The San Francisco 49ers-Dallas Cowboys rivalry is a long and storied one, with the latest chapter including some mind games involving a struggling kicker.
Yep. We said kicker.
Cowboys kicker Brett Maher has had about as bad a week as anyone in the NFL. Not only did the veteran miss four extra-point attempts in Dallas’ wild-card victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but he also became the talking point of the NFL world, with Jerry Jones addressing his struggles by signing an ex-New England Patriots kicker to the practice squad.
Essentially, Maher has the least secure job in the NFL right now.
The 49ers recognized that and decided to try and get in his head before Sunday’s NFC divisional-round matchup.
In a video posted to Twitter by Michael Gehlken of The Dallas Morning News, 49ers players can be seen interrupting Maher’s pregame kicking routine. Maher was working on the side of the field designated for San Francisco, and though that isn’t out of the ordinary for specialists, 49ers players seemingly took exception to it.
The little game may have had an effect on Maher, as Dallas’ kicker was so erratic that Jones came onto the field to give him a pep talk. All of a sudden, 49ers-Cowboys has become appointment viewing.
