NFL world in disbelief as extraordinary anomaly robs kicker of history

New Orleans Saints kicker Wil Lutz fell agonisingly short of a piece of NFL history, as his team suffered a heartbreaking 28-25 loss to the Minnesota Vikings on a ‘double-doinked’ missed field goal.

With two seconds left in the game, Lutz lined-up a potential game-tying field goal attempt from 61 yards, only to see his kick bounce off the left upright, then onto the crossbar and back onto the field of play for a miss.

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Replays of the dramatic moment show just how close Lutz came to making the kick and sending the game to overtime.

The crazy finish to the game left NFL fans on Twitter in shock at what they had just witnessed.

Had Lutz made the kick, he would’ve become the first player in NFL history to make two field goals of 60 yards or more in the same game.

Earlier, the 28-year-old had blasted a 60-yard kick through the uprights to tie the scores at 25-25 with 1:51 left in the game.

Speaking after the contest, Lutz told reporters he felt he made solid contact with the ball, but just was not able to sneak it inside the upright.

“They were the same two kicks, unfortunately the second one had one more yard to move… I thought they were both in,” Lutz said.

“I hit ‘em both right on the screws, aimed right third knowing they would move a little left.”

Saints coach backs decision to go for field goal

New Orleans head coach Dennis Allen said there was never any doubt the Saints would send Lutz out to attempt the 61-yarder, especially after his earlier make from 60 yards.

“From where I was standing, I thought it was going to be good,” Allen said.

“Obviously it hit off the left upright and down onto the crossbar and bounced the wrong way for us.

“In that situation we were in the position where we felt like we could make it. I think the field goal before there was a little bit more discussion.

“I give credit to (Saints Special Teams Coordinator Darren Rizzi) who felt really good about Wil knocking that thing through and so we kicked the field goal and Wil hit a beauty.”

Lutz’ missed attempt triggered unpleasant memories for fans of the Chicago Bears, who lost the 2018 NFL Wild Card Playoff game to the Philadelphia Eagles on a double-doinked field goal attempt.

On that occasion, Cody Parkey’s potential game-winning 43-yard field goal bounced off the left upright and crossbar after being tipped by Eagles defensive lineman Trayvon Hester.

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