Perfect on field goals, Chris Boswell thinks extra-point issues are behind Steelers

Chris Boswell will put the NFL’s longest active field-goal streak on the line Sunday when the Pittsburgh Steelers travel to Jacksonville.

The veteran kicker has made his past 25 field goal attempts in succession, including all 14 this season.

After the franchise-record 59-yard attempt he made two weeks ago in Dallas, no scenario should seem impossible for him.

Boswell’s streak appeared to be in jeopardy when his first try from 54 yards was wide left. But the Steelers were flagged for a false start, moving the ball back five yards. This time, Boswell sent the ball soaring through the uprights.

“It was a kick I had to make at the time,” Boswell said of the kick that pulled the Steelers within 13-9 of the Cowboys at halftime. “It was 59 yards, and the hair raises up on your arms a little bit. You know you really have to hit that ball really well to let it fly that far. One thing I told myself is it wasn’t coming up short. I put everything I had into that kick, and it went in.”

It was Boswell’s only attempt longer than 50 yards this season. Boswell made a 43-yarder later in the game and kicked three more field goals last Sunday against Cincinnati, including attempts of 41 and 45 yards. He is 5 of 5 from between 40 and 49 yards for the season.

For all of his success at converting three points, Boswell has missed three PAT attempts this year, one in the season opener and two in Dallas. His second miss against the Cowboys was blocked.

The Cowboys, perhaps illegally, exploited a gap in the protection that led to the PAT block. The Steelers, though, had no such issues against Cincinnati, and Boswell believes those problems won’t arise again..

“It’s just going back to the basics and starting from the ground up,” he said. “You get into such a good routine being that it’s the seventh or eighth game that you can forget about details that goes into every single thing you do. It becomes routine at that point. … It’s remembering all those little details and starting fresh from there.”