Falcons — Doink Stories | Off the Upright

Chapter 1

ATL @ JAX · Dec 22, 1996 · Season 1996, 17

With the franchise's first potential playoff berth on the line, the Jaguars were in a close battle with the Falcons during the last week of the regular season. Luck favored the Jaguars, though, as Hollis made his doinked field goal to go up by 9 in the early 4th quarter. Then, in the closing seconds of the game, with a potential game-winner from 31 yards lined up, Morten Andersen's plant foot slipped and the kick went wide left, and Jacksonville went to the playoffs. In the moments after Hollis's doink, Kevin Harlan prophetically commented: "How about that? Everything that can go right has gone right for Jacksonville and everything that can go wrong has gone wrong for June Jones and Atlanta."

Chapter 2

NE @ ATL · Feb 5, 2017 · Season 2016, Super Bowl

If the theory is that made doinks have a negative impact on the opposing team, then it would be reasonable to think that missed doinks have a negative impact on the kicking team (both anecdotally in terms of team psychology and statistically in terms of EPA).

Given that this missed XP came at the beginning of the infamous 28-3 comeback, we have to wonder if this doink just pissed Tom Brady off even more. Sorry, Falcons fans.

Chapter 3

ATL @ NE · Oct 22, 2017 · Season 2017, 7

In the following season after the Patriots and Falcons Super Bowl showdown, the week 7 rematch saw a far more lop-sided game, with Atlanta only mustering 7 points on the day. Part way through the 3rd quarter, Matt Bryant doinked a 36 yard attempt off the upright. More notable than the doink is the fog that descended on Foxborough during the game, of which Tom Brady said, "I have never seen that. It was just so still out there. The fog had no place to go. I don’t think it affected much, really, at the end of the day. I’m sure it looked cool on TV, though." Matt Bryant may (or may not) disagree.

Chapter 4

PIT @ ATL · Dec 4, 2022 · Season 2022, 13

On November 9, 2022, Wright was signed by the Steelers off the Chiefs practice squad. He was released on December 10.

In that one month, Matthew Wright contributed 2 made doinks in wins for the Steelers. This was the second such game, which saw Wright put up solid numbers, going 4/4 on field goals (including a made doink from 52 yards) and 1/1 on extra points.