The Arizona Cardinals had the game in their hand against the San Francisco 49ers. They led 15-13 with 1:46 remaining, yet lost 16-15.
What happened?
Very late in the fourth quarter, the Niners drove the field and got into close field goal range, then K Eddie Piñeiro nailed a 35-yarder to win the game. Both teams entered the contest 2-0-0. Also in the division, the Los Angeles Rams lost 33-26 to the Philadelphia Eagles while the Seattle Seahawks beat the New Orleans Saints 44-13.
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The win for San Fran placed them in sole possession of first place in the division. This should have been Arizona. But, it wasn’t. And isn’t.
What went wrong? How did this game slip away from the Cardinals?
It was three plays.
Dropping in on the Jones’
With 3:15 remaining in the fourth quarter and the score 13-13, San Francisco was called for a holding penalty in the end zone. By rule, this is a safety. Not only did Arizona receive two points, but they also got possession.
They took possession. After two runs totaling 14 yards, the Cards were in business with a first down at their own 49-yard line with 2:18 left in the game.
A one-yard gain by QB Kyler Murray made it second-and-nine. RB Trey Benson for no gain. This set up third-and-nine from the 50-yard line with 1:54 on the game clock. Snap is good, blocking holds up, Murray spots WR Zay Jones on a crossing route and tosses it just a bit high so that the receiver can gain a little extra space over the cornerback, rookie Upton Stout at the 32-yard line.
Jones jumps slightly, has his eyes affixed on the ball, opens both hands, catches the ball with both gloves as Stout reaches in with his right hand, and as both players are tumbling towards the turf, Jones begins the process of collecting the ball into his stomach, but loses control of the rock once he hits the turf. On three different angles, Stout has his hand in the central area, and his head never has sight of Jones’ midsection. But he never pushes the ball out.
The pass was there. The protection was good. This play was right in front of the Cardinals’ bench, and everyone jumped up in excitement, thinking catch. In the background, several Arizona offensive linemen hold up their hands in the touchdown formation, signifying a completed pass.
The process of the pass completion was not finalized. Stout gets up and celebrates like he has done something. In fact, Stout didn’t even see that the ball had come loose until he stood up. He was thinking pass completion.
A completed pass by Jones becomes a first down. With 1:54 on the clock, this means game, set, match. Four victory formations, and the game is over.
The Bourne Identity
Because of the Jones drop, this forces the Cardinals to punt since they are currently on the midfield stripe. The 49ers began on their own 20-yard line with 1:46 left.
The 49ers had several nice intermediate pass gains, including 11, 10, and 7 yards, and with the help of a five-yard illegal use of hands call on rookie cornerback Denzel Burke. But San Fran was still on their end of the field with 1:07 to go.
Out of the shotgun formation with a second-and-three, QB Mac Jones hit WR Kendrick Bourne for 11 yards. This set up the Niners with a first down at Arizona’s 37-yard line and a pivotal completion. It meant: Positive field goal range.
But Bourne had help. CB Max Melton was almost 10 yards off Bourne at the time the ball was snapped. The 49ers needed three yards for a first down. Shouldn’t the defense play tight?
Pre-snap, Bourne was lined up on the Arizona 48 while Melton was standing on the 39. When the ball is hiked, Melton takes three steps backward before seeing that his man now has the ball.
When Bourne caught the ball, it was already over the first down stripe. Melton then came up and missed the tackle. So did LB Baron Browning as Bourne pinballed until S Jalen Thompson planted him at the 35-yard line.
From first contact with a Cardinals player, Bourne had gained seven yards. All Browning did was push Bourne with two hands. No force or hit. No taking out legs. It ended up as an 11-yard gain and yet another first down on this drive.
Bourne’s ability to break several tackles only amped up the 49ers’ offense. They were now in field goal range.
Lifetime, Piñeiro has completed 11-14 of kicks of 50+. Right this moment in the game, it would be a 55-yarder. He has hit one 56-yard field goal before in the NFL, so it is not only possible but feasible. Maybe, just maybe, they could inch closer in order to guarantee the result.
Time left: 31 ticks.
Being a Christian means good works
The 49ers had a timeout left in their pocket. However, a sack would take them out of field goal range, but any incompletion would stop the clock. Surprisingly, QB Jones dropped back to pass on first down. Incomplete.
25 ticks.
On second down, the Cardinals only rushed three. San Fran called a screenplay, in which Arizona was in a prevent zone. RB Christian McCaffrey stayed in to block, then hit an opening as three Niner offensive linemen were out front of him. Jones lofted a soft pass to McCaffrey, who cradled it at the 39-yard line with #75, #64, and #77 all out in front of him.
One lineman took out LB Akeem Davis-Gaither, but the closest Cardinal defender from that point was LB Mack Wilson back at the 26-yard line. McCaffrey outran the security of the two other offensive linemen, or else he would still be running.
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S Dadrion Taylor-Damerson came up and missed the tackle. Wilson was fooled by a juke. Finally, Davis-Gaither had come up from a trail position and tackled McCaffrey.
After a 20-yard gain. On the 16-yard line.
7 ticks.
All that was left was to center the ball on a run, take their last time out after the clock ran down to four seconds, and celebrate.
