A quickfire double from Argentina striker Diego Milito helped champions Inter Milan up to third place in Serie A.
Jose Mourinho's side were slow out of the blocks after their goalless Champions League draw with Barcelona in midweek and Cagliari took advantage with Jeda scoring only the second goal of the Sardinians' season with a 16th-minute penalty.
However, Inter displayed their character and two goals in four second-half minutes from Milito - signed from Genoa this summer - helped the Nerazzurri record their third win from four games to lie two points behind Juventus and Sampdoria, who have both won all their matches so far.
Inter made a sloppy start and Argentinian midfielder Esteban Cambiasso almost gifted Cagliari a sixth-minute goal start when his back pass went straight to Andrea Cossu, but Brazilian defender Lucio got back to close him down.
Ten minutes later Cagliari were a goal to the good when Alessandro Matri got himself in position to apply the finish to Jeda's cross only for Maicon to bundle him to the ground. A penalty was awarded to the home side and Jeda made no mistake.
Massimiliano Allegri's side went close with another set-piece just before the half-hour mark when Alessandro Agostini's free-kick drew a smart save from Julio Cesar in the Inter goal after Davide Santon fouled Jeda.
Inter's first significant effort was a 34th-minute shot from Wesley Sneijder which Cagliari goalkeeper Federico Marchetti saved comfortably.
Samuel Eto'o came close for Inter with a decent free-kick which flew just wide and the visitors' last chance of the half was created by good work from Milito, although his eventual shot lacked power and was easily saved by Marchetti.
Cagliari came agonisingly close to a second goal two minutes after the restart when Cossu teed up Daniele Dessena for a shot from long range which beat Julio Cesar but smacked off the upright.
It was a lucky escape for Inter, who equalised after 50 minutes' play.
Eto'o managed to hustle Daniele Conti out of possession and laid the ball on a plate for Milito, who made no mistake.
It was 2-1 Inter in the 55th minute as Dejan Stankovic led a counter-attack and slotted the ball forward to Milito, whose shot was too good for the advancing Marchetti.
Thiago Motta - who like Milito joined Inter from Genoa during the summer - drilled a free-kick over two minutes later after substitute Mario Balotelli had been fouled.
Dessena fired a shot wide for Cagliari in the 63rd minute as the hosts refused to give in and Motta then had to come off with what looked like a thigh injury, with Romanian Cristian Chivu coming on in his place.
Julio Cesar then made a vital save with 13 minutes to go after Cossu played in Cagliari substitute Nene and in the 81st minute he opted to punch clear a long-range drive from Andrew Lazzari.
It proved to be the final chance as Inter returned from Sardinia with all three points in the bag.
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