It was hideous. And glorious.
Rookie Greg Joseph made a 37-yard knuckleball field goal to beat Baltimore, 12-9, in overtime. Not only was it a thrilling moment for the Cleveland Browns, who picked up their first division win since 2015, but it encapsulated what a wild ride kicking has been through the first five weeks of the NFL season.
Joseph got the job after the Browns dumped Zane Gonzalez, who missed four field-goal tries in a Week 2 loss to New Orleans.
Green Bay fixture Mason Crosby missed four field-goal attempts and an extra-point try in the Packers' 31-23 loss to Detroit on Sunday.
On Monday, coach Mike McCarthy stressed he has faith in Crosby, but indicated his patience has limits.
"He's got to make those kicks," McCarthy said. "He's a proven highly successful kicker, and I believe in him. But he's got to make those kicks."
Both Los Angeles teams have had kicking issues lately, with the Rams on their second replacement since losing All-Pro Greg Zuerlein to a groin injury in Week 1. He could be back as early as Sunday.
Five days after replacing the struggling Sam Ficken, the Rams' Cairo Santos missed an extra-point try in the fourth quarter at Seattle on Sunday that could have been costly. The Rams trailed 31-30 before pulling ahead for good later in the period with a 39-yard field goal by Santos.
Former NFL kicker Michael Husted said the mere fact that a kick is a PAT can make it more pressure-packed than an identical 33-yard field goal.
"I still think that there's a stigma out there about the extra point," said Husted, a specialists coach and consultant. "We're taught our whole life and throughout our careers that, up until a couple years ago, a PAT is automatic. You're supposed to make them. If you miss one, it's a sin.
"Whether fair or not, that's still the perception of everybody out there when it comes to an extra point. But it's a 33-yarder. Yeah, you're supposed to make those, but it can be difficult. And now you're missing something you're not supposed to miss by thinking about it.
"Guys start kind of aiming and kicking not to miss."
