The Arizona Cardinals and Los Angeles Rams Week 6 thriller featured two very different situations at special teams.

Arizona and Los Angeles both learned a valuable lesson on Sunday: Special teams can win or lose games. For the Cardinals, Chad Ryland’s performance ultimately won them the game. As for the Rams, their special teams may have lost them multiple games.

“Chad Ryland did his job. The Cardinals kicker nailed every single one of his six boots to propel Arizona to the road victory. Yes, most of them were of the chip-shot variety after the offense stalled. Ryland’s job is simply just to connect on his opportunities. He banged home each one, including calmly nailing the game-winner with a running clock. Conversely, Sean McVay’s Rams remain a special teams mess. After booting their old kicker over the weekend, newcomer Blake Grupe left in the first quarter with a knee injury after a tackle attempt on a kickoff. Not having a kicker at all potentially cost the Rams the game. Same as it ever was for L.A.”

The Rams had to turn to punter Ethan Evans for an extra point. Arizona also stopped them twice on fourth down. That played a massive role in momentum, given the Cardinals’ defensive stands.

Cardinals-Rams Week 6 Matchup Featured Multiple Fourth-Down Stops

Following the Cardinals’ 15-play, 56-yard drive that ended in a field goal and put them up 12-9, the Rams went to work and drove methodically down the field. The Rams’ drive started at their own 27-yard line, and they made it all the way down to Arizona’s 27-yard line. A zero-yard run on fourth down stalled the Rams, who may have otherwise opted for a game-tying field goal.

That would have been roughly a 45-yard field goal for Grupe had he been ready to go. Grupe’s Pro-Football-Reference page shows him going a so-so 19-for-25 from 40-plus yards out. Earlier in the game, Grupe connected on a 44-yarder, so head coach Sean McVay likely would have trusted him to make a 45-yarder.

The Rams’ second turnover on downs is more debatable. It occurred in the fourth quarter, and the Cardinals were up 15-9. Los Angeles drove down to the Cardinals’ 39-yard line with 3:23 left. That would have given Grupe a 56-yard field goal, which is well within his range. Just last season, he booted a 60-yarder.

A false start penalty put the Rams back at the 44. The Cardinals’ defense did the rest and got the offense back out onto the field.

Special Teams Played A Major Role In Cardinals Win Over Rams

The Cardinals-Rams matchup should have sent the entire league a reminder of how important special teams is when it comes to winning football games. We have seen plenty of last-second field goals, including Ryland’s game-winner on Sunday.

But when one special teams unit clicks and the other is limited because of injuries or ineffectiveness, it may indeed change the game’s outcome. Going forward, if the Cardinals’ special teams units are as effective as they were on Sunday, they can be a real difference-maker when the situation calls for it.