The wind was swirling and the rain was coming down late in the fourth quarter on Sunday with the Eagles trailing 31-28. Calmly, Jake Elliott trotted out to the field but had to wait a little longer after Buffalo called a timeout in an effort to ice the 28-year-old. Elliott lined up and drilled a game-tying 59-yard field goal into the rain-drenched night at Lincoln Financial Field to tie the game at 31-31 to send the game to overtime.
The fact of the matter is, Jake Elliott has ice in his veins.
He’s clutch. He’s unbothered. He’s reliable and has become quite the weapon for the Eagles who signed him in 2017 off Cincinnati’s practice squad. After yet another kick that will be remembered for a long time by fans, he’s also starting to be compared to the franchises’ best kicker, David Akers.
Jake Elliott is Captain Clutch
It’s not easy to do what Elliott did on Sunday, or what he has done during his entire tenure in Philadelphia. On the sidelines, staying loose, trying to simulate kicking monumental field goals into the net on the sidelines when his name is called. Yet, the former 5th-round pick has rarely faltered when it matters most.
With the clutch kick in Sunday’s 37-34 wild win against the Bills, Elliott is now a perfect 8-for-8 on game-tying or go-ahead field goals in the final two minutes of regulation or in overtime according to ESPN Stats & Info.
Some may certainly remember some of those other seven kicks prior to last night. Perhaps his most memorable came in his rookie season in 2017 in a game against the New York Giants at Lincoln Financial Field. The NFC East rivals were knotted at 24 apiece with one second left. Elliott drilled a 61-yard game-winner, his longest field goal of his career and a franchise record.
Here’s a quick list from Jimmy Kempski of some other notable Jake Elliott kicks:
Going the Distance
This season, Elliott has made 19 of his 21 field goal attempts this season and now 6 of 7 on kicks 50 yards or more. Those six successful field goals from 50+ are tied for second in the league, only behind Cleveland’s Dustin Hopkins and Indianapolis’ Matt Gay, who each have seven.
In his career, Jake Elliott has knocked through 24 field goals of 50 or more yards on 35 attempts, which is a 69% clip.
Jake Elliott vs. David Akers
With the success and clutch kicking from Elliott, it certainly has started the conversation whether or not he’s as good, or perhaps, better than Akers. Akers, who is in the Eagles’ Hall of Fame, spent 12 seasons with the Eagles during the team’s glory days of the early 2000’s. He was a six-time Pro Bowler and one of the best kickers during his playing career. Here’s how Elliott’s seven seasons with the Eagles stacks up to Akers’ 10-year run from 2001-2010 when he was one of the top kickers in the league.
Jake Elliott:
-Field Goal Percentage: 85.2% (156 made in 183 attempts)
-50+ Field Goals Made: 24
–50+ Field Goals Percentage: 68.5% (24 made in 35 attempts)
-Extra Point Percentage: 95.5%, (255 made in 267 attempts)
-106 games played
David Akers:
-Field Goal Percentage: 82.4% (262 made in 318 attempts)
-50+ Field Goals Made: 13
–50+ Field Goals Percentage: 46.4% (13 made in 28 attempts)
-Extra Point Percentage: 99.0%, (405 made in 409 attempts) *
*PATs were attempted from two-yard line until 2015
-156 games played
Elliott is certainly on pace to put up better numbers than Akers by his 10th season with the Eagles. Akers might have the slight edge right now. However, Elliott is closing the gap quickly.
He could very well join Akers in the Eagles’ Hall of Fame when it’s all said and done.
AP Photo/Chris Szagola
