Cowboys stick with slumping kicker, Titans release one.
Patriots release tight end Watson; Titans cut struggling Santos
ARLINGTON, Texas — Kicker Brett Maher has gone from the training camp surprise of a year ago to so questionable that the team literally holds its breath every time he lines up for attempt.
Those were the words of Cowboys owner Jerry Jones after Sunday’s 34-24 loss to the Green Bay Packers. Maher missed two crucial kicks that could have changed the tenor of the game.
He missed a 54-yarder late in the second quarter that could have given the team, down 17-0, some momentum going into halftime.
Maher’s 33-yard miss with 1:44 left robbed the Cowboys of a potential onside kick and a comeback attempt.
“Not to be holding (your breath) every time he steps up there and tries a kick, we all would like that,” Jones said. “Certainly, it’s something you think about it when you are trying to win by field goals.”
Maher is four of seven for the season. He took full blame for the late miss, saying the operation between the snap and hold were fine.
“I didn’t do my part. I felt like I pushed a little bit,” Maher said.
Cowboys coach Jason Garrett acknowledged that Maher “missed two big kicks.” But he said the team was sticking with him for now. “Obviously, there were two big kicks missed that we needed and he didn’t make them,” Garrett said. “But he has made a lot of big kicks for us in the past. We have a lot of confidence in him and we will continue to give him opportunities.” At least, Garrett has a lot of confidence in him. Jones is holding his breath.
PATRIOTS: The Patriots have released tight end Ben Watson.
The team announced the move on Monday. It came shortly after Watson tweeted that he didn’t do enough to earn a roster spot.
Watson was eligible to make his debut for the Patriots against Washington on Sunday. But the 38-yearold wasn’t activated after serving a four-game suspension for testing positive for a banned substance following the 2018 season.
Watson planned to retire after last season but was courted by several teams. The Patriots eventually signed him to a one-year, $3 million deal as they looked to fill the hole created by the retirement of Rob Gronkowski.
But with Watson out, the Patriots got by with 27-year-old Matt LaCosse and 23-year-old Ryan Izzo sharing snaps.
TITANS: Tennessee has released kicker Cairo Santos a day after he missed three field goals and had a fourth blocked. The Titans announced the move Monday. Santos missed field goals from 50, 36 and 53 yards with a 36-yarder blocked by Darryl Johnson in a 14-7 loss to Buffalo on Sunday. Santos apologized at his locker after the game with the native of Sao Paulo, Brazil, saying he’d never had a day like that anywhere.
Santos had been signed Sept. 4 when the team put veteran Ryan Succop on injured reserve, a move designed to let Succop gain strength after having surgery this offseason on his kicking leg. Succop remains three weeks away from being eligible to be activated off injured reserve.