Aussie Mitch Wishnowsky claims historic first but can't save NFL's 49ers

Australian Mitch Wishnowsky landed a three-point field goal but it wasn’t enough for the San Francisco 49ers who blew another late NFL lead, this time to the Arizona Cardinals.

Perth-raised Wishnowsky, on a $US11 million ($A16.16m) four-year contract, couldn’t be faulted as he stepped up to take a field goal after San Francisco’s regular kicker Jake Moody was injured making a tackle late in the second quarter.

Already the first from his homeland to score points in the NFL, Wishnowsky claimed a new marker as the first Australian to bag a three pointer.

But it was all in vain as the 49ers collapsed in the second half.

Brock Purdy threw two interceptions in the second half, Jordan Mason lost a fumble in the red zone and San Francisco allowed Kyler Murray and the Cardinals to drive for two fourth-quarter scores in a 24-23 loss.

Two weeks after blowing a 24-14 lead in the fourth quarter to the Los Angeles Rams, the Niners (2-3) did it again as they couldn’t protect a 23-13 advantage against Arizona.

It marked the sixth time they have blown a double-digit lead in the fourth quarter in the regular season and playoffs under coach Kyle Shanahan, tied for the most by any coach in the NFL since he was hired in 2017.

“It’s super frustrating,” All-Pro left tackle Trent Williams said. “Obviously, we have to figure out how to close out games and how to get teams out early when we have the chance.”

The Niners had plenty of chances to be in control thanks to a blocked field goal that Deommodore Lenoir returned for a touchdown in the first half and an interception by Nick Bosa that set up a field goal.

But San Francisco let the Cardinals hang in the game and pull it out late with Murray throwing a 2-yard TD pass to Elijah Higgins followed by James Conner’s 2-point conversion that made it 23-21.

Murray then converted a fourth-and-5 pass under heavy pressure to rookie Marvin Harrison Jr. on the winning drive with the running game doing the rest.

Elsewhere, C.J. Stroud threw for 331 yards and a touchdown and Ka’imi Fairbairn had a tiebreaking 59-yard field goal as time expired to lift the Houston Texans to a 23-20 win over the Buffalo Bills.

It was also a close one in Cincinnati as Justin Tucker kicked a 24-yard field goal to lift the Baltimore Bengals to a wild 41-38 overtime win over the home side,

In the London fixture, Andrew Van Ginkel returned the first of Aaron Rodgers’ three interceptions 63 yards for a touchdown and Minnesota stayed undefeated by holding on for a win over New York at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Other winners included Washington, Jacksonville, Miami, Denver, Green Bay and New York.