But it was what he did in the game’s final seven seconds that mattered the most.
With the Redskins down 22-21 to Buccaneers, Cundiff’s 41-yard field goal in the final seconds gave his team a clutch 24-22 road win at Raymond James Stadium, allowing the veteran kicker to move on from three missed kicks earlier in the game.
“For me, I knew that if I got the chance, no matter how bad I kicked in the game, I knew I would make it,” Cundiff said. “I stayed positive the entire time so that when it did come out, it may not be pretty – it wasn’t the best ball I’ve ever hit – but it went through the uprights, and we were able to win the game.”
Cundiff missed his three previous attempts, which included a 31-yarder that would’ve given the Redskins a two-score lead in the fourth quarter.
But Cundiff’s teammates said they never doubted their kicker – an All-Pro and Pro-Bowl selection in 2010 – would come through in the clutch.
“He’s a great field-goal kicker,” veteran wide receiver
“I felt kind of bad for him knowing that we really counted on him for that, and we fell short. But like we always say, when you get an opportunity again to make up for it, he made up for it.”
Outside linebacker
But he quickly retreated after realizing there was still three seconds left on the game clock.
“It was just pure joy,” Kerrigan said. “It was immediately gone after I realized there were three seconds on the clock. I was like, 'Oh crap, I better get off the field.'
The game then ended after the Buccaneers (1-3) couldn’t make a miracle out of a squib kick.
“It was awesome – huge kick,” Kerrigan said. “That one would've been tough to lose, so it was great to win that one.”
Cundiff said he definitely didn’t feel like he was pulling his weight after missing his first three kicks.
So he put his foot down – and then into the game-winner – to end all doubt.
“For me, if everybody’s doing their job, then why don’t I just step up and do mine?” Cundiff said. “Everybody did a good job saying, ‘We trust you. We know you’re going to make this.’”
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