All thanks to Chris Boswell, the Steelers went into Atlanta and stole a win without even scoring a touchdown. Fans are bowing to Boswell, as he nailed six fields goals, with three of them from beyond 50 yards. The man is feeding families early in fantasy football and keeping Pittsburgh’s mental health intact.
Nail-biting one score contests have become the status quo in Pittsburgh over the past few seasons. The defense dominated, while the offense struggled. They did show flashes, and at least kept themselves on the field to compete with time of possession. With the inability to get into the end zone, Boswell was the ultimate difference-maker in Week 1.
#Steelers K Chris Boswell was perfect against the #Falcons! 🙌
— Steelers Update (@SteelersUpdate1) September 8, 2024
• 6/6 Field Goals 🤯
• 18 Points 👀
• 3/3 50+ Yard Field Goals 💰
• 57-Yard Long
• 43-Yard Punt pic.twitter.com/uiN8b4Mp3i
Chris Boswell is the first kicker in #SteelersHistory with three or more FGs of 50+ yards in a game (57, 51 and 56). pic.twitter.com/pnAnsXkmuV
— Pittsburgh Steelers (@steelers) September 8, 2024
A Perfect 6/6
Boswell’s accuracy was on full display as he successfully converted all six of his field goal attempts in Week 1. His kicks came from various distances, including 57, 51, 44, 56, 40, and 25 yards. His remarkable consistency allowed him to ties the franchise record for most field goals in a single game. Boswell’s success from long range is particularly noteworthy, as he nearly doubled his career makes from 50 yards or more in the 2021 season alone.
While it didn’t quite reach the NFL record of eight field goals set by Rob Bironas, Boswell’s still adds a game of heroics to his resume. His perfect performance accounted for all 18 of Pittsburgh’s points, proving to be the difference-maker in a hard-fought defensive battle. Going above and beyond when saving the day, he was even called upon to handle punting duties after Cameron Johnston suffered an injury. Despite the pressure, Boswell delivered a clutch 43-yard punt that the Falcons were unable to return. Adding to already long list of reasons he is a fan favorite in Pittsburgh.
A rare Chris Boswell post-game interview. pic.twitter.com/4cLCNYcXK7
— Joe Rutter (@tribjoerutter) September 8, 2024
Been There Before
Since his NFL debut in 2015, Boswell has consistently ranked among the league’s most accurate kickers, with a field goal percentage of 87.5%. His career is full of delivering in clutch situations, having registered a franchise-record 10 career game-winning field goals. That includes 3 in a row in 2017. When he is coming up clutch at the end of games, he has carried the scoring burden. He has games where he has made three or more field goals 39 times and four or more 13 times. Safe to say he’s earning his to way to the best kicker in Steelers franchise history and possibly the NFL.
Boswell’s remarkable performance in Week 1 simply adds to his long NFL resume. While the team’s reliance on Boswell’s leg raises concerns, it also underscores how valuable a reliable kicker in this league. As the season progresses, the Steelers will aim to build on this win, and find the end zone to hopefully distribute the stress of scoring to those whose job is to actually do it.
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