Down’s Charlie Smyth was the man of the hour at the Caesars Superdome on Sunday as the New Orleans Saints scraped a 20-17 win against the Carolina Panthers.
The Mayobridge man stepped up for the kick two seconds to the buzzer, the score tied on 17 apiece, slotting over the 47-yard effort to give the hosts a three-point victory, overturning a 10-7 half-time deficit.
Smyth’s game-winner came a fortnight after he scored a 56-yard field goal on his first career NFL start for the Saints in their 21-17 defeat to the Miami Dolphins on November 30th.
Speaking after Sunday’s win, the 24-year-old said he was “delighted to get the opportunity”, adding: “We’ve got a great operation, I never even have to think about the ball being in the right spot, because (long snapper) Zach Wood and (punter) Kai Kroeger are so good. It was a good moment, one I’ll never forget.”
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He added: “I would like to think most guys in the league would dream of having game winners. And it is a pretty good moment. It’s where you feel like you can really help win games for your team. And obviously all the other kicks before that are just as important. But those moments do mean a lot.
“I suppose the outside world would say there’s a lot of pressure on you, but I like to think I embrace those moments. I know it’s gonna be perfect, and it’s just up to you to go out and execute everything you’ve been practising for the last two years.”
Still on the Saints practice squad, Smyth said he wants to be part of the team, adding the US has started to feel like home. “I want to play here and I love it here ... I feel like I’ve got two homes, so it’s pretty cool. I’ll just do the thing and the rest will take care of itself.”
Certainly happy to let Smyth do his thing was Saints head coach Kellen Moore, who said his kicker needed no instruction as he was “ready to go”. “This team has so much confidence in him. I think the juice and the energy that provides – the guys have a lot of confidence when he goes out there, the guys are fires up for him,” said Moore.
“For him to make that kick and execute at that high of a level, the celebration in the locker room, you’ll see it with Charlie and the team. This team loves that guy, and it was awesome.”
Saints quarterback Tyler Shough, who helped set up Smyth’s late attempt, joined Moore in praising the Down man. “100 per cent confidence. We had no doubt – he does that every single day in practice. He had been great throughout the game. I know just seeing it on his face, you’ve got to have a level of cold blood in this to play that position. So, I had full confidence in him. You’re waiting to see it go (over), but I think everybody knew what the results was going to be.”
“I knew (Smyth) was going to knock that down, that’s my boy right there,” added Saints wide receiver Chris Olvae, whose touchdown tied the game with less than two and a half minutes remaining. “He is the most down to earth dude. He deserves the opportunity, and to be able to kick the game-winner, that is huge for him.
“I know he’s been waiting for his opportunity since he got out here, and like I said, I’m super proud of him and that he delivered in the clutch moment.”
