### 49ers Kicker Jake Moody Redeems Rough Game with Game-Winning Kick

San Francisco 49ers kicker Jake Moody faced one of his toughest outings yet in a game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Despite making the crucial game-winning kick on the final play, Moody missed three other attempts in what could be considered his worst performance as a pro. This game marked his return after a high ankle sprain that sidelined him since Week 5.

Head coach Kyle Shanahan, however, isn't ready to discard his kicker just yet. Reflecting on Moody's performance during a Monday conference call, Shanahan maintained his philosophy of "you're only as good as your last kick." He acknowledged the challenging conditions Moody faced, noting the unsteady wind direction as a complicating factor. "He missed three kicks. I thought it wasn't the easiest place to kick in. The wind was weird, especially the direction that he missed the stuff. It was different. But it was a few big kicks and came back and hit his first game winner on a walk off. So, thought he finished it well and we'll move on to next week with it," Shanahan commented.

Before Sunday's game, Moody had been reliably consistent, missing only one kick all season—a 55-yard attempt in Week 3 against the Los Angeles Rams. Last year, he only had one game with multiple missed kicks, occurring in a Week 6 loss to the Cleveland Browns, where one of his misses was a potential game-winning effort.

The 49ers' decision to give Moody another shot at a field goal during Sunday's game underscored their confidence in their 2023 third-round pick. While the team aims to improve their offensive drives into touchdowns, Moody remains a reliable piece of their strategy moving forward.