Tag: Will Lutz

Chiefs Dave Toub receives praise for execution of game-winning field goal block

Kansas City #Chiefs special teams Dave Toub receives praise for execution of game-winning field goal block | @EdEastonJr

The Kansas City Chiefs pulled off an incredible victory last Sunday over the Denver Broncos due to a blocked potential game-winning field goal in regulation. Head coach Andy Reid spoke highly of the team’s play execution, led by special teams coordinator Dave Toub, during his weekly Zoom press conference on Monday.

“Yeah, I mean, the details of it become important. The players want that. They want you to detail it up for them.” said Reid. “It helps them even more to show what their talents are, and as a result, hopefully, you win a game or two. So Dave (Toub) spends a lot of time on that, right there. You guys watch all that. So you know there’s an emphasis on special teams and the details of it. So we needed it yesterday; that was a big play for us.”

Leo Chenal got his palm on the football as Will Lutz kicked it for the potential game-winner. The interior rush, mixed with pressure from Justin Reid on the outside, was flawlessly done, leading to a walk-off that went in Kansas City’s favor at Arrowhead Stadium. Chenal is the second player in the past 10 seasons to block a field goal on the final play to win, joining Payton Turner with the New Orleans Saints on September 11, 2022.

Chiefs LB Leo Chenal reacts to blocking game-winning field goal attempt: ‘It’s complete shock’

Kansas City #Chiefs linebacker Leo Chenal reacts to blocking game-winning field goal attempt: ‘It’s complete shock’ | @EdEastonJr

The Kansas City Chiefs pulled a rabbit out of the hate with Sunday’s victory over the Denver Broncos coming down to a blocked field goal attempt as time expired. Linebacker Leo Chenal is the player who got his hands on the ball and explained the moment to reporters after the game.

“It’s complete shock. Not much I can say about it. Glory to Jesus Christ and everything because I was really praying for something to happen.” said Chenal. “That moment is so heavy, there’s a second on the clock, and they’re going to kick the field goal. You feel the weight of the moment.”

Broncos kicker Will Lutz had time to position the spot to his benefit but was still unable to get the ball past Chenal, as he credited the push from his teammates on the line.

“That was definitely a big moment. I want to credit Mike Danna (the one in the Super Bowl) – I’ll get the stat for it; it went through my hand, but he was the one who really stopped the ball. He’s not going to get credit with the stat, but a big credit to him. It’s never that mentality of I’m never going to get there again.” said Chenal. “When you have guys like J. Reid (Justin Reid) rushing like he does, Jack (Cochrane) and the big push by the big guys in the middle, George (Karlaftis) and what he does. Working on get-offs, it’s bound to happen. It’s been a long time coming.”

Danna’s block in Super Bowl LVIII is memorable because of the stage, but Chenal’s block’s unlikelihood of winning the game is remarkable, considering the scenario against a division rival.

“It’s big. It’s a team effort. They have to respect (Justin Reid) J. Reid on the outside; they have to respect our guys rushing on the outside and in the middle.” said Chenal. “It’s not like they can just lean heavy to one guy. It’s a big credit. George (Karlaftis) is doing what he’s doing right beside me all the time; he’s getting pressure right there. Any time I get my hand near it, George is right there. He has a little bit bigger wingspan than me. It’s a big team effort.”

A seismic team moment adds to the many memories made over the years at Arrowhead Stadium as the Chiefs continue their three-peat journey.

Budding Chiefs LB credited with game-winning FG block vs. Broncos

#Chiefs LB Leo Chenal was credited with blocking #Broncos kicker Will Lutz’s field goal that sealed Kansas City’s win over Denver in Week 10.

The Kansas City Chiefs completed yet another miraculous win on Sunday after blocking what would have been a game-winning field goal against the Denver Broncos as time expired in the fourth quarter.

The Chiefs’ offense struggled for most of the game, but Kansas City’s defense stepped up to make key plays that kept the score close.

With their undefeated season in the balance, Chiefs linebacker Leo Chenal managed to get his hand on the ball when Broncos kicker Will Lutz attempted the last-second field goal in the fourth quarter.

Though it was unclear which player had tipped Lutz’s kick, Chenal was officially credited with the blocked field goal and earned a shoutout from the defending Super Bowl champions on Twitter.

 

Chenal has been a key part of Kansas City’s defense and special teams unit since joining the Chiefs as a third-round pick in the 2022 NFL draft.

Stay tuned to see if Chenal can make another game-changing play against the Buffalo Bills in Week 11.

A Bills’ 12th man penalty gifted the Broncos a second game-winning FG try and NFL fans were astonished

Just to emphasize: THE BRONCOS MISSED THE FIRST KICK!!!

The Buffalo Bills had their sixth win of the 2023 season in the bag on Monday night. After a lucky bounce helped James Cook set up a late Josh Allen touchdown run, all the Buffalo defense had to do was hold serve against Russell Wilson’s Denver Broncos.

They could not accomplish this meager task.

In the final moments, a Taron Johnson pass interference penalty set the Broncos and Will Lutz up with a chip shot 41-yard field goal attempt. A Denver win seemed perfunctory. It was anything but. Lutz would miss the kick wide right … but the Bills had 12 players on the field trying to block the kick. Oh. Oh, no. Josh Allen was rightfully stunned.

Who is coaching Buffalo’s special teams? Why couldn’t they get the substitutions right???

Phew. On a second attempt, because that’s how the cookie crumbles, Lutz cruised the ball right through the uprights for the 24-22 Denver victory. In turn, he drove a dagger into what is starting to feel like a lost Bills season. I’m not sure how a middling 5-5 Bills team could possibly recover from a disastrous loss in this fashion.

Josh Allen was in total shock after the Bills’ catastrophic penalty on missed Broncos FG

Oh no, Josh Allen. Oh no.

Few teams are as good at snatching defeat out of the jaws of victory like the Buffalo Bills are, and Monday night’s absolute disaster of a loss to the Denver Broncos showed exactly why.

After the Bills somehow got gifted with a missed 41-yard field goal from Broncos kicker Will Lutz on the game’s final play, Buffalo had already taken an Acme-sized anvil and promptly dropped it on its own foot by having 12 men on the field during the botched attempt.

In one of the most avoidable penalties possible in crunch time, a substitution error gave Lutz an immediate chance at redemption, which he nailed to win the game for Denver.

Poor Bills quarterback Josh Allen could only look on in shock at his team committing such an absolutely terrible penalty with the game on the line.

His reaction was truly painful.

That is absolutely brutal for Allen and the Bills, as Buffalo falls to a disappointing 5-5 on the season and could possibly miss the playoffs at this rate in a very competitive AFC.

After a so-so game, Allen did what he could to get his team in position to win. It’s just that, y’know, Buffalo had to go and pull a Buffalo.

Feature image courtesy of ESPN.

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Broncos vs. Raiders: 5 things to watch for in Week 1

Here are five things to watch for when the Broncos host the Raiders in Week 1.

Week 1 of the NFL season is upon all 32 teams and their fanbases, and on Sunday afternoon, the Denver Broncos will take on the Las Vegas Raiders. Here are five things for Broncos fans to keep an eye on in Week 1.

Fantasy football waiver wire: Week 18 free-agent forecast

Check out the top waiver wire targets for Week 18 of fantasy football.

Fantasy football waiver wire recommendations refer to 12-team league formats, unless specifically stated.

Check back for any updates throughout Monday and Tuesday as more injury news becomes available.

Saints’ clanging missed FG in loss to Vikings wasn’t even the worst bad beat from the game in London

The Vikings won, but their bettors aren’t likely happy.

The New Orleans Saints’ missed field goal at the end of their loss to the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday would have been as dramatic as Kawhi Leonard’s bouncing game-winner against the Philadelphia 76ers had the stakes been as high.

The 61-yarder struck the left upright of the goal posts at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, ricocheted to the crossbar, then bounced back out of the uprights for a heart-breaking missed field goal. Instead of a tied game headed for overtime, the Vikings won 28-25, and Saints bettors were left in disbelief.

However, the missed field goal wasn’t the worse bad beat from the game. That distinction belongs to a missed extra point about four minutes earlier.

New Orleans’ miss was no doubt a tough blow for Saints moneyline bettors, the majority of the betting public was on Minnesota. The Vikings received 78% of bets against the spread and 84% of bets on the moneyline.

Those spread bettors got the rawest deal, because the line closed at -4 and bounced around between -3 and -3.5 in the days leading up to the game. That missed extra point could have very well been the difference between a four-point win and cover — or a push at the very least — and a loss.

Down just three after the missed XP, the Saints were willing to settle for a 60-yard field goal the following possession, rather than attempting to convert a fourth-and-9 with under two minutes left. Had they been forced by a four-point deficit to go for it, and failed, the game likely would have been over. Instead, kicker Will Lutz hit the field goal to tie the game at 25, and Vikings kicker Greg Joseph responded a minute later with a 47-yarder to redeem himself for the missed XP.

That set the stage for Lutz’s dramatic miss to end the game. But while the Vikings won, their bettors weren’t likely happy at all. The three-point win didn’t do much for many of them.

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Ravens sign undrafted free agent kicker, cut long snapper

The Baltimore Ravens signed former East Carolina kicker Jake Verity while cutting long snapper Brian Khoury

The Baltimore Ravens have been known as a kicking factory over the course of their franchise history. They’ve had some greats roll through their doors including Matt Stover and Justin Tucker, but have also paved the way for other kickers to get their start in the NFL. Robbie Gould, Graham Gano, Stephen Hauschka, Will Lutz, and even Kaare Vedvik are examples of some of the kickers that have made a name for themselves in Baltimore, and another could soon be added to the list.

The Ravens announced that they signed undrafted free agent kicker Jake Verity out of East Carolina University. Verity was widely regarded as one of the best kickers in college football throughout his time with the Pirates, hitting on 75.5% of his field goals and 97.7% of his extra points during his college career.

Verity performed well during the 2018 and 2019 seasons, where he connected on 86% of his field goal attempts. However, he didn’t have his best year in 2020, only converting on 66.6% of field goal tries. Verity also was a semi-finalist for the Lou Groza award, which is handed out to the best kicker in college football.

Baltimore usually carries more than one kicker during training camp to help take some of the workload off of Tucker. While any kicker that signs with the Ravens knows that they probably won’t make Baltimore’s final roster, they take it as a chance to learn from one of the best kickers in the NFL, work with a kicking guru in Baltimore’s special teams coach Randy Brown, and show their skills during the preseason in hopes of landing a great opportunity out of training camp.

The Ravens also cut long snapper Brian Khoury, who they signed back in March. Their roster stands at 89 players after the transactions.