Kyler Murray rallies the Cardinals past the 49ers, 24-23
AP Pro Football Writer
SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — Kyler Murray’s day started with a 50-yard touchdown run where he pointed to the end zone in celebration almost as soon as he crossed the line of scrimmage.
It ended with him driving the Arizona Cardinals into field goal position and then becoming a spectator watching his team’s fill-in kicker and defense come through at the end.
Both delivered with Chad Ryland kicking a 35-yard field goal with 1:37 to play and Kyzir White intercepting a pass from Brock Purdy to seal Arizona’s 24-23 comeback victory over the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday.
“I hated it,” Murray said about the game being out of his control at the end. “I didn’t want to give them the ball back. I was hoping we could convert and end the games on our terms. That didn’t happen. Chad was great making the field goal and the defense came up clutch.”
Murray did plenty with his touchdown run, touchdown pass and key late drive but he also had plenty of help. James Conner ran for 86 yards and scored on a 2-point conversion, Marvin Harrison Jr. made a fourth-down catch to fuel the winning drive and the defense pitched a second-half shutout with three takeaways.
It was a far cry from a week ago when the Cardinals (2-3) were embarrassed in a 42-14 loss at home to Washington.
“We wanted to get it to the fourth quarter and have a chance to win the game, and that’s what we did,” coach Jonathan Gannon said. “Last week was not a good performance by us. They took that some type of way.”
This marked the second time this season that San Francisco (2-3) blew a double-digit lead in the fourth quarter to a division rival, having done it in Week 3 against the Los Angeles Rams.
The Niners lost just one division game the past two season when winning NFC West titles but are 0-2 already this year after the sixth blown double-digit lead in the fourth quarter in the regular season and playoffs under coach Kyle Shanahan.
“In the second half, we kind of melted down,” All-Pro linebacker Fred Warner said. “Too much leaky yardage, missed tackles, not fitting it right.”
Murray threw for 195 yards and a TD and added 82 yards rushing.
The 49ers squandered several chances and scored only one TD on six drives that reached the end zone. The most costly came midway through the fourth quarter when Jordan Mason lost a fumble that Mack Wilson recovered at the 8 to keep Arizona within two points.
Murray then led the winning drive. On the key play to Harrison, Murray flung a pass under pressure that the rookie receiver hauled in for a 14-yard completion into Niners territory. The Cardinals then ran five straight times to set up the field goal by Ryland, who quickly won over his teammates after being signed this week to fill in for the injured Matt Prater.
“They were going nuts in the locker room,” Gannon said. “Half the guys didn’t even know him.”
Purdy went 18 for 33 for 229 yards, one touchdown and one interception for the 49ers, who managed only one offensive touchdown with the other TD coming on a blocked field goal return.
The Cardinals started fast by forcing a three-and-out to open the game and getting a 50-yard TD run from Murray on their second play from scrimmage.
The 49ers controlled the rest of the half with Purdy throwing a 4-yard TD to George Kittle and Deommodore Lenoir returning a blocked field goal by Jordan Elliott for a 61-yard score that helped San Francisco take a 23-10 lead at the break.
Injuries
Cardinals: RG Will Hernandez (knee) left in the fourth quarter and didn’t return.
49ers: K Jake Moody left the game in the second quarter with a high right ankle sprain after getting hurt on a tackle on a kick return. P Mitch Wishnowsky hit a 26-yard FG at the end of the first half but the Niners opted to go for it in the third quarter on fourth and 23 from the 27. … S Talanoa Hufanga (wrist) also left in the first half.
Up next
Cardinals: Host Miami on Sunday.
49ers: At Seattle on Thursday night.
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