59 YARDS WITH EASE!! 🙌
Great to have ya back @wil_lutz5
📺: @FOX8NOLA
📻: @WWLAMFM pic.twitter.com/bEXlYzJhkT— New Orleans Saints (@Saints) August 20, 2022
Whew: Wil Lutz reintroduced himself with a bang in Friday night’s game with the Green Bay Packers, nailing a field goal from 59 yards out at Lambeau Field. It’s a new career-long for the Pro Bowl kicker — Lutz has attempted kicks from this distance before, sending a 59-yard try wide right of the goalpost back in 2017’s preseason game with the Baltimore Ravens, but this is the first time he’s done it successfully during a game. His previous personal-best was from 58 yards.
That’s impressive to see after he missed the last 11 months recovering from sports hernia surgery, and it’s a very encouraging sign for both Lutz and the Saints. The team struggled to survive without him last season, running through a full carousel’s worth of kickers, so it’s great to see one of the game’s top kickers returning to form.
This was also a savvy moment for Dennis Allen. He hustled to call a timeout before the quarter expired, ensuring Lutz would attempt the long-distance kick with the wind at his back rather than in his face. It’s a small moment, but that’s a good sign for Allen’s situational awareness. The whole drive was sparked and closed out by stellar special teams efforts from New Orleans, with wide receiver Kirk Merritt setting up the offense with an impressive 59-yard kick return of his own.
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