Anders Carlson’s Christmas Eve in Charlotte was a wild ride: the Green Bay Packers rookie kicker missed an extra point, connected on a career long 53-yard field goal and made the game-winning field goal during a 33-30 win over the Carolina Panthers on Sunday.
Carlson missed an extra point after the Packers’ second touchdown, his fourth miss (29 of 33) on a point after attempt this season. It was a high snap and the kick never really had a chance. Instead of a 14-3 lead, the Packers took a 13-3 advantage.
But Carlson was perfect from there and became a big reason why the Packers won the game.
The rookie from Auburn bombed a kick from 53 yards to set a new career long at the NFL level. That kick gave the Packers a 16-10 lead after the Panthers scored a touchdown and was Carlson’s first make of 50 or more yards since Week 4.
Carlson proceeded to make his next two extra points — as Panthers kicker Eddy Pineiro missed back-to-back point after attempts — and then, following a chaotic finish, Jordan Love set him up to hit his first game-winning kick.
After the Panthers tied the game at 30, Love hit Romeo Doubs for 36 yards on third down and Tucker Kraft for 20 yards to get the Packers inside the red zone. After three runs, Carlson stepped onto the field and connected on a 32-yard field goal with 19 seconds left. Kickers are expected to make kicks from inside 40 yards, but with a miss earlier and the pressure of both kicking on the road in a new environment and needing to make the kick to keep the Packers in the postseason hunt, Carlson had a few mental and physical hurdles to clear.
His rookie season has been a turbulent one at times, and he currently ranks near the bottom of the NFL in field goal percentage and extra point percentage. He’s missed a few key kicks in big spots that have hurt the Packers down the stretch.
On Sunday, Carlson rebounded from an early miss and made the big kicks when the Packers couldn’t afford a miss.
The tests ahead to finish 2023? A loud, difficult environment at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minnesota and what is likely to be a cold season finale at Lambeau Field. And the pressure will be on: the Packers can’t afford any slip ups or any losses over the final two weeks.
