In Week 1 of the NFL season, kickers showcased remarkable skill, nailing long-distance field goals with stunning consistency.
Across the league, kickers combined to make 21 of 23 field goals from 50 yards or more, an astounding success rate of 91.3%.
This kind of performance is reshaping the way coaches approach field goal range, with 50-yarders no longer thought to be risky attempts.
Coaches now view the 50-yard line as well within field goal range, a stark contrast to previous years when only the most confident teams would even consider a kick from such a distance with regularity.
One example of this evolving mindset came when Washington’s Cade York, one of just two kickers to miss from 50+ yards in Week 1, was cut the next day.
Ironically, the only other kicker to miss from beyond 50 yards was Baltimoreās Justin Tucker, a veteran regarded by most as the best kicker in NFL history.
Other kickers were flawless in Week 1, including Pittsburghās Chris Boswell and Houstonās Ka’imi Fairbairn, both of whom went 3-for-3.
San Franciscoās Jake Moody, New Orleans’ Blake Grupe, and Dallas’s Brandon Aubrey also stood out, each nailing two 50+ yard attempts.
Aubrey even sent a kick through the uprights from 66 yards, which would have tied Tuckerās NFL record, but the play was nullified due to a penalty.
Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy opted not to give Aubrey a shot at a 71-yard attempt, though some believe itās only a matter of time before a coach lets his kicker try from such an extreme distance.
In many ways, it seems like the quality of kicking in the NFL has never been better. The same can be said for the college level as well.
Of course, teams have never been more aggressive than they are now when it comes to fourth-and-short situations. However, with kicking being at such a high level, do you think we will see a change in strategy going forward?
In your opinion, who are the top three kickers in the NFL???