Arizona Cardinals head coach Mike LaFleur has set the tone for the start of the season by telling his team to stay "above the noise" as they prepare for their opener against the Chargers in L.A.
The message matters because it comes with the outside skepticism already circling around the Cardinals before a snap has been played. LaFleur’s point is that none of that changes the standard inside the building: the focus has to stay on the next game, not the conversation around it.
"Listen, ignore might be the wrong word," LaFleur said.
He then made the point more clearly, explaining that the Cardinals will hear the chatter, but it cannot affect what happens in their locker room. "You're naturally going to see it. It is what it is. That's just life in general. Really, it's more (being) above the noise. Because it is just noise. It doesn't matter. Not saying people's words don't matter, per se, but it doesn't matter in our locker room," he said.
1-0 is the only target that matters
LaFleur also framed the season in simple terms. Whether the Cardinals are being doubted or praised, he wants the same response every week.
"Same thing happens when you are winning a ton of games. Forget all that too. That's just noise, when people want to crown you. This is a week-to-week league, and our focus is going to be 1-0 every single week, and above all that is playing good football," he said.
That is a useful message for a first-year head coach. It keeps the conversation on performance rather than expectation, and it gives the Cardinals a clear standard before the real pressure begins.
The defensive line battle is more than a depth chart
One part of the buildup has already created a talking point, with the defensive line described as a rotating group rather than a unit built around one fixed starter. That means the label matters less than the production.
Dante Stills summed up the mindset well. "At the same time I have to go out there and show why I belong up there," he said. "It's all great before the season, 'Oh, look, he's the starter!' But I have to produce on how I know I can."
Stills also pointed to the wider perception around the group. "A lot of people don't think we're capable of being a high-level D-line," he said. That gives the front a chance to answer on the field rather than in conversation.
Josh Sweat and the opener in L.A.
There was also a practical update on Josh Sweat. Monti Ossenfort said on Friday that Sweat had an offseason procedure, and he returned to full work in the open part of practice. Sweat had last spoken to the media in January, after the finale against the Rams.
Elsewhere, Carson Beck was listed as QB3 and would be the emergency third quarterback against the Chargers. It is another reminder that the Cardinals are now in full regular-season mode, where depth and readiness matter as much as any headline.
For LaFleur, the message is straightforward. The Cardinals do not need to answer every question before kickoff. They just need to play good football, block out the noise, and try to start 1-0.
