SEATTLE – Jason Myers‘ 52-yard field goal as time expired lifted the Seattle Seahawks to a 20-19 victory over the Arizona Cardinals on Thursday night, a win made possible by a strategic timeout and the implications of the NFL’s new kickoff rules. The late-game sequence highlighted how quickly a team can position for a game-winning field goal attempt under the revised regulations.
The pivotal moment came after Arizona scored a touchdown with 33 seconds remaining and opted for a PAT to tie the game. Seattle immediately used a timeout, leaving the Cardinals with 28 seconds to navigate the ensuing kickoff. Arizona attempted a short, line-drive kick aiming to pin Seattle deep, but the kick fell short, giving the seahawks possession at their own 40-yard line.
With 28 seconds and one timeout remaining, Seattle quarterback Sam Darnold connected with Jaxon Smith-Njigba for a 22-yard gain.A four-yard run by Zach Charbonnet further drained the clock to three seconds. Myers, who had previously missed a 53-yard attempt earlier in the game, then delivered the game-winning kick.
The Cardinals’ decision to score quickly, rather than bleed the clock, proved costly in retrospect. They had a timeout remaining and could have possibly run multiple plays before scoring,potentially leaving Seattle with less time. The new kickoff rules, designed to increase returns, combined with Seattle’s savvy timeout usage, created the opportunity for the dramatic finish.
“It doesn’t take much time to get into field goal range anymore,” a Seahawks source noted after the game, reflecting the impact of the rule changes. The outcome underscores the increasing importance of clock management when a game is within field goal range for both teams.
