Field goal kicking seems like a simple operation.
Line up, swing the leg and live with the results – except it wasn’t that easy in Week 3. From blocked punts to blocked field goals and seemingly everything in between, special teams had some special moments.
In NFL RedZone’s famous ‘Witching Hour,’ chaos reigned supreme. The Philadelphia Eagles blocked multiple kicks from the Los Angeles Rams en route to a comeback victory. The New York Jets almost pulled off the improbable comeback before falling short.
At the same time, the Cleveland Browns had some insanity of their own before the unlikely upset.
Blocked field goals don’t happen often, except on this Sunday. Here are the best blocks and where they rank in Week 3.
Week 3 field goal blocks, ranked
4. Eagles block Rams’ FG to keep deficit at five
While there’s no doubt it had an impact on the result, this one is fairly boring compared to the others. The Rams maintained a five-point lead and the Eagles didn’t get off a big return on this block. Even if the kick weren’t blocked, this would’ve remained a one-score game. Philly did enjoy a nice momentum boost though.
3. Jets’ Will McDonald block, scoop and score
Trailing by 17 in the fourth quarter, the Jets looked down and out. No one in their right mind saw a comeback coming, but McDonald had other ideas. Showing off his athleticism, the second-year pro leapt over the line, blocked the field goal, scooped and scored to give ‘Gang Green’ the lead over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
In typical Jets fashion, they quickly gave up the game-winning field goal to eliminate any good vibes associated with the play. Nice work by McDonald, but this one will ultimately be forgotten.
2. Browns block the go-ahead FG
The effort was there all day from the Browns’ defense, but it looked like they would ultimately fall short against a Super Bowl-contending Packers team. After driving into field goal range with less than a minute to go, Green Bay lined up for the 43-yard attempt with 27 seconds to go.
Denzel Ward had other ideas as he came flying in off the edge and soared into the path of Brandon McManus’ attempt. Cleveland would recover the kick and go on to kick a game-winner of its own, knocking off the Packers in shocking fashion.
1. Eagles block Rams’ game-winning FG attempt
Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, well, shame on the Rams. Lining up for the game-winning field goal, Joshua Karty had a chance at redemption. Just 44 yards away with three seconds left, it appeared certain that the Rams would overcome all their mistakes and missed opportunities to leave Philadelphia with a win.
Then the ball was snapped. It was almost like Karty didn’t have any blockers on the play, with all of the Eagles right in his face. The kick had no chance and Jordan Davis added salt to the wound, returning it for a touchdown. Rams fans, sports bettors and fantasy football players can all unite in what will almost certainly become the biggest bad beat of the season. Yikes.