Chris Boswell is no longer perfect on the season. It’s hardly his fault. Boswell’s first miss of 2025 came on a blocked field goal at the end of the first half. Minnesota Vikings DB Isaiah Rodgers ran past TE Pat Freiermuth, came flying off the edge, and got a hand on Boswell’s 30-yard attempt. Speaking to the media Tuesday, coaches and players explained what went wrong.
“It was just a lack of technique by a player,” special teams coordinator Danny Smith told reporters yesterday via the team website. “It was a good jump by an opposing player. He had great speed coming off the edge and he did a good job. More power to him, but it was a lack of technique on our part.”
Rodgers continues to make plays against AFC North squads. Two weeks ago, he had the game of a lifetime, forcing two fumbles and scoring two touchdowns. One on one of those fumbles he forced, another on a pick-six.
Sunday’s game was less gaudy but still impactful against the Steelers. His block led to a 6-point swing. The Steelers couldn’t add three points while the Vikings’ ensuing drive resulted in a field goal of their own, narrowing the gap to 14-6 at the half.
While Smith didn’t name names, Freiermuth took responsibility.
“I just missed the punch. Definitely a play I wanna get back,” he said via the team website. “Just missed my hand. Credit to him. He’s really good off the edge. Just dipped under my punch. I’ll get better from it, learn from it and…get it right.”
Looking at the play above, Freiermuth’s left hand never gets a piece Rodgers. A clear miss and like an offensive tackle whiffing on his punch to an EDGE rusher, it allowed Rodgers to turn the corner.
Smith teaches field goal wings like Freiermuth to punch off the edge instead of holding their arm straight out the entire time. That makes it harder for the rusher to time and chop down the wings hand. Of course, it requires the “puncher” to play with proper technique. Freiermuth didn’t and it cost him.
Blocked field goals have skyrocketed around the NFL. The reasons may vary, Smith cited bad technique as the most frequent reason, but there’s a stronger culture in teams believing they can make it an impactful play. With how locked in kickers have become, field goal rush teams have to answer. Blocking field goals like Boswell’s is stealing points. It’s been the only way team’s can stop him. His last two misses, Cincinnati in 2024 and Minnesota Sunday, have been blocked.
