Saints 2020 Year in Review: Wil Lutz

Following a Pro-Bowl selection a year ago, Saints K Wil Lutz experienced a dip in production in 2020.

Author:
Brendan Boylan
Publish date:
Feb 16, 2021 2:00 PM EST

Fresh off of his first trip to the Pro Bowl, former Georgia State kicker Wil Lutz was poised for another season of consistency and growth in his fifth NFL season.

New Orleans Saints K Wil Lutz hit nearly 90% of his field goal attempts in 2019 and over 93% in 2018 solidifying himself amongst the league's best kickers. Things continued to trend up in the early goings of the 2020 season for Lutz connecting on each of his first 12 field goal attempts and earning NFC Special Team Player of the Week honors for Week 5.

After his first miss of the season in Week 8 against Chicago, Lutz bounced back, going 3 for 3 over the next two weeks against the 49ers and Buccaneers. However, things took a turn for the worst beginning in Week 11 against the Falcons. Between Week 11 and Week 14 Lutz missed 4 of his 6 field goal attempts including a stretch of 3 consecutive misses.

USATSI_15371507_168388561_lowres — © Chuck Cook-USA TODAY Sports

Lutz ended the regular on a high note converting all 3 of his attempts over the last 2 weeks of the season. He concluded the regular season with a career low in Field Goal percentage 23/28 (82.1%) but set a career high in Extra Point percentage 57/58 (98.3%).

In the Wild-Card Round of playoffs, Lutz missed his only field goal attempt of 50-yards but made up for it a week later hitting 2 of 2 against the Buccaneers in the Saints Divisional Round defeat.