TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Dallas Cowboys kicker Brett Maher missed four straight extra points in Monday night’s NFC wild-card game against Tampa Bay, becoming the first player in NFL history to miss that many in a game.
Maher’s misses were the only thing going wrong for the Cowboys, who led the Buccaneers 24-0 after his 0-fer. Maher finally kicked one through the uprights on his fifth try, giving Dallas a 31-6 lead in the fourth quarter.
The Cowboys beat the Bucs 31-14.
“Super happy for the team,” Maher said. “It was big win for us. Definitely didn’t do my part tonight. This team is too good moving forward for me to have to do that. Just get back at it this week.”
The NFL said Maher was the first kicker to miss four extra points in a game since the statistic was first tracked for individual players in 1932. In a playoff game, no kicker had missed as many as three.
Dallas owner Jerry Jones said the Cowboys will not bring in any kickers for auditions this week. The Cowboys face San Francisco in the divisional round on Sunday night.
“I was worried about what those extra points might do toward winning this game,” Jones said. “When I got by that, then I’m not going to worry about it anymore. He’s done enough good ones. I don’t think he’s blown the socket or whatever you do.”
Maher missed five consecutive extra points overall after failing on his final try in Week 18. He was 50 of 53 on PATs in the regular season.
“I feel very fortunate to have the teammates that I do in the locker room, the coaching staff that I do,” Maher said. “They absolutely lifted me up today. I appreciate every single one of them. It’s time for me to do my part,”
He was wide right on his first two kicks Monday night, pulled his third try wide left and then hit the top of the right upright on his fourth attempt.
Maher was solid on field goals this season, going 29 of 32 (90.6%) — including 9 of 11 from 50 yards or more, with a long of 60.
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