The early slate of video games in Week 10 of the 2024 NFL season might need been thrilling for followers watching them, however they have 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 troublesome days on the workplace. Nevertheless, not less than considered one 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, contemporary off firing head coach Dennis Allen, pulled out a 20-17 win.
In that sport, Koo transformed simply considered one of his 4 area objective makes an attempt. His first attempt on the afternoon, from 53 yards out, was pulled broad 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 the fourth quarter that will have tied the sport at 20-20.
As an alternative, his kick clattered off the correct upright, his third miss of the afternoon:
Including insult to damage? Not solely was this the primary time that Koo had missed three area objective makes an attempt in a single sport, however Koo was 4-of-4 when these two groups met again in September, a sport the Falcons received by a remaining rating of 26-24.
On Koo’s game-winning 58-yard area 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 document.
That one thing particular was a blocked area objective.
After a Harrison Butker area objective gave Kansas Metropolis a 16-14 lead with underneath six minutes remaining, Bo Nix and the Denver offense drove down into area objective vary for Lutz. Lutz, who had missed earlier within the sport, got here on to transform a 35-yard area 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 troublesome afternoon Sunday was Moody, however not less than his story had one thing of a cheerful ending. Moody started the day lacking three of his first 5 area objective makes an attempt, and a miss earlier within the fourth quarter touched off a troublesome scene on the San Francisco sideline, as broad 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 area objective of their very own with underneath a minute remaining.
Nevertheless, San Francisco managed to get into area objective vary for Moody regardless of the dearth 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 area objective attempt of the sport, an opportunity to win it from 44 yards out:
It drifted proper for a second however snuck by the upright for the game-winning area objective.
And just a little redemption for Moody, and kickers in every single place, on a troublesome afternoon.
