49ers Kicker Chase McLaughlin’s Game-Winning Field Goal Attempt Was Way, Way Off Course

In Tuesday’s Hot Clicks: A shanked game-winner, a gun fight over a football game and more.

Juuuuuust a bit outside

Tony Avelar/AP/Shutterstock

The 49ers might still be undefeated if veteran kicker Robbie Gould hadn’t injured his quad. 

With Gould out injured for San Francisco’s showdown with the Seahawks, the Niners brought in undrafted rookie Chase McLaughlin to handle the kicking duties on Monday Night Football. 

McLaughlin was fine in four games with the Chargers earlier this season, connecting on six of his nine field goal attempts. He also made his first three field goals in his Niners debut, including a 47-yard effort in the final seconds to tie the game and send it to overtime. 

But a second attempt from 47—this time in the overtime period—didn’t go as well. McLaughlin’s would-be game-winner was way, way off course. I thought for sure it was tipped at the line. But no, he just totally shanked it. 

How far off course was the kick? It posed a danger to the people standing all the way off in the tunnel. People standing 30 feet wide of the upright had to duck for cover. 

I can’t decide whether my favorite part is the guy in the yellow signaling “no good” with his hands or the guy who says “That’s a draw, right?” (Although, I can’t tell whether he means a draw as in a tie game or a golf shot that turns left to right.)

McLaughlin is going to be looking for another job as soon as Gould is healthy enough to resume kicking. And, unfortunately, a botched kick in a clutch moment like that is something that could hang over his head as teams decide whether to give him a shot. MNF announcer Joe Tessitore said after the miss that “the moment was too big” for McLaughlin. Clearly it wasn’t, though. He had just made a kick from the same distance to tie the game with one second left. That’s just as big a moment. Hopefully the make is just as much of a factor in whether McLaughlin gets to kick in the NFL again.

The best of SI

Michael Rosenberg reflects on the tragic death of former Michigan State and Lions receiver Charles Rogers. ... Legal analyst Michael McCann examines the now-infamous Dion Waiters “gummy incident.”

Around the sports world

A man in Oregon shot his friend with a shotgun in an argument over the LSU-Alabama game. ... Tom Brady says he’s still not over losing the Super Bowl to the Eagles. ... A 33-year-old Iraq War veteran is a walk-on running back at Colorado State. ... Canada’s Sportsnet finally fired Don Cherry for his anti-immigrant rant. 

Still not as bad as Eric Bledsoe

I’ve seen turnstiles in the subway offer more resistance

Luka is a problem

Really cool interaction here

"You changed the game, man."

Coach Harbaugh's sideline convo with @Lj_era8 at Cincinnati: pic.twitter.com/RR5buBCK3X

— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) November 11, 2019

Is this Canada?

Innovation & thinking outside the box pic.twitter.com/6gfjJOptMI

— Warren Sharp (@SharpFootball) November 12, 2019

No, that’s just how Coach O talks

Facebook's auto captions are less than ideal pic.twitter.com/KokgcW75t5

— Jeremy Krail (@Jeremywastaken) November 11, 2019

An important distinction

Greatest. Correction. Ever. pic.twitter.com/smNLzUHwAT

— Daniel Brogan (@dbrogan) November 11, 2019

Good on Marty Smith

As I recorded my standup for my LSU-Alabama wrap, @MartySmithESPN gave some advice & encouragement. I'm a big fan of his dating back to his NASCAR days, but this was next level. To quote him, "Be kind. Work hard. The rest takes care of itself." Words to live by. Thank you man. 💯 pic.twitter.com/niiE3rJtDW

— Jack Patterson (@JPattersonTV) November 12, 2019

Step aside, Brad Beal

The Wizards just held a press conference about corporate sponsorships in Japan. Apparently Scott Brooks has become very popular in the country. Rui Hachimura’s fans have taken to him as the second-biggest star of the Wizards.

— Chase Hughes (@chasedcsports) November 11, 2019

Not sports

More than 1,600 pounds of remarkably pure cocaine has washed up on French beaches this month. ... E! is bringing back The Soup. ... A tiny deer-like animal was spotted in Vietnam for the first time in 30 years. ... Don’t click this link if you don’t want to see an 8-inch blood clot pulled out of a man’s lung. 

Now I really gotta try this thing

Man says he found half-smoked joint in Popeye's chicken sandwich https://t.co/d0NTDxHevL pic.twitter.com/IJO5AIiFsz

— New York Post (@nypost) November 11, 2019

His reaction was so pure

A good song

Email dan.gartland@simail.com with any feedback or follow me on Twitter for approximately one half-decent baseball joke per week. Bookmark this page to seeprevious editions of Hot Clicks and find the newest edition every day. By popular request I’ve made a Spotify playlist of the music featured here. Visit our Extra Mustard page throughout each day for more offbeat sports stories.