On Sunday, Rams rookie kicker Greg Zuerlein became the first player in NFL history to hit two field goals in the same game from 58 yards or longer. The second one -- a 60-yarder -- came not at the end of the half or at the end of the game but early in the third quarter. Despite the fact that a miss would have given Seattle the ball at midfield, the Rams pulled the trigger on the man who swings the leg.
After the game, Zuerlein said that, before the third-down play, special-teams coordinator John Fassel told both Zuerlein and punter to get ready for a field goal or a punt. After the third-down play, Fassel dialed up the 60-yard attempt.
So what’s his range, “With wind, maybe 65 yards.”
Making even more compelling the story of a first-year player who was the first pick in round six and who has made 12 of 12 field goal tries in four games is the fact that he came from Missouri Western State, a Division II program.
“Kicking is kicking at any level,” Zuerlein said. “Same uprights, same hash marks. As long as I went out there and showed everyone what I could do, I knew it didn’t matter where I went to school.”
Now that he’s in the big leagues and banging the Rams into contention, when will the campaign begin for Zuerlein to be the rookie of the year?
“Probably never,” Zuerlein said, laughing.
The campaign may never start, but if he keeps doing what he has done so far this season, he could be getting votes.