Jan 12, 2025; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Buffalo Bills place kicker Tyler Bass (2) kicks a field goal during the first quarter against the Denver Broncos in an AFC wild card game at Highmark Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark Konezny-Imagn Images Mark Konezny-Imagn Images

Can the Buffalo Bills count on Tyler Bass?

Originally posted on Buffalo Bills on SI
By Brian Letscher | Last updated Jan 18, 2025 6:15 PM ET

Seconds left on the game clock. Down by one. A 47-yard field goal could send the Bills to the AFC Championship game. An all-too-familiar scenario for Bills fans - except in 1991 it was Scott Norwood with the infamous Super Bowl 'Wide-Right' miss. In Sunday's AFC divisional round playoff game against the Baltimore Ravens, it could very well come down to Bills kicker Tyler Bass. i

The question is can the team and fans expect Bass to bang it through when it counts the most? The fifth year kicker out of Georgia Southern has spent his career hovering inthe mid-80's on field goal percentage. A number that puts him in the middle of the NFL pack at best. The season stats are not great either, with Bass at a field goal percentage of 82.8%, 17th among starting NFL kickers. Throught the first six games of the season, Bass was hitting "just 75% of his field goals and 90% of his extra points" - numbers that had Head Coach Sean McDermott concerned.

He also hasn't exactly been clutch in the playoffs, missing a game-tying field goal against the Chiefs with 1:47 left in last years playoffs game, a game the Bills would lose.

However, something seemed to have shifted on November 2nd, his confidence clearly buoyed by his game-winning 61-yarder to beat division rival Miami.

Tyler Bass missed an XP but from 61…

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— Barstool Sports (@barstoolsports) November 3, 2024

A lot of kicking is confidence and Bass has come on strong the last half of the season, making every single kick the last five games with the exception of a lone miss against the Lions in Week 15. Just as important, kickers feel the confidence of their teammates. Following the game-winner against the Dolphins, Bass got that crucial vote -- Josh Allen and the rest of the Bills believe Bass is their guy.

He just needs to be 100% on one kick. The last one. Come Sunday, if put on the spot, we'll see if Bass can erase decades of kicking heartbreak for the Bills Mafia.

This article first appeared on Buffalo Bills on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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