Arizona’s Patrick Peterson escaped trouble a couple of times and returned a punt 99 yards for a touchdown in overtime to give the Cardinals a stunning 19-13 win over the Rams on Sunday, ending Arizona’s six-game losing streak.
Rams kicker Josh Brown had a chance to win it in the closing seconds, but his 42 yard FG attempt was blocked by the Cardinals, who have the most blocks in the NFL since 2008 with nine.
The Rams won the coin toss, but failed to get into scoring position setting up the punt return. Peterson, the fifth pick overall in the draft out of LSU, became the first player in NFL history to have three punt returns for scores in his first eight games. His latest was the second in NFL history to come in overtime. The other was 86 yards by Tamarick Vanover of Kansas City to beat San Diego on Oct. 9, 1995.
It was Peterson, who was flagged for pass interference, that nearly set up the Rams for the win. Peterson took the ball at the 1, bounced off tacklers and then outran everyone for his third punt return TD of the season.