If it seemed like every game of Week 1 of the 2022 NFL betting season came down to the final moments, you’re not that far off. 

Of the 13 games Sunday afternoon, nine of them were decided by single digits. Six of those had a margin of victory of three points or fewer. 

As one could surmise, the nailbiters put a lot of pressure on kickers. Some got it done, others didn’t. 

Cincinnati’s Evan McPherson and Pittsburgh’s Chris Boswell, two kickers presumably cut-proof, both struggled to help their teams until finally Boswell connected on a field goal in OT of a 23-20 road win. 

Rodrigo Blankenship sliced a 42-yarder in overtime for Indianapolis, a game that ended in a tie with the underdog Texans. It cost him his job, as the Colts cut Blankenship on Tuesday. 

Other kickers may have reason to look over their shoulders too in this what-have-you-done-for-me-lately NFL world. 

Bookies.com oddsmaker Adam Thompson has revealed his hypothetical NFL odds as to which kicker gets the next pink slip in 2022: 

Next NFL Kicker Cut Odds

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Patterson went 3-for-4 on field goals for Jacksonville in its opening loss at Washington. He just landed with the team two weeks ago after being claimed off waivers from the Lions. For what it’s worth, Patterson was at or near the bottom of most kicker charts when the season began. It’s Patterson’s job but he may get on the hot seat quick, especially if the Jaguars compete in close games and he doesn’t come through. 

Zuerlein was picked up by the Jets in March after being cut by the Cowboys, but beat out Pineiro in a training camp battle for the gig. But he went 1-for-2 on field goals in Week 1 and missed his lone XP attempt. 

Pineiro landed in Carolina just two weeks ago after Zane Gonzalez was lost for the season due to injury. Pineiro could be the first in a revolving door of Panthers kickers, though Week 1 went fine; he hit his lone field goal (a 37-yarder) and all three extra points.

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The Seahawks stuck with Myers for 2022 after hitting a career-worst 74% of field goal attempts with a horrible 37% touchback rate on kickoffs. He went 6-of-10 from beyond 40, but is getting a mulligan after a 15-of-15 rate in 2020. 

Santos was just 1-of-3 on extra points but we all saw the wild weather in Chicago on Sunday. He was 11-of-15 on FGs over 40 yards in 2021 and has a contract that has three seasons left on it (including this one). He’s also someone who has been cut five times over the last five seasons. 

Fairbairn isn’t regarded as one of the better kickers in the NFL, yet he enters Year Six with the Texans and is signed through 2023. He missed four extra points and was 6-of-10 on 40-plus FGs last season but did just fine in Week 1, with 45- and 43-yard hits. 

The Field is a strong consideration in the volatile world of the placekicker. A few notably stand out. Detroit’s Austin Seibert played in just six games last season – and five games combined the two years prior. He did hit on 10 of his 12 attempts, including 6-of-8 from 40-plus yards, and did nothing in Week 1 to hurt his status, hitting all five extra points. 

Brett Maher won a training camp battle for the Cowboys gig. It’s his second stint with the team after a season in New Orleans. He was a solid 16-of-18 on FGs last year and nailed a 50-yarder on Sunday night in Week 1. His two-year run in Dallas in 2018-19 was not as solid (5-of-13 on FGs over 40 yards in ’19). 

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