Arizona Cardinals’ special teams shines in season finale loss
Dec 30, 2018, 5:58 PM
Arizona Cardinals' Zane Gonzalez (5) kicks a 55-yard field goal against the Seattle Seahawks late in the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 30, 2018, in Seattle. (AP Photo/John Froschauer)
(AP Photo/John Froschauer)
The Arizona Cardinals have reminded fans why special teams can be indeed, special.
Impressive play by the Arizona Cardinals’ special teams kept them in a close contest with division rival Seattle Seahawks in their final game of the season.
Kicker Zane Gonzalez made all three of his field goals including one from 50 yards and and another from 55 yards to tie the game at 24 in the fourth quarter.
The most impressive moment came when defensive lineman Cameron Malveaux blocked a punt and Dennis Gardeck recovered it in the endzone for a touchdown with 11 seconds left in the third quarter that tied the game at 21.
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Wide receiver Pharoh Cooper set up Arizona in good field position after a 45-yard punt return with just under four minutes left in the half.
The Cardinals’ special teams did all it could, but it was the Seahawks’ kicking team that prevailed on a 33-yard game-winning field goal by Sebastian Janikowski.
That may have been reminiscent for Arizona fans of Week 4 when Janikowski made a 52-yard field goal as time expired to beat the Cardinals in the debut of rookie Josh Rosen as the starting quarterback.
Arizona will look ahead to the 2019 NFL Draft, as it has secured the No. 1 pick.
