Reliable Riley: Patterson delivers biggest clutch kick in Jaguars history to beat Chargers

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Reliable Riley: Patterson delivers biggest clutch kick in Jaguars history to beat Chargers

Jaguars kicker Riley Patterson drills the game-winning field goal on Saturday at TIAA Bank Field to beat the Los Angeles Chargers 31-30. — Jacksonville Jaguars place kicker Riley Patterson (10) kicks a game-winning field goal as punter Logan Cooke (9) holds during the fourth quarter of an NFL first round playoff football matchup Saturday, Jan. 14, 2023 at TIAA Bank Field in Jacksonville, Fla. Jacksonville Jaguars edged the Los Angeles Chargers on a field goal 31-30. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union]

Garry Smits, Florida Times-Union · The Florida Times-Union

Sun, Jan 15, 2023 ·

5 min read

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With 70,250 freezing fans at TIAA Bank Field wishing beyond hope, a season in the balance and completion of the most miraculous comeback in team history requiring one more play, Jaguars' holder Logan Cooke told kicker Riley Patterson to do what seemed impossible: block it all out.

Visualize an empty stadium and a Wednesday practice, Cooke told him. It's on those days that the Jaguars' practice field goals at the South end zone, on the right hash — exactly where the ball would be spotted, 36 yards from the goalposts, for Patterson to attempt the kick of his life.

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"I told him it was just another Wednesday," Cooke said. "We always practice kicks from the right hash, to that end zone, on Wednesdays."

After Los Angeles Chargers coach Brandon Staley called his last time out to ice Patterson, the second-year pro from Memphis took a necklace with a cross from under his jersey and let it dangle loose.

He waited as long snapper Ross Matisick, who has been battling back spams for two weeks, delivered a bullet to Cooke, who then deftly placed the ball on the grass, just as he had 76 times other times this season on field-goal and conversion attempts — a process polished by thousands of practice reps.

"Perfect snap, perfect hold," Patterson said in the locker room, cradling the football that he kicked. "Ross and Logan are the best."

And the final score of 31-30 was perfection on a night that started with one disastrous play after another.

Patterson on a hot streak

It wasn't a perfect kick. It started down the middle and began slicing, but it was good when the ball started drifting to the right. NFL goalposts are 18 feet, 6 inches wide and all that mattered was staying within that space.

"When it got to the apex, it was across [the crossbar]," Patterson said. "There was really no wind but under 40 yards, I never think about the wind."

"31-30," Cooke said of the final score, sending the Jaguars (10-8) to the next round of the playoffs after rallying from a 27-0 deficit to beat the Chargers (10-8). "No one's going to care if it's not down the middle."

Jaguars kicker Riley Patterson (center) is hugged by teammate Darious Williams while Chad Muma (48), Adam Gotsis (96) and Logan Cooke (9) celebrate his game-winning field goal on the last play to beat the Chargers 31-30 on Saturday at TIAA Bank Field. — Jacksonville Jaguars punter Logan Cooke (9) points to the heavens as place kicker Riley Patterson (10) gets a hug from teammate cornerback Darious Williams (31)after Patterson's game winning field goal against the Chargers. The Jacksonville Jaguars hosted the Los Angeles Chargers in their first round playoff game Saturday, January 14, 2023 at TIAA Bank Field in Jacksonville, Fla. The Jaguars trailed 27 to 7 at the half but came back to win the game 31 to 30. [Bob Self/Florida Times-Union]

Patterson's 17th field goal in his last 18 attempts completed the biggest comeback in team history and the third in NFL playoff history. The Jaguars rallied from 21 points down to beat the New York Giants 25-24 in 2014.

But that was a season that would finish 3-13. This comeback kept the Jaguars alive in one of the most improbable runs in recent NFL history, a sixth victory in a row, five of them after the Jags trailed at some point in the game and the third in which they trailed at some point in the second half.

Etienne wanted to 'witness' history

For all of quarterback Trevor Lawrence's heroics after a horrid first half in which he threw four interceptions (he finished by going 28 of 47 for 288 yards and four touchdowns) and a defense that held the Chargers to three points and 20 yards rushing in the second half, it was going to come down to the 6-foot, 190-pound Patterson.

Some players and fans couldn't bear to watch. On the sideline, running back Travis Etienne, whose 25-yard run on fourth-and-one had put Patterson in position, was going to watch every movement of the choreographed snap, hold and kick.

"I had to keep my eyes on it because I wanted to witness it," he said.

Patterson was signed off waivers from Detroit by the Jaguars on Aug. 31, after they auditioned five other kickers in OTAs and training camp. He started the season by making 14 of his first 18 field-goal attempts but missed a conversion against the New York Giants and then missed two of three field-goal attempts at Kansas City.

But he never lost confidence and simply went back to work.

"This is a big moment for him," said Jaguars coach Doug Pederson . "For him to make that kick, under the circumstances is great for him and his career. I'm proud of him for battling through a little bit of a shaky start. He's really been locked in at the end of the year and there's nothing greater than making a kick at the end."

Patterson said he was prepared for the possibility of making a kick at the end once the Jaguars cut the Chargers' lead to 30-20.

"I stayed locked in," he said. "But at 10 points, I figured it would come down to a kicker for overtime."

Pederson upped the ante when he went for a two-point conversion after Lawrence's 9-yard touchdown pass to Christian Kirk with 5:25 left. When Joey Bosa was hit with an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty for slamming his helmet to the ground on the field, Pederson couldn't resist going for the two-pointer with the ball moved to the 1-yard line and Lawrence dove over the top and broke the plane with the ball.

That meant Patterson would have a chance for a kick to win.

"Everything was on the line," he said. "I stayed locked in."

And one swing of his right leg later, the Jags punched their ticket for the next step of the playoffs.

This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Wednesday's child: Riley Patterson falls back on practice routine for game-winning kick

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