Another Chris Boswell Missed XP in Week 16 Pays +400
By Daniel Coyle in NFL Football
Updated: March 26, 2020 at 2:44 pm EDTPublished:
- Boswell sat among NFL kicking leaders during his first three seasons
- 27-year-old has missed on three of his past four field goal attempts
- Former Rice Owls kicker was perfect in two college football visits to Superdome
It has been a rough season for Chris Boswell.
After sitting among the league leaders on the NFL kicking stats during his first three campaigns, the Pittsburgh Steelers kicker has taken a step back this season.
The 27-year-old has been good on just 61.1% of field goal attempts in 2018.
The past month has been a real struggle, with Boswell going three-for-seven over his past four outings, including a crucial missed field goal attempt late in last week’s narrow 17-10 win over the New England Patriots.
Odds Chris Boswell Misses An Extra Point In Week 16
Will Chris Boswell Miss An Extra Point In Week 16? | Odds |
---|---|
Yes | +400 |
No | -700 |
*Odds taken 12/21
Boswell has fared better of late in point after touchdown attempts, going five-for-five over the past two weeks.
But with a career-worst five missed extra points already this season, the four-year NFL veteran has emerged as an intriguing wager to miss at least one extra point attempt in Pittsburgh’s Week 16 clash with the New Orleans Saints, sporting +400 odds on the NFL specials.
Accuracy Woes Date Back to Week 1
Boswell’s accuracy issues first arose in the Steelers’ season opener in Cleveland.
The four-year NFL veteran went wide left on a field goal attempt in overtime to deny Pittsburgh the win in a contest that ended in a 21-21 tie.
https://youtu.be/CskTE5ReIlQ
The undrafted product of Rice University would have to wait until Week 3 to make his first field goal of the season after missing a 49-yard attempt in the Steelers’ 42-37 loss to the visiting Kansas City Chiefs in Week 2.
In addition, Boswell matched his career total of three missed extra points during the first five games of the 2018 season.
Chris Boswell 2018 NFL Stats
Games | FGM | FGA | Percentage | XPM | XPA |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
14 | 11 | 18 | 61.1 | 41 | 46 |
Boswell Rebounded During Steelers’ Midseason Win Streak
The Steelers kicker looked to have rediscovered his touch as the season progressed, going 22-for-24 on extra point attempts during the Steelers’ six-game midseason win streak.
That included a stellar performance in Pittsburgh’s 52-21 rout of the Carolina Panthers in Week 10, in which he went seven-for-seven on extra points while also connecting on a 50-yard field goal attempt that marks his longest score of the season.
However, Boswell’s recent struggles off the tee have led to calls for him to be benched, and even led the Steelers to hold try outs for free agent kickers.
Mike Tomlin confirms the Steelers will be holding tryouts at kicker this week https://t.co/D2vd0SOtsE via @btsteelcurtain
— BigTimeFootball® (@BigTimeFootball) December 12, 2018
Fortunately for Boswell, he continues to have the confidence of Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin, but the cause of his streaky performance remains unknown.
While five of his seven missed field goals have come from beyond 40 yards, no such excuse exists for his subpar performance on extra point attempts.
Mike Tomlin gives kicker Chris Boswell vote of confidence: "He's our kicker from start to finish"https://t.co/ci1eUGCq59 pic.twitter.com/5kTDS8AhOv
— Around The NFL (@AroundTheNFL) December 17, 2018
A Strong Track Record Playing Indoors
Boswell can rely on a solid track record in games played indoors ahead of his first NFL visit to the Mercedes-Benz Superdome for Sunday’s clash with the Saints. The Fort Worth, Texas native is 10-for-11 on extra points and six-for-seven on field goal attempts over his NFL career in games played under a lid, and was perfect in two visits to the Superdome during his college days with the Rice Owls, going 14-for-14 on extra point attempts.
Odds Boswell Misses A Field Goal Or An XP In Week 16?
Will Chris Boswell Miss A Field Goal Or An Extra Point In Week 16? | Odds |
---|---|
Yes | -220 |
No | +155 |
But with the anemic Steelers offense mustering just three red zone drives in each of their past three contests, Boswell may be faced with yet another lengthy field goal attempt in Week 16, adding value to the +120 odds of him missing at least one field goal or extra point attempt in Sunday’s contest.
Sports Writer
Daniel has been writing about sports and sports betting for over 23 years. The seasoned pro has contributed to the likes of Sports Illustrated, Sportsnet, NESN, Bleacher Report, OddsShark, the Globe and Mail, and The Nation magazine.