PHILADELPHIA — The Philadelphia Eagles will continue with Jake Elliott as their kicker. There was no doubt about Elliott’s ability to make field goals.
The next challenge falls to Elliott. How will the veteran kicker get the mistakes out of his head?
“I’m trusting what I’ve always done,” Elliott said after the Eagles’ win on Thursday. “Even some of them I missed, I still felt pretty good with the contact with the ball. It’s the northeast, sometimes they don’t go in.
“I’m hitting balls in the net, figuring it out, feeling it out, finding something I like. I’m doubling down on my plan.”
Elliott missed an extra point and two field goals in Thursday’s 26-18 victory over the Washington Commanders, leaving seven points on the scoreboard. The Eagles kicker has made 14 of 19 field goals this season, matching a career-low 73.7% field goal rate (he also hit that low mark in 2020). Elliott is 0 for 4 on field goal attempts longer than 50 yards after going 12 for 14 on those kicks in each of the last two seasons.
“The adjectives are almost pathetic, uncharacteristic,” Elliott said. “It was a tough night. I felt pretty good hitting the ball, which I think is the most frustrating part… Even with the couple that didn’t go in, I felt pretty good. I’ll watch the tape.” figure it out, try to recover.
“I don’t need a lot of positivity around me. I also don’t need anyone telling me that I suck and that I need to fix it right now. In a way, I take it on myself. I’m my own harshest critic. “
Coming off a season in which he was a Second Team All-Pro, Elliott is 5 of 8 on field goal attempts in his last three games. The reliable Elliott has the most 50+ field goals in franchise history, making it even more surprising that he didn’t make that long-distance kick this year.
That’s why Eagles coach Nick Sirianni had to say something to Elliott during Thursday’s win.
“We have a lot of faith in him and that’s what you do,” Sirianni said. “You can really build connections in tough times, right? Obviously he was going through a tough time, but this team believes a lot in Jake Elliott because of his record, who he is, their teammate and their captain.” .
“I just wanted to let him know that we all believe in him and we can’t wait for him to have the opportunity to go out and do it again.”
