Cowboys' Brett Maher misses NFL record 4 extra points
Dak Prescott doesn't hide his anger after kicker's 3rd miss
Brett Maher picked a bad night to have the yips.
Maher, the Dallas Cowboys' kicker, had a good regular season. He was 50-of-53 on extra-point attempts and hit 90.6% of his field goals.
Then on Monday night, he couldn't hit anything. In an NFC wild-card playoff game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Maher missed all three extra points in the first half. That's as many as he missed in 17 regular-season games. According to ESPN Stats and Info, Maher became the first player to miss three extra points in a playoff game.
Then he set an NFL record by missing his fourth, early in the third quarter. The Cowboys led 24-0 but Maher had left four points on the field. In the fourth quarter the Cowboys passed on a field-goal attempt on fourth-and-4, not trusting Maher. They scored a touchdown, and Maher did make an extra point to end his streak.
The Cowboys won, 31-14.
Maher's first two extra points went wide right. He seemed to overcompensate on his third kick and hooked it wide left. On his fourth kick it was wide to the right again, as it hit the top of the upright and caromed wide.
Brett Maher’s FOURTH missed extra point tonight 😬 pic.twitter.com/d6ppIPRHZ1
— Laterals™️ (@LateralsIG) January 17, 2023
"They might be looking for a kicker next week," ESPN color commentator and former Cowboys legend Troy Aikman said after the fourth miss.
When Maher missed his third extra point right before the end of the first half, quarterback Dak Prescott was rightfully angry on the sideline.
Dak Prescott not happy about another Brett Maher missed extra point pic.twitter.com/GNzvbJDOUE
— Ted Buddwell 🏀🏈 (@TedBuddy8) January 17, 2023
Prescott: 'I'm Money Maher's biggest fan'
After the game, Prescott voiced his support for Maher.
Dak Prescott sticks up for Brett Maher:
"I'm Money Maher's biggest fan... I just played like s--- a week ago"
🎥: @CBSSportsHQ pic.twitter.com/SZqINWv1FB— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) January 17, 2023
"I'm Money Maher's biggest fan," Prescott told reporters. ... "I talked to him individually, told him after the game 'let that go, we're gonna need it. I just played like s*** a week ago.' That happens.
"Knowing what that guy's done with the resiliency he's shown throughout his career. Personally, no doubt he'll come back next week and be perfect and help us win."
Team owner Jerry Jones told reporters that the team won't be looking for a new kicker this week.
"He's done enough good ones," Jones said.
Maher's struggles started in Week 18 when he missed his only extra-point attempt against the Washington Commanders. He seemed flustered Monday night.
According to Elias, no kicker had ever missed four extra points in any game dating back to at least 1932, which is the start of many official NFL stats. Maher became the first, and it was in a playoff game.
No wonder the Cowboys were frustrated.
