So, picture this: Jake Bates, the kicker for the Detroit Lions, is out there on the field, and it’s like watching a cat trying to catch a laser pointer. One moment he’s kicking field goals like a champ, and the next, he’s sending extra points dangerously close to the uprights. But then, during a game against the Cowboys, it all clicks! It’s like he finally figured out that he’s not just a glorified soccer player in pads. He goes on to nail 26 out of 29 field goals and 64 extra points, racking up a whopping 142 points this season. That’s right, folks, he’s not just kicking; he’s breaking records like a kid smashing piñatas at a birthday party!
In Week 7, Bates pulls off a game-winning 44-yard field goal with just 15 seconds left on the clock. Talk about pressure! And if that wasn’t enough, in Week 10, he becomes the first player in NFL history to kick a 55-plus-yard game-tying field goal and a 50-plus-yard game-winning field goal in the fourth quarter of the same game. I mean, who needs a superhero when you have Jake Bates? He’s out there saving the day one kick at a time, and I’m just here for the drama!
By Week 14, Bates is on fire, kicking his third game-winning field goal of the season as time expires against the Packers. He’s scoring 10-plus points in seven games and even made 19 straight field goals to start his career before finally missing one. It’s like he’s playing a video game on easy mode, and we’re all just trying to keep up. So here’s to Jake Bates, the kicker who turned his season around and made us all believe that sometimes, all you need is a little patience and a strong leg to kick your way into the record books!
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