Raiders K
Oakland Raiders Pro Bowl candidate Sebastian Janikowski has earned AFC Special Teams Player of the Week, the NFL will announce later this morning.
Janikowski, a 6-foot-1, 258-pound veteran from Florida State, has earned the weekly honor for the seventh time in his 13-year career. Janikowski also earned the AFC’s October Special Teams Player of the Month.
On Sunday in a 15-0 win vs. Kansas City, he nailed five of six attempts, including his 42nd career field goal of 50-plus yards, surpassing No. 3 Morten Anderson (40) and matching John Kasay for No. 2 on the NFL’s all-time list, trailing an active Jason Hanson (52). Janikowski hit multiple 50-yard field goals for the fourth time in his career (also at Ten., Oct. 28, 2007; vs. Ind., Dec. 26, 2010; and at Hou., Oct. 9, 2011), connecting from 57 and 50. On a 51-yard attempt in the second quarter, he came about 2 feet wide left of matching the NFL record he shares for most FG of 50-plus in a game. His 57-yarder, a season best, came on the last play of the first half.
One of history’s most consistently accurate kickers, especially from long range, Janikowski is enjoying his best season. He’s connected on 29 of 32 attempts (90.6 percent), with his only misses coming from 51, 61 and 64 yards. He enters Week 16 having connected on 34 of his last 37 field goals, dating to Dec. 24, 2011). On attempts of 40 yards or less, he has hit 51 in a row, having last missed such an attempt on Sept. 26, 2010, at Arizona (32 yards). On attempts of 40 or more, he has converted 19 of his last 24 (his five misses: 51-, 59-, 61-, 64- and 65-yarders). What’s more, he enters Week 16 with an active streak of 125 successful PATS, having last missed Dec. 14, 2008, vs. New England.
Only 11 kickers in league history have hit at least 90.6 percent of their attempts during a season while perfect from 49 yards or less. In that group, Janikowski has hit the most from long distance.
| Kicker, team | Year | FG | Pct. | Under 50 | 50-plus |
| Tony Zendejas, LARm | 1991 | 17-17 | 100.0 | 15-15 | 2-2 |
| Gary Anderson, Min. | 1998 | 35-35 | 100.0 | 33-33 | 2-2 |
| Jeff Wilkins, StLRm | 2000 | 17-17 | 100.0 | 16-16 | 1-1 |
| Mike Vanderjagt, Ind. | 2003 | 37-37 | 100.0 | 36-36 | 1-1 |
| Kai Forbath, Was. | 2012 | 15-15 | 100.0 | 14-14 | 1-1 |
| Shaun Suisham, Pit. | 2012 | 26-27 | 96.3 | 25-25 | 1-2 |
| Gary Anderson, Min. | 2000 | 22-23 | 95.7 | 22-22 | 0-1 |
| Eddie Murray, Det. | 1988 | 20-21 | 95.2 | 19-19 | 0-1 |
| Dan Bailey, Dal. | 2012 | 27-29 | 93.1 | 24-24 | 3-5 |
| Doug Brien, NO | 1998 | 20-22 | 90.9 | 18-18 | 4-6 |
| S Janikowski, Oak. | 2012 | 29-32 | 90.6 | 23-23 | 6-9 |
