Placekicker for the Los Angeles ChargersEast Coast residents who get up early and those who watch linear TV likely missed Cameron Dicker’s 57-yard free-kick field goal on Thursday.
Dicker’s unimpeded field goal at the end of the first half of Prime Video’s “Thursday Night Football” kicked off a resurgence that saw the Chargers overcome a deficit to defeat the visiting Denver Broncos 34-27.
It was the first successful field goal on a free kick in 48 years in the NFL.
In the final seconds of the second quarter, Denver was forced to punt on fourth-and-12 from its own 16-yard line as the Broncos led 21-10.
At his own 38-yard line, L.A. punt returner Derius Davis was in position to make a fair catch.A kick receiver who signals that he will reel in the boot and give up any possibility of a return in exchange for not being obstructed is making a fair catch, which is a typical football play.
Tremon Smith of Denver illegally touched Davis, preventing him from catching the ball. This fair-catch interference resulted in a 15-yard penalty, which moved Los Angeles up to Denver’s 47-yard line.
Many people watching at home or in attendance at SoFi Stadium undoubtedly thought the half was ended because there was no more time to go. However, fans were immediately advised to remain seated by “Thursday Night Football” rules commentator Terry McAulay, who stated, “They can do a free kick for a field goal, which we haven’t seen in… forever.”
With no rushers or snap, the receiving team may attempt a field goal from the line of scrimmage in an afair-catch kick.
Dicker was immediately sent onto the field to attempt the slow kick by Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh, who is the son of longtime college football coach Jack Harbaugh.
Dicker punched the kick through the uprights, lowering Denver’s advantage to 21-13, without having to worry about the timing of a snap and hold or about opponents trying to stop it with hard-charging strikes.
48 years ago, in the 1976 season, Ray Wersching scored the final successful free-kick field goal for the San Diego Chargers.
Jim Harbaugh claimed to be well aware of the arcane rule and to constantly be considering how to exploit it.
After the game, the beaming coach told reporters, “It’s my favorite football rule.” In every game, I’m just trying to grab one of those.
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