The early slate of video games in Week 10 of the 2024 NFL season might need been thrilling for followers watching them, however they had been brutal for one group of individuals.
Kickers.
Denver Broncos kicker Wil Lutz, Atlanta Falcons kicker Younghoe Koo, and San Francisco 49ers kicker Jake Moody particularly endured tough days on the workplace. Nevertheless, a minimum of one in every of them delivered a game-winning kick, and a few redemption as the sport clock ran out.
We will begin in New Orleans, the place the Saints hosted the Falcons in an NFC South showdown. New Orleans, recent off firing head coach Dennis Allen, pulled out a 20-17 win.
In that recreation, Koo transformed simply one in every of his 4 discipline objective makes an attempt. His first strive on the afternoon, from 53 yards out, was pulled large to the left.
Koo’s second try, which got here moments earlier than halftime, was blocked:
Koo had an opportunity for redemption, as he lined up for a 46-yard try halfway by means of the fourth quarter that will have tied the sport at 20-20.
As an alternative, his kick clattered off the appropriate upright, his third miss of the afternoon:
Including insult to damage? Not solely was this the primary time that Koo had missed three discipline objective makes an attempt in a single recreation, however Koo was 4-of-4 when these two groups met again in September, a recreation the Falcons received by a ultimate rating of 26-24.
On Koo’s game-winning 58-yard discipline objective with underneath a minute remaining.
We shift to Kansas Metropolis, the place the Chiefs hosted the Broncos in an AFC West showdown. The Chiefs managed to stay unbeaten, though it took one thing particular on the finish of the sport for Kansas Metropolis to maintain their unblemished file.
That one thing particular was a blocked discipline objective.
After a Harrison Butker discipline objective gave Kansas Metropolis a 16-14 lead with underneath six minutes remaining, Bo Nix and the Denver offense drove down into discipline objective vary for Lutz. Lutz, who had missed earlier within the recreation, got here on to transform a 35-yard discipline objective try with only one second remaining.
Leo Chenal had different concepts:
Chenal goes full extension to dam the try, and the Chiefs get better the unfastened soccer as time runs out, and pandemonium ensues.
Right here is one other have a look at Chenal’s block:
The opposite kicker to endure a tricky afternoon Sunday was Moody, however a minimum of his story had one thing of a cheerful ending. Moody started the day lacking three of his first 5 discipline objective makes an attempt, and a miss earlier within the fourth quarter touched off a tough scene on the San Francisco sideline, as large receiver Deebo Samuel and lengthy snapper Taybor Pepper exchanged some phrases:
That kick would have given the 49ers a 23-17 lead. As an alternative, Baker Mayfield and the Tampa Bay offense tied the sport at 20-20 with a discipline objective of their very own with underneath a minute remaining.
Nevertheless, San Francisco managed to get into discipline objective vary for Moody regardless of the shortage of time remaining, due to huge completions from Brock Purdy to Ricky Pearsall and Jauan Jennings. With simply three seconds remaining, Moody got here on the sector for his sixth discipline objective strive of the sport, an opportunity to win it from 44 yards out:
It drifted proper for a second however snuck by means of the upright for the game-winning discipline objective.
And just a little redemption for Moody, and kickers all over the place, on a tricky afternoon.
