Are the Cowboys replacing kicker Brett Maher? HC Mike McCarthy clarifies situation ahead of divisional round battle vs. 49ers
Although kicker Brett Maher missed four extra points for the Dallas Cowboys during the NFC Wild Card game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, it seems that the team isn't planning on making any changes.
Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy told reporters that Maher would remain with the team even after his awful performance during Monday Night Football.
"We’re going to forge ahead,” McCarthy said.
Maher missed four straight extra-point kicks against the Buccaneers, prompting an angry response from quarterback Dak Prescott who wanted McCarthy to avoid the extra point and go straight for the two-point conversion.
After his team scored their fifth touchdown of the night, the head coach again called upon Maher to take the kick. He eventually converted and broke his curse.
Throughout the regular season, Maher was a reliable kicker. He hit 29 out of 32 field goal attempts and was 50/53 on extra points. Missing four straight kicks in a playoff game can be pretty dangerous, especially when you're up against Tom Brady away from home. However, the Cowboys did not suffer as they cruised to a 31-14 win.
The four straight missed extra points were an NFL record. In the past, nine other kickers have missed three PAT attempts in a game, but Maher is the only one to have missed four.
Who do the Cowboys play next?
The next game for Dallas will again be on the road, as they play the No. 2 San Francisco 49ers in the divisional round at Levi's Stadium. It will be the final game of the divisional round and will be broadcast by FOX at 6:30 PM ET.
This will be a revival of the league's biggest rivalry from the '90s, when these were the two biggest powerhouses in the NFC. The 49ers open the game as 3.5-point favorites.
The other NFC divisional round game is between the New York Giants and the Philadelphia Eagles. If the Eagles win, the NFC Championship Game will be at the Lincoln Financial Field; if the Giants win, the NFC Championship Game will be at the home of whoever wins between the Cowboys and the 49ers.
The two games from the AFC divisional round are the Jacksonville Jaguars against the Kansas City Chiefs and the Cincinnati Bengals against the Buffalo Bills.