Unlikely hero Chad Ryland kicks Cardinals past 49ers

Chad Ryland, recently on the Arizona Cardinals' practice squad, kicked in place of the injured Matt Prater and made a 35-yard field goal with 1:37 left in a 24-23 comeback victory over the San Francisco 49ers in Santa Clara, Calif. Kyler Murray directed the game-winning drive for Arizona (2-3), which covered 75 yards in 14 plays. Murray finished 19-of-30 passing for 195 yards and a touchdown with one interception. He added 83 yards with another touchdown on the ground. San Francisco coach Kyle Shanahan was 38-0 in his career with the 49ers (2-3) when leading by at least 10 points entering the fourth quarter before Sunday's loss. The Cardinals shut out the Niners in the second half. Brandon Aiyuk led all receivers with 147 yards on eight receptions for the 49ers. Both teams played a majority of the game with backup placekickers. Prater was ruled inactive before the game with a knee injury, and Ryland, who was with the New England Patriots last year, came on to make three field goals Sunday (30, 42, 35). San Francisco's Jake Moody injured his right leg when trying to make a tackle of DeeJay Dallas following a kickoff with 4:59 left in the second quarter. Mitch Wishnowsky, a punter, kicked his first career field goal, a 26-yarder, as time expired in the second quarter, giving the 49ers a 23-10 lead. Fullback Kyle Juszczyk was the holder because Wishnowsky is the regular holder. Ryland's game-winning field goal was set up after San Francisco turned the ball over deep in Arizona territory. On a first-and-goal play at the Arizona 8 with 6:20 left, San Francisco's Jordan Mason fumbled on a hit by Kyzir White and Jesse Luketa. Luketa recovered at the Arizona 9. Murray went to work, and on a fourth-and-5 situation from the Arizona 40, he backpedaled to avoid the rush and connected with Marvin Harrison Jr. for 14 yards to keep the drive alive. First-down runs by Murray and James Conner preceded Ryland's game-winner. San Francisco's final possession ended with Brock Purdy throwing a pass that was intercepted by White. Purdy was 19-of-35 passing for 244 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions. Arizona cut the lead to 23-21 with 11:25 left after Murray engineered a 12-play, 73-yard drive that took 6:27. Murray's 2-yard touchdown pass to Elijah Higgins was followed by Conner's 2-point conversion run. Murray kicked off the scoring with a 50-yard TD run on Arizona's first possession of the game. The 49ers responded with a 28-yard field goal by Moody and a Purdy-to-George Kittle 4-yard touchdown. Arizona tied it up on Ryland's first field goal, but Moody put San Francisco up 13-10 with a 20-yarder. San Francisco took a 20-10 lead with 4:59 left in the second quarter when Ryland's 45-yard attempt was blocked by Jordan Elliott. Deommodore Lenoir recovered the ball and returned it 61 yards for a touchdown. --Field Level Media