Cardinals Drop Another Close One as Special Teams Struggles Prove Costly in 20-17 Loss to Bucs
For the Arizona Cardinals, Sunday’s 20-17 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers was all too familiar. Another one-possession game, another missed opportunity - and another missed field goal that loomed large.
This marks the seventh time this season Arizona has dropped a game decided by four points or fewer. And while the defense had its moments and the offense showed late-game life, it was the special teams - specifically the kicking game - that once again played a pivotal role in the outcome.
Another Costly Miss for Ryland
For the second straight week, a missed field goal by Chad Ryland was the difference in a three-point loss. Last week, it was a 33-yarder wide right in regulation against Jacksonville that could’ve ended things before overtime. On Sunday, it was a 43-yard miss - again wide right - that kept Tampa Bay in control.
And this one came despite Ryland drilling a 52-yarder to close out the first half. So what changed?
FOX’s broadcast offered a telling visual: side-by-side shots of the hold on the made kick versus the miss. Analyst Daryl Johnston pointed out a subtle difference - punter and holder Matt Haack’s left pinkie position - that may have affected the ball’s tilt. Slight change, big impact.
Johnston explained, “There’s a little bit more pressure further down, and the ball is a little bit flatter on the left. It’s a little bit more vertical on the right.” In the kicking game, those margins matter.
After the miss, cameras caught Ryland and Haack in a sideline conversation, one that reportedly began on the field. Head coach Jonathan Gannon addressed the situation postgame, pointing to execution across the board.
“There was a little bit of wind out there,” Gannon said. “It takes all 11.
We’ve got to make sure we’re blocking it up right, the snap is good, the operation is good. I’m not worried about him; he’ll bang them through.”
But Ryland hasn’t - not when it’s mattered most.
To his credit, Ryland took ownership. “Everything was exactly the way I wanted,” he said.
“We were playing with the wind at our back a little bit, so I wanted the ball more up and down. I just kind of cut it thin.
That was on me.”
He also backed Haack, who’s only been with the team for two games: “Matt is a true pro. I’m happy to have him here.
He’s done a really good job getting the ball down how I like. I have to do a better job making those kicks.”
Haack had a serviceable day punting, but a 44-yard boot from deep in Cardinals territory was returned 15 yards to midfield - setting up a touchdown that gave Tampa Bay a 10-0 lead late in the first half. Those hidden yards added up.
Big Plays, Big Problems
Tampa Bay’s offense didn’t exactly light it up - just 279 total yards on 57 plays - but they made their gains count. Six plays of 20+ yards accounted for more than half their total yardage (142), and all came in the first three quarters.
One of the key backbreakers: a 21-yard scramble by Baker Mayfield on third-and-3, part of a 10-play touchdown drive. Later, on the drive that pushed the Bucs ahead 17-3, Mayfield hit Emeka Ebuka for 23 yards on third-and-8, then found Chris Godwin for 22 more to set up Bucky Irving’s 13-yard touchdown run - untouched.
Irving was slippery all afternoon, but the Cardinals held him to 61 yards on 17 carries. Still, missed tackles hurt. Gannon didn’t shy away from that postgame.
“We have to tackle better,” Gannon said. “(No.)
7 (Irving) is a hell of a back. He’s a good player.
I thought we had him bottled up a couple of times. That comes down to technique - track and technique.
We’ve got to get low on guys and cut the engine. Too much hidden yardage.”
He added that good players make those moments happen - changing angles, keeping their feet, and showing strong contact balance. “There’s no doubt that when we get to the ball, the ball carrier has to go down a little bit better.”
Defensive Rebound Down the Stretch
After giving up that 20-yard catch to Irving to end the third quarter, the Cardinals defense locked in. Over Tampa Bay’s final three possessions, the Bucs managed just five total yards - aside from a 57-yard field goal by Chase McLaughlin that proved to be the game-winner.
Arizona’s defense gave the offense a chance to steal the game late. Following a touchdown that cut the deficit to 20-17, the defense forced a three-and-out. But the Cardinals couldn’t cash in.
Bucs head coach Todd Bowles acknowledged the challenge Arizona’s defense posed. “They give you a lot of different looks - 3-3-5, 4-2, 6-1, 5-1,” Bowles said.
“They did a lot of cat-and-mouse games that kept us off kilter. Luckily, we made enough plays to execute and win.”
Mayfield echoed that: “They make you ID different fronts, make people up and certain people down. I had to flip the protection a lot. They do a really good job at that.”
Numbers That Tell the Story
Tampa Bay’s offense wasn’t dominant, but it was just efficient enough. Before three kneeldowns to end the game, they had 283 yards on 54 plays (5.2 yards per play).
They finished with 13 first downs and just 68 rushing yards from the running backs on 21 carries (3.2 average). Mayfield added 27 yards on six scrambles and went 18-of-28 for 194 yards through the air.
Defensively, linebacker Josh Sweat continued his strong season with two sacks, bringing his season total to 11 - matching his career high from 2022. He also added four tackles (three solo), a tackle for loss, and a QB hit.
Akeem Davis-Gaither led the team with 10 tackles (four solo), while rookie linebacker Cody Simon and safety Budda Baker each had nine. Baker also notched a tackle for loss and nearly came away with a critical interception on the drive that pushed Tampa Bay’s lead to 17-3.
Final Word
The Cardinals are now 0-7 in games decided by four points or fewer - a stat that stings, especially when you consider how close they’ve been in so many contests. Sunday’s loss was another case of a team doing just enough to hang around, but not quite enough to finish.
Whether it’s missed tackles, big plays allowed, or field goals that don’t go through, the margin for error in the NFL is razor thin. And right now, the Cardinals are learning that lesson the hard way.