There was nothing easy about the Tennessee Titans’ AFC South-clinching victory over the Houston Texans in Week 17, including the game-winning field goal that put Tennessee over the top.
With kicker Stephen Gostkowski on the Reserve/COVID-19 list, the Titans deployed rookie kicker Sam Sloman, who had just seven career games under his belt, in what was the biggest contest of his young career.
So, of course the only thing standing between the Titans and a win to clinch the division was the rookie kicker’s leg when Sloman was called upon to hit a 37-yard field goal at the end of regulation.
While it wasn’t pretty — Sloman banked the kick off the upright but it still went through — the former seventh-round pick came through in the clutch to seal Tennessee’s win.
Check it out:
JUST LIKE THEY PLANNED!!!
Sam Sloman doinks it in for the Titans to win the AFC South ⚔️🔥
(via @NFL) pic.twitter.com/cdKRu1ClSJ
— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) January 4, 2021
It’s important to note that Sloman never would have gotten the chance to be the hero if not for a 52-yard completion from Ryan Tannehill to A.J. Brown with 10 seconds remaining. Before that, it was figured that Tennessee and Houston were going to overtime.
Sloman attempted a total of two field goals and five extra points and made all of them. Not a bad day for the rookie, who has now etched his name in Titans history, even if he never plays another game.
[lawrence-related id=54216,54200,54190]
[listicle id=54173]