The Los Angeles Chargers are heavy favorites in Sunday’s Week 1 matchup against the Arizona Cardinals. The Chargers are chasing a Super Bowl, while the Cardinals may be focusing on the 2027 NFL Draft.
The season opener will finally allow Chargers fans to see how Justin Herbert performs with Mike McDaniel as his offensive coordinator. One analyst in particular thinks the game will be a blowout thanks to the offense reaching its full potential in this new setup.
NFL Analyst Shares Bold Chargers Prediction
Yahoo Sports’ Matt Harmon shared his “Hail Mary” pick for Week 1, which is essentially his boldest prediction for the weekend. He responded by saying he predicts the Chargers to score 50-plus points against the Arizona defense.
“All the hype is realized with the Mike McDaniel offense,” Harmon said.
He went on to discuss how the Cardinals defense struggles mightily against explosive plays and making tackles in the open field. That is not a recipe for success against a strong-armed quarterback like Herbert.
Getting to 50 in an NFL game is no easy task and the Chargers have only reached that mark 12 times in franchise history, per StatMuse. This feat has only been achieved three times since 2000 and last occurred with a 54-24 win over the Buffalo Bills in 2017.
The offense’s highest output in 2025 was 37 points in a 37-10 win over the Minnesota Vikings. Of course, the offense managed three points in a playoff loss to the New England Patriots, leading to McDaniel’s arrival.
A New Offense in 2026 Under Mike McDaniel
Going from three points in the playoffs to 50 or more in Week 1 would be quite the turnaround. Greg Roman was the fall guy for that loss, being fired and replaced by McDaniel this offseason.
McDaniel still has a lot to prove himself after back-to-back losing seasons to end his Miami Dolphins tenure as head coach. However, he finally has the chance to end an argument that’s been in place since the 2020 NFL Draft.
That draft saw Tua Tagovailoa go No. 5 to the Dolphins, followed by Herbert at No. 6 to the Chargers. Dolphins fans remain wondering what could have been if they got Herbert instead, and McDaniel can see if the player can help unlock his full offense in Los Angeles after Tagovailoa could not in Miami.
Harbaugh recently said he thinks Herbert will go down as the “best ever” to play the quarterback position. Dropping 50 points in Week 1 would go a long way toward backing up those comments.
Chargers Offense Receives Historic Week 1 Prediction