Last weekend, after the beatdown from the Detroit Lions, a lot of souls were searched and the Arizona Cardinals coaching staff had to rethink an area or two that needed to be addressed.
Kicker wasn’t one of them, although Chad Ryland did miss a 53-yard field goal against the Lions.
RELATED: RYLAND OUTSCORED THE RAMS BY HIMSELF
In this weekend’s game, Ryland had a different experience. From his mom.
On Sunday, Ryland received a rare, early-morning game-day text from his mother, Deb Ryland. Knowing how
anxious her son was from missing a kick the game before, Deb wanted her son to know something.
The text told Chad to have a good game, to trust his process, and command the field.
That struck something inside Ryland, who had only missed one field goal all year until the Detroit contest. Against the Los Angeles Rams, Ryland accounted for all of Arizona‘s points by connecting on all six field goal attempts, including the 43-yarder as time expired as the Cardinals won 18-16 in an important divisional matchup.
Ryland became the 10th kicker in NFL history to kick six field goals in a single game successfully. He is now ranked #4 on the franchise list for “scoring the most points by a single player in a single game,” behind Ernie Nevers’ 40 points in 1929, K Jay Feeley’s 25 points in Week 10 of the 2010 season, and K Jim Bakken’s 21 points in 1967.
Arizona did to the Rams what other clubs have been doing to them for the past two seasons: take a sure loss and switch it to a win. Los Angeles had tied the contest 15-15 on a late touchdown with 47 seconds remaining. Their new kicker, Blake Grupe, became injured during the game with an ACL tear. Their punter, Ethan Evans, was forced to attempt the PAT and made it as the Rams went ahead 16-15.
The Cardinals moved the ball down with just 47 ticks on the clock and got into field goal range with the help of a 21-yard reception by backup receiver Jalen Brooks and a subsequent unnecessary roughness penalty. Now on LA’s 25-yard line, Ryland trotted out and nailed the game-winner.
Remember what mama said: trust his process, command the field, and have a good game.
This same story is what has been happening to the Cardinals this year and in seven contests last season. Suddenly, the plot flipped.
Obviously, the entire Cardinals fanbase learned that this year’s edition has zero quit in them, and they are not out of any game and can capitalize on every opportunity they have.
Because Ryland’s mother said so.
