WR catches game-winner in overtime to save Cardinals
There were times on Sunday when the Cardinals had to feel the burning, acidic reflux of last season in their throats.
For a while, it looked like they might lose to a division opponent at home to fall to 1-3, just as they did a year ago.
Then, it appeared they might end up tying a division opponent at home, which they also did last year.
Instead, the Cardinals eliminated the sour taste with
an 18-15 overtime victory over the 49ers at University of Phoenix Stadium.
For much of the afternoon, the game was an eyesore to everyone but kickers and their dependents: 69 minutes and 28 seconds of “action” filled with field goals, failed third downs, dropped passes and penalties.
It ended, however, with a picturesque 19-yard pass from Carson Palmer to Larry Fitzgerald with 32 seconds left in overtime. It was the game’s only touchdown and was preceded by nine field goals.
“It kind of felt like that Seattle game that ended in a tie last year,” Cardinals tackle Jared Veldheer said, “except for a complete opposite ending. Like, as emotionless as that ending (was), this was very, very high on the emotion scale.”
The 64,121 in attendance, understandably sedentary for much of the game, went berserk when Fitzgerald jumped to catch the game-winner with cornerback Rashard Robinson draped on his back.
The play left Fitzgerald breathless, too, but that was because he landed with the ball pushed against his lungs.
Before that catch, Fitzgerald hadn’t been a factor in the game, with just three receptions for 13 yards. The 49ers (0-4) paid special attention to him, which made sense given Fitzgerald’s career and the 13 receptions he had a week ago.
When Palmer came to the line of scrimmage on that final play, he noted some apparent miscommunication in the 49ers’ secondary. Two defenders were switching sides, he said, which allowed Fitzgerald to release freely and get matched up with one defender. “He’s the best I’ve ever seen,” Palmer said of Fitzgerald, “and I’ve seen some really good ones. We finally got him in a one-on-one situation, and he does what he did.”
What Fitzgerald did might have saved this season. A year ago, the Cardinals lost to the Rams in Week 4 to drop to 1-3. They never recovered. They correctly viewed Sunday’s game as vital.
“Coach said it early, this was essentially a must-win football game for us in early October,” Fitzgerald said. “You can’t go to 1-3. After seeing what the Rams did (Sunday), go down to Dallas and get a big win to get to 3-1, you can’t fall that far behind.
“You’ve got to be able to stay on pace. This game was huge. We obviously didn’t want to walk out of here with a tie. That would have been demoralizing.”
The victory buys the Cardinals a bit more time to solve their offensive woes. Palmer was sacked six times for the second consecutive week. Fitzgerald’s touchdown was the only one the team scored in four opportunities inside the 49ers’ 20, and the Cardinals averaged only 2.3 yards per run.
Two things kept them in Sunday’s game: defense and the fact the 49ers aren’t very good.
The 49ers’ points came from five field goals. They went 0-for-3 in the red zone and 5-of-19 on third down.
The 49ers did move the ball 73 yards to open overtime, but stalled at the 5. Robbie Gould’s fifth field goal gave them a 15-12 lead with 2:24 left.
On the sideline, Arians was “kicking my ass” because, as a member of the NFL’s competition committee, he was a proponent of shortening overtime from 15 minutes to 10 this year. Now, the Cardinals were running short of time.
“But (it) worked out pretty good,” he said.
For some reason, the 49ers conceded short passes to running back Andre Ellington in overtime. He gained 22 yards on three receptions, and with 38 seconds to go, the Cardinals were at the 19. Fitzgerald time.
The Cardinals tried to mob Fitzgerald after the touchdown but realized he needed space.
“I knew we had just won the game, but I couldn’t breathe,” Fitzgerald said. “So it was really hard to be kind of animated and celebrate.”
The 49ers felt like the air was knocked out of them, too.
“It’s sickening,” said linebacker Eli Harold. “It hurts so bad.”
“It’s a sucky feeling,” Robinson said. “It sucks.”
The Cardinals know the feeling because they are perilously close to being 0-4. Both their victories have come in overtime.
Arians isn’t sweating that. In fact, he told his team last week that he wanted to see how it reacted in a tight game.
“I told our guys Friday this is the game I wanted to see,” Arians said.