Chad Ryland, the Arizona Cardinals’ kicker, just dropped six field goals on the Los Angeles Rams, including a clutch 43-yard game-winner as time expired, snatching an 18-16 road victory. This wasn’t just any win, it pulled the Cardinals back from the brink after staring down a dismal 1-4-0 record heading into this divisional brawl. Seriously, a loss here would have shoved them so far down the rabbit hole, the season might have been completely gone before we even hit Week 7.
Ryland’s Leg Is a Weapon, Period.
What a day for Ryland. The guy was 6-for-6 on field goals, basically the entire offense for stretches. The Cardinals offense had opportunities, sure, but they just kept stalling out and trotting Ryland onto the field. He converted kicks of 34, 30, and 22 yards in the first half alone, which is literally the only reason they were tied 9-9 at halftime. Then, with just 47 seconds left on the clock, they get into range, and he nails the 43-yarder for the road win. He’s clearly having a very good year, and thank goodness, because without him, this team would be in an even deeper hole. Good teams finish drives, you know? But when you can rely on a kicker to be absolutely lights out like that, it buys you time.
A Gritty Win, But the Offense Still Has Questions
This game was huge for so many reasons. Congrats to Arizona head coach Mike LaFleur, who not only snagged his first-ever NFL contest victory, but he did it against his former team in their very first divisional matchup. That’s some rare stuff in the coaching world, and you gotta respect it. The defense also made some big plays when it mattered. Linebacker Cody Simon showed up huge, ripping the ball from Rams tight end Tyler Higbee’s grasp after Higbee was trying to pick up an extra yard. Then cornerback Denzel Burke wrestled the loose ball away from Rams receiver Puka Nacua at the Arizona 30. That strip and recovery absolutely took points off the board for LA, and you can’t overstate how important those momentum swings are. The offensive line also deserves a shout-out for giving quarterback Jacoby Brissett time to find his guys, with Brissett not getting sacked a single time all day. That’s progress right there, even if it is a work in progress. Center Hjalte Froholdt had a great lead block on Bam Knight’s big gain, and rookie left tackle Jayden Williams got a key second-level block. But man, the offense really needs to figure out how to finish drives with touchdowns, not just field goals. You can’t rely on your kicker for *all* 18 points every week.
This win is a huge sigh of relief for Arizona. It lets them take a breath and think maybe, just maybe, this year isn’t totally cooked. They needed this to start any kind of run, especially with a “pretty brutal” schedule coming up over the next few games. The momentum from beating a division rival on the final play? That’s priceless. Now, can they build on it and actually find the end zone more often? That’s the real question.
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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