Undoubtedly, it would have been nice (and safe) if Charlie Smyth's first NFL kick would have been a point-after attempt.
Instead, the former Gaelic football goalkeeper on Sunday was summoned to attempt a 56-yarder against the Dolphins at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Fla., with the Saints trailing 19-8 in the fourth quarter and New Orleans needing a successful field goal to give the Saints a chance to tie with a touchdown and two-point conversion.
"The way the game was going (with the Saints trailing 16-0 at halftime), we needed two two-point conversions if we scored a touchdown, so you were curious if the opportunity was going to come up," Smyth said. "Ultimately, you just have to stay ready."
He was ready, and solidified a place in franchise lore in the 21-17 loss.
Smyth easily nailed the 56-yard attempt — after spending two years in the Saints' offseason program, 28 regular-season games as a member of the practice squad and a few days edging ahead of Cade York last week in a kicking competition that followed the release of Blake Grupe.
"Whenever you're in that situation, those juices flow," he said. "You just can't replicate that when you're kicking on your own. Whenever you get that, it's all about fueling that into something that's going to be a positive impact on you. I use it to swing harder.
"The boys had a great operation and I'm just happy to be able to knock it down."
Smyth said he learned he'd won the competition on Friday and spread the news to some friends and family back in Northern Ireland. He found out in just enough time for his parents and two sisters to join him for his NFL debut.
"I think if we had had to wait, like, three or four more hours, I don't think it would have been possible," he said. "I think they're traveling 23 hours. It was awesome to see them there."
His support group also included a kicking coach, his girlfriend (from New Orleans) and her family.
"I told a few people at home when I found out, and there was a watch party in the pub," he said. "I think any time I scored, there was free pints for everybody."
He also executed a perfect onside kick — with the football nearly laying flat on its side — as New Orleans trailed 21-17 with 1:14 left in the game. Receiver Devaughn Vele recovered, giving New Orleans a last opportunity for victory.
"We practiced it during the week and we caught our own hands team off guard," Smyth said. "Vele did a great job, the boys did a great job. It was nice to be able to recover that.
"It's very hard to control where it's going to spin. You know it's going to spin eventually, as long as you don't smack it. We practice that every week, it was nice to be able to help the team out."
"Ice cold, man," quarterback Tyler Shough said. "Ice cold in his veins. I think that's tough, whenever you're sitting around the whole game. You're trying to stay warm. I think he did a really good job, just coming in.
"I think the team saw that, just his neutrality, even in the kicking competition the whole week. He came in there and he made a really tough kick because we've got to convert on that. We knew we really had to get points, so just really proud of him stepping up.
Regarding the onside kick, Shough said, "I see him practicing every single day. Him and Grupe and all those guys, they're dialed in on their craft. I give the credit to him, and all the special teams for stepping up really big there because that's a huge play."
