difficult to properly gauge the roster as a whole because of the incredibly difficult strength of schedule to open the season. Even with Justin Herbert and the Chargers starting the season slowly, the Cardinals still have their work cut out for them to stay afloat in the NFC West.
That's also why you could make a compelling case for them to trade stars like Budda Baker and Josh Sweat before the season. Even if they exceed expectations under Jeremiyah Love and LaFleur, the Cardinals still have no shot at the postseason.
That said, what often gets overlooked in rebuilding teams' decisions to keep veterans like Baker and Sweat, rather than turning them into future assets, is the intangibles. The winning culture, day-to-day veteran experience, etc., that the young Cardinals roster still needs, especially from the perspective of another veteran player on the field as opposed to a coach.
Under LaFleur, the Cardinals are looking to establish a new era, regardless of how many wins that actually results in this season.
It's safe to say they've successfully done that through Week 3, making it hard to view this start to the LaFleur era as anything other than a success.
Grade: A-
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