Chad Ryland scored the game-winning points for the Cardinals on Sunday and there were plenty of fans who didn't even know he was on the Cardinals' roster.

His teammates did – although they might not have known specifics.

"They were going nuts for him in the locker room and half the guys don't even know him," coach Jonathan Gannon said with a grin, after Ryland booted the game-winning field goal against the 49ers Sunday.

Kickers were a big deal on Sunday. The Niners lost Jake Moody to a bad ankle sprain making a tackle, and that likely cost them at least three points when they had to go for it on fourth-and-forever at the Arizona 27 in the second half rather than have their punter try to kick a long field goal.

Ryland, meanwhile, had been waiting for a chance – "You always stay ready, and I had the same mindset when I was on my couch those four weeks (unsigned)" – and got one. It didn't come without a hiccup, after a field goal earlier in the game was blocked and returned for a San Francisco touchdown.

But Ryland didn't let it get to him.

"It's a fun, emotional headspace to play in when you're surrounded by guys who really care about what they do and approach it with that mindset," he said.

Ryland only made 16 of 25 field goals last season as a rookie for the Patriots. But his game-winner was true.

(Gannon and his staff also need props for going for two points after the Cardinals' final touchdown, a Kyler Murray pass to Elijah Higgins. The reasoning is that you go for two so a field goal can win it, understanding you still have time to score a touchdown down four. It worked out perfectly.)

The Cardinals need Prater back. He's a weapon you don't want to be without. But for this game, Ryland was a hero the team needed.

"I'm just happy I could be here for it," Ryland said.

-- So much to talk about with this game, but it was the end that was most encouraging. For Murray to engineer a game-winning drive was important, and there wasn't anyone on the offense that didn't play a role Sunday. Staying in the playoff conversation – and going 2-0 in the division – is monumental. The game also went a long way in emphasizing the Commanders loss was indeed an outlier.

-- So much happened Sunday that Murray's amazing 50-yard touchdown run got lost, but it was everything that the Cardinals had been hoping for. It was a designed read-option, tight end Elijah Higgins made the perfect block on the edge, and Murray said he knew he had it at that point – which is why he signaled that he was going to score still 44 yards away from the end zone.

"There's not many times you get to do that in the NFL," Murray said.

-- Next Gen Stats had Murray running at 21.27 miles an hour, which is the fastest a quarterback has run in a game in eight years.

-- Not a lot of Marvin Harrison Jr. There were targets. Not connections. Not enough anyway. That fourth-down play though … whew.

"We'll be better," Murray said. "He's young. It's our fifth game together. We'll get it down. I'm not worried about it at all. But that just goes to show the confidence and the trust. Fourth down, who am I going to."

-- Getting Trey McBride back in the offense was crucial. The first play was a 22-yard play-action rollout to the left to find a wide-open McBride, and he lent something to the offense they were absolutely missing the week before.

-- The weather was a thing. For whatever reason, the official gamebook said the temperature at kickoff was 89 degrees, but it was 95 degrees in Santa Clara at that moment, and the players on the Cardinals' sun-caked sidelines were sitting under temporary shade on the benches (held up through yeoman's work by the equipment staff.)

"It was hot as hell," Murray said. "It kinda kept getting hotter. That's what it felt like."

-- With Garrett Williams down, it was Jalen Thompson playing a lot of slot with rookie Rabbitt Taylor-Demerson getting meaningful snaps. RTD had a nice pass breakup covering Deebo Samuel early in the game.

-- Mack Wilson Sr. has been a playmaker every game. A fumble recovery and a diving interception, and he had a pressure on Brock Purdy early. He's been a great signing.

-- Have to be happy for Jesse Luketa. The guy works and waits his turn, and then makes the big play of the game.

-- The loss of Will Hernandez would be rough especially with the uncertainty of right tackle Jonah Williams returning. We can talk all day about the offense, but it starts with the offensive line.

-- That's two straight games in which James Conner looked like he was going to be minimized and then he produces well. What a final drive he had.

Time to fly home.