The Dallas Cowboys have had enough. The team has several issues, in all three phases of the game, but not every one of them can be resolved with one simple move. This one could be, and finally after consternation and hesitation an attempt to fix an issue has been made.
What the fanbase has been clamoring for over several weeks, for some several months, has happened as they have released struggling kicker Brett Maher. After hosting three kickers in workouts on Monday, they have decided to bring in Kai Forbath, a veteran kicker who has previous ties to the organization and sports an 88.1 make percentage since 2016.
The #Cowboys have made a kicker change: They're releasing Brett Maher and signing Kai Forbath.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) December 9, 2019
Aside from the direct result of missed points that come with a kicker as inaccurate as Maher, the morale drain that occurs when a team that is struggling on offense cannot capitalize on partially successful drives is draining on a team. Both the offense and the defense suffer when the ball moves into enemy territory but a kick sails outside the uprights.
Forbath was with the team as an undrafted rookie in 2011, but a quad injury opened the door for Dan Bailey, a fellow UDFA, who kicked for the Cowboys and turned out to be one of the best in team history.
Forbath has played for several teams, including the New England Patriots earlier this season. He has a career 85.8 make percentage on field goals, but has had struggles with extra points. In his lone game with the Patriots he made his field goal attempt but missed his extra point and was released the following day.
Now, he will take over for a team that is struggling in all three phases, but where Maher’s missed field goals have kept the Cowboys from closing the gap and having a chance at comebacks in losses to both the Buffalo Bills and Chicago Bears.
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Maher set an NFL record with his third made kick over 60 yards earlier this season, but he has also missed a season-high 10 attempts on the season. It’s the most misses in a season in the last four years of the NFL.
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