Losing to the Rams wasn't of any concern with the 49ers on Sunday.
The real concern lies with rookie kicker Jake Moody. He missed two kicks in the game with one being a chip shot extra point and another being a 38-yarder. Both kicks were fairly off the mark.
That has been an issue with Moody all season long despite him making his field goals. It isn't common for him to just make a kick that sails perfectly between the uprights. He's been nothing short of a roller coaster ride this year, and it is only going to get worse now that the 49ers are in the playoffs. However, the 49ers aren't feeling any concern with Moody after his shaky outing against the Rams.
"He's been great all year. He was rough on those two today, but no, we're good with Jake," said Kyle Shanahan. "It's never good when you miss him, especially having two like that and the extra point. I think it was his first one inside the 40, maybe all year. He's had a hell of a year. He has done a hell of a job up to this point and just had a rough day today.”
Ever since the 49ers started making the playoffs under Shanahan, they have never had to worry about the kicker. Robbie Gould held it down for every playoff run, and now the 49ers do not have that comfortable ease regardless of what Shanahan says. So, how confident should the 49ers be with Moody in the playoffs?
It's shaky for sure. There is no way that anyone on the 49ers cannot have thoughts about him, especially if the game comes down to him making a field goal. One thing about Moody, that I have suspected all season, is he doesn't have great mental fortitude. The fact that he can never have a stretch of field goals look clean and has these chip shot misses would indicate he is in his own head.
Look at his performance against the Browns in Week 6. The game was on the line on the road for him. He could've been the hero who saved the game, especially after he had missed a kick earlier that game already, but he missed and cost the 49ers the game. The pressure in that situation was certainly high. Now, every kick he goes out to attempt there will be immense pressure since it is the playoffs. Every point matters and is needed.
I fear that if the 49ers get in a similar situation against the Browns with Moody needing to decide the win or loss that it will end the 49ers' Super Bowl hopes. Luckily, their offense has been so electric that they haven't needed those points or those scenarios from Moody since Week 6. For their sake, the 49ers better hope that continues because Moody could be a reason the 49ers fail to hoist the Lombardi trophy this year.
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