Heading into the postseason, perhaps the biggest fear for Cowboys fans is the game coming down to the leg of Greg Zuerlein.
The veteran kicker has struggled this season, missing six of 35 field-goal attempts and six of 48 extra-point tries in 2021.
Special teams coordinator John Fassel said Monday he believes Zuerlein's issues are mental rather than physical.
"I think it's just psychological, and there's actually something we're going to do to help him out a little bit that we talked about," Fassel said, via the Dallas Morning News. "But yeah, I think the biggest part is having confidence that this thing is going right down the middle every time."
The man known as Greg The Leg has been erratic all season, including a big 43-yard field goal in the first quarter of an eventual three-point loss to the Arizona Cardinals in Week 17. Zuerlein's 82.9 field goal percentage is fourth-worst in 2021 among kickers with at least 30 attempts. His 87.5 PAT percentage is dead last among all kickers this season.
Fassel worked with Zuerlein for eight seasons with the Rams before bringing him to Dallas in 2020. The coordinator has seen the kicker struggle before and always bounce back. Fassel is confident when it comes to big postseason kicks, Zuerlein will come through.
"There might come a time where, yeah, he doesn't get it back," Fassel said. "But this time isn't now. I love Greg and I believe in Greg and I'm not supporting him just because of my experience over the last 10 years. This is a production business and when we stop producing, things change, but I just have full faith in Greg. I do, and if I'm wrong, then I'll be wrong. But I just really think that I'm going to be right. I guess we'll see."
Fassel then pulled out a Tiger Woods comparison.
"If it was a rookie maybe," Fassel said on being nervous. "But I think every kicker has kinda lost it before and they get it again. I think Tiger Woods, a lot of times, has kinda lost it. If you're a golfer, it's like once you get it down, you stay with it forever. But they kinda lose it or kinda tweak it."
In the crucible of the postseason, the Cowboys need Zuerlein to find a groove before it costs Dallas on the biggest stage.
