Arizona Cardinals rookie running back Jeremiyah Love scored a touchdown on his very first NFL drive, helping the underdog Cardinals beat the Los Angeles Chargers 26-14 in their Week 1 fixture at SoFi Stadium. The performance offered an early vindication of Arizona's decision to select Love third overall in April's draft, a pick that had drawn criticism given the team's rebuilding status under new head coach Mike LaFleur.

Love finished the game with 41 yards from 11 carries, having capped a 70-yard opening drive by taking a handoff from quarterback Jacoby Brissett and racing to the pylon on second-and-goal. He shared backfield duties with veteran free-agent signing Tyler Allgeier after managing an ankle injury throughout pre-season training, but his explosiveness was evident from the outset, drawing an enthusiastic reaction from LaFleur on the sideline.