Jake Moody, San Francisco 49ers
Getty
(Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
A new season isn’t helping San Francisco 49ers kicker Jake Moody as the 25-year-old went 1 of 3 on field goal attempts in the 17-13 win over the Seattle Seahawks on September 7 at Lumen Field.
While the 49ers were able to leave Seattle with a win, there’s no denying that Moody’s struggles could eventually cost San Francisco if the kicker continues to miss field goals and leave points on the table.
Following the victory over the Seahawks, 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan was asked about Moody’s struggles that are carrying over from last season.
“Well, obviously, I was disappointed that we missed two field goals,” Shanahan said postgame while speaking to the media (h/tKNBR). “I mean, missed one, which was a big miss, especially—I think we were inside the 10. I want to say it was a 27-yarder.
“Then the next one, [Julian] Love made a hell of a move. I think it was Love splitting that D-gap. It looked like he jumped over the guys. I saw it on the scoreboard. But we got to clean up that protection. That’s everyone there. That one wasn’t Jake. That’s just the whole operation. But yeah, we got to do better.”
Nick Bosa Also Backs 49ers Kicker Jake Moody
Shanhan wouldn’t throw his kicker under the bus, especially not after a win. Moreover, Moody’s teammate, Nick Bosa, wouldn’t do that either. The 49ers’ star pass rusher offered encouragement as the player looks to snap out of this challenge streak that dates back to last season.
“I’m always supportive of a guy who’s struggling, and obviously that position is very cut and dry, whether you’re getting it done or not,” Bosa said. (h/tKNBR). “I’ll never turn on a teammate.”
San Francisco are doing their best not to lose Moody to his struggles by staying supportive as he figures it out. Nonetheless, at some point, he will need to break out of it or else his job could be at risk, if it’s not already.
Jake Moody’s Kicking Struggles
Last season, he was 6 of 11 on kicks between 40 and 49 yards. On attempts of 50 yards or more, Moody went 4 of 9, leaving him 50 percent from any kick beyond 40 yards, per Football Reference.
If the 49ers want to push for the playoffs, they either have to hope Moody breaks out of this slump or look at other alternatives. The Los Angeles Rams and Arizona Cardinals won, so this could prove to be a difference maker in a tight race in the NFC West.
As a result, if the race to win the division is a tight one, then these missed field goals will be even more under the microscope. Nonetheless, for now, the 49ers are backing Moody as they hope these actions will lead to the kicker finding the confidence to consistently convert his field goals.
San Francisco will now turn the page on the Seahawks and focus on Week 2. The 49ers will have a second straight road game as they travel to the Caesars Superdome for a winnable game against the New Orleans Saints.