IF ACE VENTURA: Pet Detective taught us anything, it’s that you kick an American football with the laces out.
The laces cost poor Ray Finkle a Super Bowl ring in everybody’s third-favourite Jim Carrey film and tonight — IN REAL LIFE — they cost the Minnesota Vikings a place in the divisional round of the NFC playoffs.
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Well, maybe.
Trailing the Seattle Seahwaks 10-9 with 26 seconds left on the clock, Vikings kicker Blair Walsh faced a 27-yard field goal. Make it and the Vikings would almost certainly win; miss it and their season was done.
For a pro kicker in normal circumstances it would be a chip shot, but under extreme pressure — and in extreme temperatures of around -18°C — it became significantly trickier.
On top of all that, when the ball was snapped back to Jeff Locke, he held it with the laces in.
(At this point we should mention that Walsh earlier made a 47-yard field goal kicking underneath the laces.)
But still… listen to Finkle — LACES OUT!
Incredibly, Walsh hooked the pressure kick badly to the left and the Seahawks celebrated a most unlikely let-off.
Laces out! Vikings lose after horribly missing 27-yard field goal in the final seconds
IF ACE VENTURA: Pet Detective taught us anything, it’s that you kick an American football with the laces out.
The laces cost poor Ray Finkle a Super Bowl ring in everybody’s third-favourite Jim Carrey film and tonight — IN REAL LIFE — they cost the Minnesota Vikings a place in the divisional round of the NFC playoffs.
Well, maybe.
Trailing the Seattle Seahwaks 10-9 with 26 seconds left on the clock, Vikings kicker Blair Walsh faced a 27-yard field goal. Make it and the Vikings would almost certainly win; miss it and their season was done.
For a pro kicker in normal circumstances it would be a chip shot, but under extreme pressure — and in extreme temperatures of around -18°C — it became significantly trickier.
On top of all that, when the ball was snapped back to Jeff Locke, he held it with the laces in.
(At this point we should mention that Walsh earlier made a 47-yard field goal kicking underneath the laces.)
But still… listen to Finkle — LACES OUT!
Incredibly, Walsh hooked the pressure kick badly to the left and the Seahawks celebrated a most unlikely let-off.
It’s an absolutely baltic -20°C in Minnesota – and this fan is wearing no shirt!
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American Football Blair Walsh Blair Walsh Project Jeff Locke Minnesota Vikings NFL Seattle Seahawks US sports