Beaks & Geeks: Cardinals, Rams Winners & Losers: Arizona kicker Ryland goes 6-6 in field goals, including the game winner

The Arizona Cardinals were in a pickle going into Sunday’s game against the Los Angeles Rams. The season is only 17 games in, and with a 1-4-0 record entering the divisional matchup against the Rams, a loss would shove Arizona further down the rabbit hole. Could the season be lost with a loss?

RELATED: RAMS VS. CARDINALS DISCUSSION

What was needed was a Cardinals win. Then the team could gather itself and at least think, for the moment, that the year is not completely gone and maybe start a run. It does happen. Because the schedule going forward for the next few games is pretty brutal.

Arizona had plenty of opportunities for the offense to score, but ended up with field goals instead. Good teams finish drives by getting into the end zone; so, that’s that. In the end, the Cardinals came back with just 47 seconds on the clock to get into field goal range as Ryland nailed his sixth FG of the day to defeat their division rivals on the final play, 18-16.

Congrats to Arizona head coach Mike LaFleur, who won his first-ever NFL contest and now defeated his former team in their first-ever divisional battle. Both of these aspects are rare in the coaching industry.

So, who played well for the Cardinals? Who didn’t?

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BEAKS

K Chad Ryland – Ryland is having a very good year, and thank goodness. The Arizona offense had plenty of long drives that just stalled, and trotted out Ryland to get something out of it. He converted kicks of 34, 30, and 22 in the first half alone, as the half ended in a 9-9 tie. He nailed the game winner of 43 yards for the road win.

LB Cody Simon – Rams TE Tyler Higbee had caught the ball, then cradled it as he was attempting to gain another yard or two. LB Simon reached down and was able to rip the ball from Higbee’s grasp as CB Denzel Burke wrestled the loose ball away from Rams receiver Puka Nacua at Arizona’s 30-yard line. The strip and recovery took away points from LA.

Offensive line – Gave QB Jacoby Brissett time to find receivers on most passing downs. Brissett was not sacked a single time all day. This is still a work in progress, but the progress is showing. Great lead block on the pull by C Hjalte Froholdt on Bam Knight’s big gain and a second-level block by rookie LT Jayden Williams.

Field goal team – On every field goal attempt, it is nine blockers against 11 defenders. Yet, the Cardinals took care of business on six successful field goal attempts. Long snapper Casey Kreiter was a great signing during the offseason and sends his pass quickly and accurately. The holder, punter Blake Gillikin, has a difficult job. He has to catch the pass with both hands, lay it down while spinning the ball so that the laces face forward, and place it at the correct angle that the kicker wants. Too much forward or backwards will alter the trajectory of the kick. When all of your team’s points come from field goals, this group works well as a special teams unit.

LB Mack Wilson – This dude was everywhere all game long. Made tackles on three consecutive plays in the second quarter. In Quarter 3, LA began at its own 27, and a 14-yard run plus a 16-yard pass put the Rams at Arizona’s 36. A one-yard run made it second-and-nine. An incompletion, then an eight-yard dash by WR Konata Mumpfield produced a fourth-and-one at the Cardinals’ 27-yard line. LA already had a field goal in their back pocket, but decided to go for it. It was Wilson who stuffed TE Davis Allen on the short-yardage play, and a turnover on downs. He hit him first, and LB Jack Gibbens finished him off. Wilson led all Cardinals defenders with nine total tackles.

WR Jalen Brooks – No completion was bigger than Brooks snaring the 21-yard pass completion on that final drive. This, plus an unnecessary roughness penalty, got the ball down to the Rams’ 29-yard line and ensured at least a field goal attempt. Game ball here. Had only two catches for 30 yards, and that’s okay. This was a hero catch with great focus.

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GEEKS

RB Tyler Allgeier – The talented back was supposed to be a sensation this year in the desert, but then the team drafted Jeremiyah Love. And now that Love isn’t playing, Allgeier is being relegated to spot duty and staying in the pocket to block. What happened? He had almost the same number of carries as Bam Knight, yet gained half as much. No explosiveness, no second-level speed. 18 carries for 38 yards is not what this offense had in mind.

Offense not finishing – At the beginning of the season, a lot of media outlets had penciled in the Rams in the NFC Championship Game. Now that they have stumbled out of the gate and look more human, their defense is very suspect. The Cardinals marched up and down the field all game long, and had drives of eight plays, 10 plays, 12, 15 plays, and 14 plays. These drives ended at LA’s 16-yard line, 12, three-yard line, 19, and 9-yard line. Getting three instead of six was the difference in the game. Think about it: If the offense had scored TDs on those drives instead of field goals, on the Rams’ final drive it would have been 35-9 instead of 15-9.

Defense final Rams drive – Arizona was holding onto a slim 15-9 lead that was built on the leg of Ryland. Los Angeles got the ball back with just 2:48 left in the game. Several short passes and a run, plus a Rams penalty, gave them a crucial first-and-15 with 2:01 left. Who is one of the best receivers in the game? We all know it is #12, Nacua, who was open for 16 yards with coverage by S Budda Baker. Two plays later, LA scored to make it 16-15.

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Bird Seed – When life gives you lemons, just add vodka

QB Jacoby Brissett – Nothing spectacular, but a good game manager. He will fling it quite a bit in games, but he isn’t finding his best pass catchers as much. Avoided the pass rush and wasn’t sacked at all. The interception on the first drive was unfortunate, but TE Trey McBride wasn’t even open. Went 24 for 35 for 218 yards, zero TDs, one interception, a 6.2 yards-per-completion average, with a QB rating of 73.3.

RB Bam Knight – Knight showed he could become the bellcow if needed. His 31-yard scamper was a great run and got the offense into Rams territory as the first quarter was winding down. Led all runners with 15 carries for 80 yards and a 5.3 yards-per-carry average.

Not getting the defensive two-point conversion – The Rams went for the two-point conversion after the TD pass from QB Matt Stafford to RB Blake Corum in the second quarter. Now up 9-6, LA opted for two. DE Josh Sweat nailed Stafford, who then fumbled. The loose ball was picked up by DT L.J. Collier, who took off. When Collier was at Arizona’s 40-yard line, he had four teammates surrounding him, with two more trailing. Three Rams were in the mix.

At the 50-yard line, CB Kei’Trel Clark was to his outer right hand. Clark ran a 4.42 in the 40. Meanwhile, CB Kalen King was losing his block on Los Angeles WR Jordan Whittington towards the middle of the field. As Collier saw that Whittington was free, he attempted to dodge him. But Whittington hit Collier with just enough force to bring him down. Collier got up and spun the ball like he had done something. All he had to do was pitch it to Clark, and the two points were in the bag. Sometimes it is better to be the navigator instead of the pilot.