Brett Maher hits 63-yard field goal, second longest in NFL history
Just a couple weeks ago, Dallas Cowboys kicker Brett Maher was being criticized after some misses.
Maybe he just needed to back up a bit.
Maher hit a historic field goal in Dallas’ 37-10 victory against the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday night. On the final play of the first half, he lined up for a 63-yard field goal and nailed it, giving the Cowboys a 27-3 lead.
[Watch live NFL games on the Yahoo Sports app, here's how]
For a long time, 63 yards was a mythical number in NFL history. Tom Dempsey hit a 63-yard FG for the New Orleans Saints in 1970, and that stood alone as the NFL record until Jason Elam of the Denver Broncos tied it in 1998. Three others — Sebastian Janikowski, David Akers and Graham Gano — matched that with their own 63-yarders. Prater set the record with a 64-yard field goal in 2013.
Even though Maher didn’t break the record, a 63-yard field goal is still remarkable. Only four of the field goals from 63 yards came outside of Denver, where the ball travels further because of the thin air.
It was the second straight week Maher hit a long field goal. He hit a 62-yarder at the end of the first half last week at the New York Jets.
Maher missed two field goals against the Green Bay Packers and was the target of some scorn after that loss. Nobody is complaining now.
– – – – – – –
Frank Schwab is a writer for Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at shutdown.corner@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter! Follow @YahooSchwab
More from Yahoo Sports:
