Chad Ryland just dropped a whopping 18 points on the Los Angeles Rams, nailing six clutch field goals to seal an 18-16 win at SoFi Stadium on October 18, 2026. But honestly, the real MVP might be his mom, Deb Ryland, whose early-morning text seems to have unlocked something special in the young kicker.
Mama Knows Best: From Missed Kick to Game-Winner
Last weekend, after taking a beating from the Detroit Lions, the Arizona Cardinals coaching staff was probably doing some serious soul-searching. Kicker wasn’t on the hot seat, even though Ryland had shanked a 53-yarder in that game. But for Ryland himself, that miss stuck with him. He’d only missed one other field goal all year before that Lions matchup, so it had to be eating at him. That’s where Deb stepped in. She sent her son a rare early-morning game-day text, telling him to have a good game, trust his process, and command the field. And boy, did he ever command it.
Making History, Flipping the Script
Ryland didn’t just have a good game; he had a historic one. He accounted for every single one of Arizona’s 18 points against the Rams, hitting all six of his field goal attempts. That included the absolute dagger, a 43-yarder as time expired, which gave the Cardinals the 18-16 divisional victory. This wasn’t just some solid performance; Ryland became the 10th kicker in NFL history to successfully kick six field goals in a single game. He’s also now ranked #4 on the Cardinals’ franchise list for most points scored by a single player in a single game, sitting behind legends like Ernie Nevers (40 points in 1929), K Jay Feeley (25 points in Week 10 of 2010), and K Jim Bakken (21 points in 1967). This dude was on fire.
The game itself was an absolute roller coaster. The Rams had tied the contest 15-15 on a late touchdown with just 47 seconds left on the clock. Things got even wilder when their new kicker, Blake Grupe, went down with an ACL tear during the game. Their punter, Ethan Evans, stepped up and somehow made the PAT, putting the Rams ahead 16-15. With almost no time, the Cardinals marched down the field, getting into field goal range thanks to a crucial 21-yard reception by backup receiver Jalen Brooks and a subsequent unnecessary roughness penalty. That put them on LA’s 25-yard line, setting the stage for Ryland to trot out and nail the game-winner. Just like Mama Ryland told him: trust the process, command the field. This win wasn’t an anomaly for Arizona either; it’s the kind of gritty, never-say-die victory they’ve been pulling off this year, flipping sure losses into wins, a trend that goes back to seven contests last season. It’s clear this Cardinals squad has zero quit, and they are ready to capitalize on every single opportunity they get, even if it takes a text from mom to spark it.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Revenge of the Birds.
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