LAS VEGAS – There were a couple of major reasons why Cardinals fans really wanted to watch Thursday night’s preseason matchup against the Las Vegas Raiders, and Jeremiyah Love’s first appearance in an Arizona uniform was one of them. Two viral plays stole the show on Thursday night.
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Aug 13, 2026; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Arizona Cardinals running back Jeremiyah Love (4) carries the ball against Las Vegas Raiders cornerback Taron Johnson (3) in the first half at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
After watching the Cardinals make the explosive running back the No. 3 overall selection in the 2026 NFL Draft, fans finally got their first opportunity to see what all the excitement was about, and Love did not disappoint. The numbers were encouraging. He finished his debut with 11 carries for 58 yards while adding three receptions. But the box score wasn’t what had Cardinals fans talking afterward.
Jeremiyah Love’s spin move and hurdle goes viral:
Jeremiyah Love making a couple of guys miss 👀
Stream on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/0zWxy27wgW
— NFL (@NFL) August 14, 2026
Jeremiyah Love hurdle alert! 🚨
Stream on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/1yanqBKZY1
— NFL (@NFL) August 14, 2026
One play featured Love putting a defender through an absolutely nasty spin move, turning what could have been a routine run into a highlight. Another play that had fans around the league talking was his hurdle move. Love exploded through the hole, identified a defender in his path and simply went over him. Those two plays matter because they showed two different dimensions of the player Arizona believes can transform its offense. The spin demonstrated creativity and balance. The hurdle showed explosiveness, confidence and the willingness to attack a defender rather than avoid the moment. That’s the difference between having a productive running back and having a potential gamechanger.
Arizona Cardinals running back Jeremiyah Love (4) practices during training camp at State Farm Stadium in Glendale on July 26, 2026. Credits: Joe Rondone/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Arizona’s offense also looked sharp from beginning to end, creating an important early glimpse of what this new-look unit could become. Love wasn’t asked to do everything. Instead, he looked like another dynamic piece within an offense capable of attacking defenses in multiple ways.
Arizona Cardinals Jeremiyah Love (4) runs with the ball during training camp at State Farm Stadium in Glendale on Aug. 11, 2026. Diannie Chavez/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
That’s where the excitement becomes bigger than one preseason game. Cardinals fans are looking for evidence that the franchise finally has a player capable of changing the way opponents have to prepare for Arizona. After one game, the answer isn’t definitive, but if that spin move and that hurdle are previews of what’s coming, the Cardinals may have gotten exactly what they wanted with the third pick.
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Reporter Benjamin Bliklen covers the Arizona Diamondbacks, Arizona Cardinals, and Phoenix Suns for Burn City Sports. You can follow him on his X account, @BenBliklenÂ
