Greg Zuerlein of the Rams has gotten most of the attention paid to rookie kickers this season, but he’s not the only one having a positive impact for their team.
Vikings kicker Blair Walsh has also had an excellent first NFL season and it got a bit better Wednesday when he was named the NFC special teams player of the week. Walsh made all five field goals he attempted while Zuerlein watched from the sideline in a 36-22 victory that moved the Vikings to 8-6 on the season.
Three of Walsh’s kicks were from 50 yards or beyond, which makes him 8-for-8 on the season in field goals of that distance. That ties the NFL record for the most in one season previously shared by Morten Andersen and Jason Hanson. Given Walsh’s excellent conversion rate and the Vikings’ willingness to let him rip from deep, there’s a high likelihood that he’ll have a chance to take sole possession of the record in the next two weeks.
It’s the second time Walsh has been named the conference’s special teamer of the week this season. He joins Adrian Peterson and Randy Moss as the only Vikings rookies to pick up weekly honors twice in a season.