Sophia
An errant kickoff proved costly Thursday night at State Farm Stadium, as the Arizona Cardinals’ valiant comeback effort was ultimately spoiled by a late-game special teams miscue. Despite the heartbreaking finish, Head Coach Jonathan Gannon stood firmly behind his kicker, Chad Ryland.
A Thrilling Comeback Falls Short
The Cardinals nearly orchestrated an improbable comeback against the Seattle Seahawks. Trailing by 14 points in the fourth quarter, Arizona surged back into contention. A spectacular touchdown grab by rookie sensation Marvin Harrison Jr. ignited the rally, bringing the Cardinals within a single possession. The momentum culminated with Emari Demercado’s seven-yard touchdown reception with just 28 seconds left on the clock, tying the game at 20-20.
The Fateful Kickoff
With the game knotted, the strategy was clear: kick the ball back to the Seahawks, play for overtime, and aim to secure a crucial win. However, the plan unraveled on the ensuing kickoff. Cardinals placekicker Chad Ryland failed to land the ball within the NFL’s new landing zone, the area between the receiving team’s goal line and the 20-yard line. The ball landed approximately one yard short of the 20-yard line, a critical error under the league’s updated kickoff rules.
According to the NFL rulebook, “Any kick that hits short of the landing zone—treated like kickoff out of bounds and ball spotted at 40-yard line; play would be blown dead as soon as kick lands short of the landing zone.” This penalty awarded the Seahawks excellent field position at their own 40-yard line.
Seattle capitalized swiftly. A 22-yard pass from quarterback Sam Darnold to Jaxon Smith-Njigba was all they needed to set up Jason Myers for a game-winning 52-yard field goal, sealing the Cardinals’ fate.
Gannon’s Unwavering Support for Ryland
When questioned about the critical kickoff, Coach Gannon explained the intention: “Keep it in play. That’s one of the things we talk about late in the game there with the amount of timeouts, time, what they need at the line. We were trying to burn off some time there.”
Despite the unfortunate outcome, Gannon staunchly refused to place blame solely on his kicker. “Chad played his ass off. The game doesn’t come down to one play,” Gannon asserted. “We didn’t do enough collectively for 60 minutes to win the game.”
Ryland’s Otherwise Strong Performance
Indeed, aside from the critical kickoff, Ryland had an impressive night. He was perfect on all four of his other kicks, converting two extra points and two field goals, including a booming 57-yarder in the third quarter. Through four games this season, Ryland boasts an 8-for-8 record on extra points and an 8-for-10 mark on field goals, highlighting his overall reliability.
Looking Ahead: Cardinals Need More to Contend
While the support for Ryland is evident, the Cardinals’ narrow loss underscores a broader truth: for Arizona to truly contend, they will need more consistent high-level play from key offensive figures like Kyler Murray and Marvin Harrison Jr. The team’s ability to execute flawlessly in critical moments, particularly in special teams, will be paramount in future matchups.
