All eyes had been on Tyler Bass because the Buffalo Payments kicker stepped as much as try his 61-yard discipline purpose on Sunday, and it is truthful to surprise what the boldness degree was at Highmark Stadium contemplating Bass’ ups and downs this season.
As Bass lined up the kick with 10 seconds remaining, and the Payments and Miami Dolphins tied at 27-all, he tried to deal with what mattered most to him.
“Simply reminding myself that I like this, I like the game,” he mentioned after the sport, per the Payments’ official website. “That is what I’ve dreamed of.”
Bass’ kick was true — and he made it with loads of distance, too — and it led to a 30-27 victory, placing the Payments within the driver’s seat for the AFC East crown. It was additionally a career-long kick, besting his earlier excessive of 58 yards in his rookie season of 2020.
“Was simply targeted on proper right here, proper now, the current and being affected person with all the things,” Bass mentioned. “Man, you understand you are gonna undergo ups and downs, however simply proceed to place your finest foot ahead. We did that at the moment. So, (it was) simply very emotional.”
Highmark Stadium erupted after the sphere purpose. Payments followers had witnessed Bass’ inconsistencies this season, together with on Sunday, when he missed an extra-point try to had one other one hit the upright and fortuitously bounce by.
Bass additionally missed a discipline purpose and an additional level in a slim win over the Jets in Week 7. He is now missed three field-goal tries and three extra-point makes an attempt in 9 video games.
The Payments had kicker tryouts just a few weeks in the past and signed Lucas Havrisik to the observe squad as a measure of insurance coverage and in addition as a supply for a contest in observe. However the Payments minimize Havrisik final week, displaying their improved confidence in Bass.
“Here is a younger man that has been going by it, and the journey that he is been on week to week, the questions which have been requested of him,” Payments head coach Sean McDermott mentioned after the win. “I believe it is an amazing instance of psychological toughness. I believe it is an amazing instance of perseverance, resilience.
“And for younger youngsters on the market, here is a participant that was underneath the microscope fairly darn arduous. And we introduced a participant in right here to compete with him midseason and he did not again down.”
It was his first huge kick of the season, and Bass’ beautiful miss within the ultimate minute of final season’s divisional-round playoff loss to the Chiefs stays a contemporary wound. However Bass has earned a status as a clutch kicker along with his physique of labor, with Sunday’s recreation winner his eighth straight regular-season make in eight tries within the ultimate minute of the fourth quarter or extra time in his profession.
Bass additionally has additionally made 16 straight discipline targets with an opportunity to tie or take the lead within the second half, which is the longest energetic streak within the NFL.
Payments quarterback Josh Allen, who threw three second-half landing passes within the win, mentioned he was choked up watching his long-time teammate ship when the Payments wanted him most.
“So happy with him. So blissful for him,” Allen mentioned. “Received emotional in my little postgame speech on the market, simply the trials and tribulations that he is been in all through this 12 months. It is what tales are manufactured from.
“And I like him. I respect him a lot. All people in that locker room is so blissful for him, and he is our man.”