Chad Ryland scored the game-winning points for the Cardinals on Sunday and there were plenty of fans who didn’t even know he was on the Cardinals’ roster.
His teammates did – although they might not have known specifics.
“They were going nuts for him in the locker room and half the guys don’t even know him,” coach Jonathan Gannon said with a grin, after Ryland booted the game-winning field goal against the 49ers Sunday.
Kickers were a big deal on Sunday. The Niners lost Jake Moody to a bad ankle sprain making a tackle, and that likely cost them at least three points when they had to go for it on fourth-and-forever at the Arizona 27 in the second half rather than have their punter try to kick a long field goal.
Ryland, meanwhile, had been waiting for a chance – “You always stay ready, and I had the same mindset when I was on my couch those four weeks (unsigned)” – and got one. It didn’t come without a hiccup, after a field goal earlier in the game was blocked and returned for a San Francisco touchdown.
But Ryland didn’t let it get to him.
“It’s a fun, emotional headspace to play in when you’re surrounded by guys who really care about what they do and approach it with that mindset,” he said.
Ryland only made 16 of 25 field goals last season as a rookie for the Patriots. But his game-winner was true.
(Gannon and his staff also need props for going for two points after the Cardinals’ final touchdown, a Kyler Murray pass to Elijah Higgins. The reasoning is that you go for two so a field goal can win it, understanding you still have time to score a touchdown down four. It worked out perfectly.)
The Cardinals need Prater back. He’s a weapon you don’t want to be without. But for this game, Ryland was a hero the team needed.
“I’m just happy I could be here for it,” Ryland said.
— So much to talk about with this game, but it was the end that was most encouraging. For Murray to engineer a game-winning drive was important, and there wasn’t anyone on the offense that didn’t play a role Sunday. Staying in the playoff conversation – and going 2-0 in the division – is monumental. The game also went a long way in emphasizing the Commanders loss was indeed an outlier.
— So much happened Sunday that Murray’s amazing 50-yard touchdown run got lost, but it was everything that the Cardinals had been hoping for. It was a designed read-option, tight end Elijah Higgins made the perfect…
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