Tag: Field Goal

Former Wisconsin RB Dare Ogunbowale re-writes an NFL record

Former Wisconsin RB Dare Ogunbowale re-writes an NFL record:

Former Wisconsin running back Dare Ogunbowale has struggled to find playing time this year in Houston.

Entering Sunday’s contest against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers he had only seen 16 total offensive snaps, during which he took two carries for four yards. Most of Ogunbowale’s action has come on special teams.

Yesterday, a few more special teams snaps became available. But not in a conventional way…The former Wisconsin Badger was forced into kicking duties when Texans kicker Ka’imi Fairbairn was injured on a kickoff.

What did Ogunbowale do? Drill a 29-yard, go-ahead field goal midway through the fourth quarter.

He became the first non-kicker or punter to make a field goal since Wes Welker did it as a Miami Dolphin.

And then there’s this:

Whichever way you look at it, it’s an incredible feat. As many around the Wisconsin football program have noted since yesterday afternoon, it was something they could’ve seen coming.

Sean Payton shrugs off no-call on Chiefs’ blocked field goal

“You have to get to the next series, and I thought we did a good job of that,” Broncos coach Sean Payton said of moving on from the play.

The Denver Broncos had a field goal attempt blocked in the third quarter of Sunday’s game against the Kansas City Chiefs after safety Justin Reid appeared to jump early on the edge.

In real-time, Reid appeared to cross the line of scrimmage before the ball was snapped. Upon review (without a down-the-line angle), it’s a tough call, but it looks like Reid might have been onside after all.

The Broncos were winning 14-9 at the time of the block. After an eventual 24-9 victory, coach Sean Payton made no public complaints about the no-call.

“That’s a good crew we had,” Payton said when asked about the officiating after the win. “We had them during camp. In a three-hour game, there’s that emotion and that momentum — you talk about it — you want to keep it when you have it, then quickly rebound. There are certain things that take place in the flow of a game.

“I said to [our players] before the game, I said, ‘Look, recognize the team you’re playing. You’re not going to win this game in the first two or three quarters. You’re going to have to win this game, so get on to the next play.’ Myself included. You [can’t] get mad because you think they were offsides on a blocked field goal. You have to get to the next series, and I thought we did a good job of that.”

Payton might have felt differently had the blocked field goal led to a Chiefs comeback win, but it’s wise to not blast officials, especially after a win. It’s also wise to not make a definitive statement on a play before seeing replays from all angles. Regardless of whether or not it was the right call from officials, it’s no big deal to Payton in hindsight.

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Blake Grupe’s last-minute field goal vs. Colts meant more than just 3 points

Blake Grupe’s last-minute field goal against the Colts meant more than just 3 points. It was the Saints’ first score in the final two minutes all season:

On its face, there wasn’t much to say about rookie kicker Blake Grupe’s late field goal try against the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday. Sure, it was frustrating that the New Orleans offense couldn’t come away with a touchdown to pad their numbers — and it was disheartening to see the jumbo Taysom Hill-centric run package stopped for a loss of yards in the red zone on the final play.

And, yeah, it was just a chip shot from 27 yards out. But Grupe had tried field goals from even shorter distances of 26, 23, and 25 yards earlier this season; his head coach Dennis Allen has a bad habit of settling for “safe” kicks in scoring position when he could get aggressive instead, which has cost him a couple of wins.

But that’s all neither here nor there. What’s worth acknowledging is that the three points Grupe scored on that late field goal (to be exact, it was kicked with 24 seconds left in regulation) were the first points the Saints have scored all season inside the two-minute warning. That’s with the Saints rallying late in multiple games this year, ultimately coming up short.

So good on Grupe and his teammates for finally checking that off their to-do list. It’s a small thing, and to be frank, it’s something that should have happened much sooner than Week 8. But wins have been hard to come by for this Saints team as of late. We’ll take them where we can find them, and hope we don’t have to wait long for more.

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Chiefs Dave Toub comments on S Justin Reid’s potential future as an NFL kicker

#Chiefs Dave Toub comments on S Justin Reid’s potential future as an NFL kicker

The emergency kicker role for the Kansas City Chiefs was confirmed last season as starting safety Justin Reid filled in adequately. Reid converted an extra point attempt during Week 1 of the 2022 season following Harrison Butker’s ankle injury.

Chiefs special teams coordinator Dave Toub hasn’t shied away from plugging in different players when needed in special teams roles. He mentioned last week the prospect of having Patrick Mahomes as the emergency punter and is behind Reid as the backup in-game placekicker. During his weekly press conference, Toub commented on Reid’s long-term future as a professional kicker while filling in for an ill Butker at practice on Thursday.

“If we knew that (Butker) was going to be out, we want another kicker,” said Toub. “I’d feel comfortable that Justin can come in, but we want a real kicker. He’s good enough to get us through a game. He can make an extra point and has good range (on field goals).”

Toub was immediately asked if Reid had a future as an NFL kicker later in his football career.

“If he wanted to be a kicker at the NFL level, I don’t think he could do it,” Toub said with a smile. “I love him. I love him, but he will understand why I’m saying that. He’s a good safety.”

Reid will have to settle for being one of the top players in the Chiefs’ secondary. Getting his thoughts on Toub’s assessment would be interesting.

Chiefs K Harrison Butker says he could’ve made a 65-yard field goal vs. Broncos

#Chiefs K Harrison Butker says he could’ve attempted a 65-yard field goal in Thursday night tilt vs. #Broncos

The Kansas City Chiefs’ victory over the Denver Broncos on Thursday night was due in large part to their stellar play on defense. A significant portion of the praise goes to kicker Harrison Butker for contributing 13 of the team’s 19 points, including a 60-yard field goal.

Butker opened up about his big night during the postgame press conference, revealing his ability to make kicks from even farther.

“In warmup, I made a 65-yarder with some room to spare, and Coach [Dave] Toub loves banging big field goals at the end of the half or end of the game, but our offense is so good, we normally get a short field goal or even score a touchdown,” said Butker. “So a 60-yarder, definitely a 61-yarder was in our range, and going towards that tunnel, the wind was at my back. And you know, thankfully, it just went inside that left upright went through. And you know, it’s just something we practice, and we try to be the best we can leading up to the game so that when we get to the games, it just feels smooth and like we’re in a rhythm.”

Butker going 4 for 4 was important after his struggles last season following his ankle injury.

“You know, I don’t try to kick a ton of balls in the warmup, so like in past seasons, I’d go back to 70, 72, 74 yards and see what my max was, but this game you know, I made from 65. OK, I probably could make from 68, 69 or something with the wind, but yeah, I made 65 in the warmup.”

WATCH: Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker nails 60-yard field goal vs. Broncos

#Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker hit a 60-yard field goal against the #Broncos to extend Kansas City’s lead to 13 points heading into halftime.

Monster kicks against the Denver Broncos are a common occurrence in the mile-high air of central Colorado, but Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker managed to hit his 60-yard bomb in Week 6 at Arrowhead Stadium on a windy night in primetime.

This was the second-longest field goal of Butker’s career and occurred as time expired in the second quarter of Kansas City’s tilt against Denver on Thursday night. The veteran kicker put more than enough mustard on the ball to get it through the uprights with plenty of room to spare.

Kicks like this are routine for the two-time Super Bowl champion, but they never cease to impress. Butker has scored seven of Kansas City’s 14 points heading into halftime, and if the result of the first two quarters is any indication, he should get more work in later in the game.

This field goal was a thing of beauty and isn’t likely to be topped until the Chiefs visit Denver in Week 8.

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Chiefs 2023 special teams preview: Field goals and extra points

Our @WesleyRoesch breaks down what fans should expect from the #Chiefs’ field goal unit in 2023.

The Kansas City Chiefs’ field goal kicking squad got off to a rough start in 2022, but things got back on track by the time the postseason came around.

The team hopes to carry that positive momentum into 2023 as it retains a healthy Harrison Butker, who has been a reliable kicker for the Chiefs since 2017.

Butker will have a handful of new guys blocking for him in 2023, but fans should expect that blocking squad to remain a brick wall like last year. Let’s take a look at who will be blocking for Butker this season, and who has been replaced.

Chiefs 2023 special teams preview: Field goal and extra point blocking

Our @WesleyRoesch breaks down what fans should expect from the #Chiefs’ field goal and extra point block units in 2023.

The Kansas City Chiefs were one of 10 teams in 2022 to block zero field goals or extra points.

A few players came close, including defensive end George Karlaftis and cornerback Chris Lammons, but nobody was able to bat away a kick. In 2023, the team hopes to change that.

The Chiefs’ 2023 field goal/extra point blocking subunit will have quite a few new players due to some roster turnover.

Let’s look at who will be joining the squad, and who has left:

Rookie kicker Blake Grupe recounts an unforgettable Saints preseason debut

Rookie kicker Blake Grupe recounted an unforgettable New Orleans Saints preseason debut, including two run-ins with Caesars Superdome security:

Blake Grupe had a day at the Caesars Superdome he won’t soon forget — getting the nod to try the game-winning field goal as time expired, a huge opportunity to draw a line in the sand during his roster battle with Pro Bowl kicker Wil Lutz.

And he came through for the New Orleans Saints. But that’s just one part of the three-step process that Grupe reflected on after the game. In addition to nailing the game-winner, he had a couple of run-ins with security at the Caesars Superdome he can’t help but laugh at. It’s certainly a memorable experience for the former Notre Dame standout.

Retelling the story on the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, Grupe says he was approached by venue security while taking the field for pregame warmups Sunday morning, having shown up without credentials. And that was a problem after the game, too, when Grupe says security stopped him at the players’ exit while mistaking him for a rogue fan.

Look, you can’t be too vigilant. Back in 2021 a UTSA student fooled security at Kyle Field into giving him VIP access at a Texas A&M home game during their upset win over Alabama. But come on. Nobody had eyes on Grupe as he was leaving the arena? We’re guessing mistaken identity won’t be an issue for him much longer.

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The numbers tell you all you need to know about Saints HC Dennis Allen

No one has coached as many games and lost as many of them as Dennis Allen. The numbers tell you all you need to know about who he is, and where his team is going:

Look, at some point you are who your record says you are. And Dennis Allen’s record has little positives to say about him. The New Orleans Saints are 4-9 under his management this season. He’s lost 37 of his 49 games as a head coach in the NFL, making for a career winning percentage of just .245. For context, 17 different coaches have worked 48 to 50 games in the league. Allen ranks second-to-last in winning percentage out of that group, with only Rod Marinelli (.208 in 48 games) finishing below him.

Other numbers don’t help his case. Allen has kicked field goals on more short-yardage situations (fourth down with 1 or 2 yards to go) while tied or leading through just 13 games (5 times) than his predecessor Sean Payton did across three full seasons (3 times). The Saints are tied for the second-fewest fourth down conversion attempts (8) on the year so far. They rank second-highest in field goals and punts inside opposing territory. He’s the least-aggressive coach in the NFL, and New Orleans’ record reflects the consequences of that.

It’s worse because expectations were higher given the situation he walked into. Allen inherited a team that won nine games last year and sent four players to the Pro Bowl, adding another Pro Bowler in Tyrann Mathieu and three rookies drafted in the top 50 picks, and he’s got nothing to show for it. The Saints are 4-9 and as close to mathematical elimination from the playoffs as you can get without making it official.

And so many of their early-season problems remain unresolved. The Saints lead the league in offensive pre-snap penalties with 22 false starts, 4 delay of game fouls, and an infraction for having too many men on the field. They are a sloppy, poorly-coached unit that can’t get out of its own way.

Maybe things change during the bye week. It’s the ideal time to shift responsibilities around within the coaching staff and audition a new play caller on offense (passing game coordinator Ronald Curry is a prime candidate to take the wheel from Pete Carmichael Jr.). But the Saints have drug their feet for 12 months. With their season effectively over, what motivation would they have to take action now? We’ll just have to wait and see how this plays out. Given their inaction so far, we may be waiting for a while before the Saints make a move.

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