Cowboys & 'Distraught' Kicker Brett Maher Need 'Football Karma' for Playoffs at 49ers

Dallas Cowboys kicker Brett Maher endured an awful night at the Bucs, but John Fassel expects 'Football Karma' to return to his special teams.

The Dallas Cowboys re-wrote history on Monday night against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the 31-14 win at Raymond James Stadium putting to bed all of the "traditional failures'' that had been placed at the feet of the Cowboys during the week.

But Brett Maher created a new sort of history. ... for the wrong reasons.​ 

In an odd turn, Maher, who is usually automatic, missed four consecutive extra points and became the first player to ever do so in a playoff game. 

"We will continue to work," Special-teams coordinator John "Bones'' Fassel said on Tuesday. "We had a great conversation about it. I said, 'Let's not pretend it didn't happen.' But we have a plan and we'll go through it this week. 

"I expect 'Football Karma' to kick in."

Up until Monday night, this was a redemption story for Maher. Just three times he hasn't been 100-percent in his extra-point attempts. Otherwise, he's been nails in his return to Dallas.

After winning the kicking job in training camp after being on the street, Maher just picked the wrong time to have a bad game.

Said Maher: "I feel very fortunate to have the teammates I have and the coaching staff that I have. They lifted me. It's time to do my part.''

But ... is Maher a keeper as Dallas moves to the next round of the playoffs with a visit to San Francisco on Sunday?

"Hell, yeah … If you ask me, absolutely," Fassel said on Maher being the kicker going forward. "It's just one of those days. He was distraught, like I am. But I have full confidence that he'll rebound."

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