Jets' Greg Zuerlein takes his share of the blame for missed kick

Greg Zuerlein stood a long way from the yellow posts and crossbar Sunday at MetLife Stadium. But he’s called “Greg the Leg” for a reason.

The Jets’ kicker had just boomed a franchise-record 60-yard field goal two weeks earlier. He kicked two from 57 previously this season. When he was with the Rams in 2015, his career best sailed through from 61.

This time the distance was 58. The clock sat at 0:01. Make it and the Jets would force overtime against the Detroit Lions. Miss it and they would lose, 20-17, and take a big hit in the race to draw a wild card in the AFC.

Snap, hold, kick.

Wide left.

“I don’t think there’s any blame to be passed,” Zuerlein said of the distance. “I should’ve made the kick no matter the distance. I didn’t hit it well. That’s life.”

The feeling? Predictable.

“Not good,” he said.

Zuerlein, a 2017 first-team All-Pro with the Rams, knew it the moment it left his foot.

“Oh, yeah,” the 11th-year pro said. “Sometimes you can hit it bad if you’re close and you can get lucky. But most of the time, I’ll know whether it was good or not as soon as I kick it.”

The snap and hold were fine, according to Zuerlein. And the infamous winds of the Meadowlands?

“I wouldn’t say anything too crazy,” Zuerlein said.

His first season with the Jets has gone just fine overall. He made a 34-yarder and both his PAT tries in this game. So Zuerlein, who will turn 35 on Dec. 27, is 25-for-30, including 6-for-9 from at least 50. And he’s 28-for-29 on extra points this season.

Rookie receiver Garrett Wilson felt confident when Zuerlein went out there for the last kick.

“Once again, all the faith in the world,” Wilson said. “Greg is a great player that I’ve been watching since I was I don’t even know how old .  .  . For me, I have all the confidence in the world [in him], and none of that changed, missing that one.”

Zuerlein’s confidence from long range also didn’t take a big hit or even a small one.

“I feel confident any time I go out there,” he said. “If I strike the ball the way I know how, I’m going to make the kick. It didn’t happen today, unfortunately. But I’m very confident in my abilities. I’ve just got to execute when it matters.”