No doubt from mates on The Leg’s winner
Breece Hall said he didn’t even need to watch.
The Jets running back said he was on his way out to the field to congratulate his teammates for a win over Washington as long snapper Thomas Hennessy was snapping the ball to holder Thomas Morstead for kicker Greg Zuerlein’s 54-yard gamewinning field-goal attempt.
“Literally, as they snapped the ball, I was already walking onto the field ready to go shake everybody’s hand,’’ Hall said. “I knew he was going to make it. GZ, he never misses, so I wasn’t surprised at all.’’
They don’t call Zuerlein “Greg the Leg’’ for nothing. He’s not only accurate, he’s crazy long.
So, bang the 54-yarder through the uprights he did with five seconds remaining to give the Jets a closer-thanit-should-have-been 30-28 win over the Commanders at MetLife Stadium on Sunday.
“He’s arguably one of the better kickers in the league,’’ Jets coach Robert Saleh said. “It was almost as if there was no chance he was going to miss that ball.’’
Saleh said he was good with getting Zuerlein to the Washington 38 for a makeable field goal.
Zuerlein is now 5-for-6 from 50-plus yards this season. More importantly, he’s 30 of 31 overall, having made all three of his attempts on Sunday,
“Never a doubt,’’ Jets receiver Garrett Wilson said. “I don’t feel like he even thinks about it. I think he’s just going out to do another kick. Just from getting to know him and spending time with him the last two years, never a doubt, it’s like, ‘All right, let’s get it to the 40 and let’s let GZ do what he does.’ ’’
Jets quarterback Trevor Siemian said he was trying to get to the 35 for Zuerlein, adding, “Certainly with Greg it gives you a lot of confidence in the back of your head that we can get close and he’ll give us a chance. I think Greg’s one of the best.’’
Zuerlein was much more reserved afterward than his exuberant teammates.
“It felt like the same thing as any other drive, really,’’ he said. “I just get my kicks into the net and wait for the opportunity. It’s a good feeling. It’s better than the alternative.’’
He then went on to praise the faith Saleh and general manager Joe Douglas have placed in him.
“They are a big reason of why I came here,’’ he said. “I love them both. I think, going into Christmas, high vibes, everyone can be happy.’’