Maher missed 4 extra points but did not cost the Cowboys any points

[Reality]

I waited to post this for a couple of days because I know emotions were high after the game. Now that a couple of days have passed and the Cowboys have signed another kicker just in case they need to switch, I thought it would be a good time to share this.

As everyone knows, Maher missed 4 extra points in the game, which means at that point, the Cowboys were 4 points below what they should have had.

However, on their final scoring drive, the Cowboys had fourth down and four yards to go on the Buccaneer's 18 yard line.

At that point, the game was 24-6 Cowboys. Normally, in a playoff game if you are in that position and you are up 18 points, logic would dictate you take the 3 points to go up by 21 points so a team would have to score 3 touchdowns to catch or beat you.

However, because of their lack of confidence in Maher, the Cowboys opted to go for it instead which resulted in a touchdown.

Because Maher made the extra point on the final touchdown, it means they gained 7 points instead of the 3 points a field goal would have provided.

So, if Maher had made all of the other extra points, the Cowboys would have most likely kicked the field and the score would have been 31-6 at that point.

Since the Cowboys went for it, scored the touchdown and Maher finally made an extra point, the actual score was also 31-6.

This is in no way meant to excuse or write off the Maher misses, but I did think it was interesting that in the end, as luck would have it, the final Cowboys score ended up the same as it would have likely been had Maher made all of the extra points that game.

 

[Clove]

Pretty solid point. Let's just hope the game doesn't come down to a field goal this Sunday, and if so, let's hope they use the new kicker to kick it.

 

[Reality]

Pretty solid point. Let's just hope the game doesn't come down to a field goal this Sunday, and if so, let's hope they use the new kicker to kick it.

You have to wonder how much the Cowboys will trust Maher the next game regardless of how he kicks in practice this week.

 

[noshame]

Kickers are mental
Kind of like my golf game. I can go out and just play my regular bogey game of golf and then all the sudden the wheels just come off for a round

 

[Flamma]

Solid point. But that's only if the Cowboys would have kicked the FG up 28-6. They didn't kick the FG up 6-0. Usually you take a 2 score lead if you can. Up 18 points or 21 points, it's still a three score lead. It wouldn't have surprised me if they went for it. They went for it when already up a lot of points against the Eagles in the first meeting last year near the goal line.

 

[ScipioCowboy]

Also, if the Cowboys had been up 28-0 rather than 26-0 when the Bucs got their first score, would the Bucs have gone for two?

 

[plymkr]

I'm just glad he made the last kick. Finish the night with a made kick to help build for next week. I also think if we would have tried a 60 yarder he would have made it. It got in his head with the extra point kicks. I wish we could have given him a chance for a normal FG. But he did make that last one and that's a little confidence booster.

 

[DanA]

I waited to post this for a couple of days because I know emotions were high after the game. Now that a couple of days have passed and the Cowboys have signed another kicker just in case they need to switch, I thought it would be a good time to share this.

As everyone knows, Maher missed 4 extra points in the game, which means at that point, the Cowboys were 4 points below what they should have had.

However, on their final scoring drive, the Cowboys had fourth down and four yards to go on the Buccaneer's 18 yard line.

At that point, the game was 24-6 Cowboys. Normally, in a playoff game if you are in that position and you are up 18 points, logic would dictate you take the 3 points to go up by 21 points so a team would have to score 3 touchdowns to catch or beat you.

However, because of their lack of confidence in Maher, the Cowboys opted to go for it instead which resulted in a touchdown.

Because Maher made the extra point on the final touchdown, it means they gained 7 points instead of the 3 points a field goal would have provided.

So, if Maher had made all of the other extra points, the Cowboys would have most likely kicked the field and the score would have been 31-6 at that point.

Since the Cowboys went for it, scored the touchdown and Maher finally made an extra point, the actual score was also 31-6.

This is in no way meant to excuse or write off the Maher misses, but I did think it was interesting that in the end, as luck would have it, the final Cowboys score ended up the same as it would have likely been had Maher made all of the extra points that game.

True another interesting idea is that we probably wouldn’t have that 4th down play on tape which teams will watch for now.

 

[Cowboys22]

Who cares that the point total ended up being the same. They are going into a tougher game where a field goal or extra point may decide it. How does that thought make everyone feel?

 

[Ranching]

I waited to post this for a couple of days because I know emotions were high after the game. Now that a couple of days have passed and the Cowboys have signed another kicker just in case they need to switch, I thought it would be a good time to share this.

As everyone knows, Maher missed 4 extra points in the game, which means at that point, the Cowboys were 4 points below what they should have had.

However, on their final scoring drive, the Cowboys had fourth down and four yards to go on the Buccaneer's 18 yard line.

At that point, the game was 24-6 Cowboys. Normally, in a playoff game if you are in that position and you are up 18 points, logic would dictate you take the 3 points to go up by 21 points so a team would have to score 3 touchdowns to catch or beat you.

However, because of their lack of confidence in Maher, the Cowboys opted to go for it instead which resulted in a touchdown.

Because Maher made the extra point on the final touchdown, it means they gained 7 points instead of the 3 points a field goal would have provided.

So, if Maher had made all of the other extra points, the Cowboys would have most likely kicked the field and the score would have been 31-6 at that point.

Since the Cowboys went for it, scored the touchdown and Maher finally made an extra point, the actual score was also 31-6.

This is in no way meant to excuse or write off the Maher misses, but I did think it was interesting that in the end, as luck would have it, the final Cowboys score ended up the same as it would have likely been had Maher made all of the extra points that game.

Deep thoughts by Reality....good stuff.

 

[MWH1967]

It all worked out neat but, that's a long shot.

 

[JohnBoy]

Kind of like my golf game. I can go out and just play my regular bogey game of golf and then all the sudden the wheels just come off for a round

OMG right? Sooooooooo frustrating sometimes. Sometimes it's like "have I ever played this game in my life?"

Lol...

 

[silvernblu]

I waited to post this for a couple of days because I know emotions were high after the game. Now that a couple of days have passed and the Cowboys have signed another kicker just in case they need to switch, I thought it would be a good time to share this.

As everyone knows, Maher missed 4 extra points in the game, which means at that point, the Cowboys were 4 points below what they should have had.

However, on their final scoring drive, the Cowboys had fourth down and four yards to go on the Buccaneer's 18 yard line.

At that point, the game was 24-6 Cowboys. Normally, in a playoff game if you are in that position and you are up 18 points, logic would dictate you take the 3 points to go up by 21 points so a team would have to score 3 touchdowns to catch or beat you.

However, because of their lack of confidence in Maher, the Cowboys opted to go for it instead which resulted in a touchdown.

Because Maher made the extra point on the final touchdown, it means they gained 7 points instead of the 3 points a field goal would have provided.

So, if Maher had made all of the other extra points, the Cowboys would have most likely kicked the field and the score would have been 31-6 at that point.

Since the Cowboys went for it, scored the touchdown and Maher finally made an extra point, the actual score was also 31-6.

This is in no way meant to excuse or write off the Maher misses, but I did think it was interesting that in the end, as luck would have it, the final Cowboys score ended up the same as it would have likely been had Maher made all of the extra points that game.

Except that the 4th down conversion was a much bigger risk than the field goal.

But interesting analysis nonetheless.

 

[john van brocklin]

I waited to post this for a couple of days because I know emotions were high after the game. Now that a couple of days have passed and the Cowboys have signed another kicker just in case they need to switch, I thought it would be a good time to share this.

As everyone knows, Maher missed 4 extra points in the game, which means at that point, the Cowboys were 4 points below what they should have had.

However, on their final scoring drive, the Cowboys had fourth down and four yards to go on the Buccaneer's 18 yard line.

At that point, the game was 24-6 Cowboys. Normally, in a playoff game if you are in that position and you are up 18 points, logic would dictate you take the 3 points to go up by 21 points so a team would have to score 3 touchdowns to catch or beat you.

However, because of their lack of confidence in Maher, the Cowboys opted to go for it instead which resulted in a touchdown.

Because Maher made the extra point on the final touchdown, it means they gained 7 points instead of the 3 points a field goal would have provided.

So, if Maher had made all of the other extra points, the Cowboys would have most likely kicked the field and the score would have been 31-6 at that point.

Since the Cowboys went for it, scored the touchdown and Maher finally made an extra point, the actual score was also 31-6.

This is in no way meant to excuse or write off the Maher misses, but I did think it was interesting that in the end, as luck would have it, the final Cowboys score ended up the same as it would have likely been had Maher made all of the extra points that game.

I get and appreciate that.
What concerns me more than anything is the immediate future.
We are now fighting for our lives against really good teams on the road.
Every point is critical and we can't count on xps let alone FGs.
This is a huge issue going forward.

 

[Kellsbells]

I was thinking the same thing, and also how the resulting score was more like they scored 4 touchdowns and a field goal instead of 5 touchdowns.

 

[Chuck 54]

I think after the season we will learn that his misses were more on the operation and Anger than on Maher. Anger suddenly seems to be bobbling snaps, setting the ball down and moving it, like he doesn’t have confidence in his spot without the grass clippings he’s been using all year.

 

[silvernblu]

I think after the season we will learn that his misses were more on the operation and Anger than on Maher. Anger suddenly seems to be bobbling snaps, setting the ball down and moving it, like he doesn’t have confidence in his spot without the grass clippings he’s been using all year.

Yup

 

[CowboysFaninHouston]

I waited to post this for a couple of days because I know emotions were high after the game. Now that a couple of days have passed and the Cowboys have signed another kicker just in case they need to switch, I thought it would be a good time to share this.

As everyone knows, Maher missed 4 extra points in the game, which means at that point, the Cowboys were 4 points below what they should have had.

However, on their final scoring drive, the Cowboys had fourth down and four yards to go on the Buccaneer's 18 yard line.

At that point, the game was 24-6 Cowboys. Normally, in a playoff game if you are in that position and you are up 18 points, logic would dictate you take the 3 points to go up by 21 points so a team would have to score 3 touchdowns to catch or beat you.

However, because of their lack of confidence in Maher, the Cowboys opted to go for it instead which resulted in a touchdown.

Because Maher made the extra point on the final touchdown, it means they gained 7 points instead of the 3 points a field goal would have provided.

So, if Maher had made all of the other extra points, the Cowboys would have most likely kicked the field and the score would have been 31-6 at that point.

Since the Cowboys went for it, scored the touchdown and Maher finally made an extra point, the actual score was also 31-6.

This is in no way meant to excuse or write off the Maher misses, but I did think it was interesting that in the end, as luck would have it, the final Cowboys score ended up the same as it would have likely been had Maher made all of the extra points that game.

no, your math is wrong. if Maher didn't miss the extra points, then the score would have been 27-6, so already up by 3 TDs, then they would have kicked a field goal and would have been up 30-6, requiring 4 scores.

and I rather be in a 30-6 situation, than having to go for it 24-6, on a 4th and 4.

 

[maryquality]

I just saw a meme with a goal post leaning to the left, which said "Dallas Practice Field". Unfortunately, I'm no longer able to copy and paste pics on this site with the new upgrade, or I would have posted it. It made me LOL.
I'm jealous of you guys that can still post pics. And no, I don't have a photo website account.

 

[Bobhaze]

You have to wonder how much the Cowboys will trust Maher the next game regardless of how he kicks in practice this week.

I would think everything hinges on Maher’s week of practice. If he’s making less than 99% of his kicks, he may be in danger of not being active Sunday. A kicker’s mental state is at least 50% of their ability to be effective. They are like golfers in that sense.