Like every other NFL team ever, the Seattle Seahawks need every phase of the team to be operating at a high level to have an extremely successful season. Sometimes, each unit might dip in form, but overall, the offense, defense, and special teams need to have quality consistency.
This is not breaking news; every football fan knows this. Seattle quarterback Sam Darnold obviously knows it. He is also appreciative of those players who perform well and are counted on to do so every game. Kicker Jason Myers is one of those players.
Still, any misses, especially seemingly important ones, by an NFL kicker can lead to doubt. Myers has shown himself to be one of the best players at his position in professional football, but kickers can get the yips quickly. One miss might turn into five.
Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold gives kicker Jason Myers his flowers
And when the Seahawks needed Myers to make a momentum-changing field goal in the fourth quarter of Week 4 after Arizona had cut the lead to 20-13, Myers missed a 53-yard attempt. Sure, that's a long field goal, but NFL kickers make those quite a bit.
The Cardinals got the ball back, scored another touchdown to tie the game. Seattle had 28 seconds left to make something happen before getting to overtime, and after a brilliant pass from Darnold to wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Jason Myers had his chance at redemption.
He made a 52-yard field goal to erase any doubts from his previous miss, and he won the game for Seattle. Sam Darnold never had any doubts.
Speaking to the media after the game, Darnold said, "That's J-My. He's got that mentality. He gets frustrated when he doesn't make 'em, but then he comes back and is almost automatic."
Since Jason Myers signed with the Seattle Seahawks in 2019, he has made 86.2 percent of his kicks. Maybe even more importantly, he has made 29 of his 41 attempts from 50 yards and beyond. Many of these kicks have come in high-stress moments, and Myers has come through.
The kicker is signed through 2026, and his cap hit next season is $6,975,000. That is the third-highest in the league. He deserves that. As Sam Darnold knows, when the Seahawks absolutely need a field goal to be made, Jason Myers almost always will make that happen.