Jake Moody nails a dramatic win as 49ers beat Raiders 22-19 in Las Vegas
San Francisco’s Jake Moody delivered the most dramatic chapter of a roller-coaster preseason for the team’s kicker, hitting a walk-off 59-yard field goal with 37 seconds left to lift the 49ers to a 22-19 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders at Allegiant Stadium. Earlier, Moody had tied the game with a 44-yard kick, while finishing 5-for-6 on the day, including a 30-yard make and a 26-yard successful attempt, after a 53-yard miss and another 26-yarder that snuck through.
Moody’s day swung from near-release fodder to franchise-saving hero, a narrative that mirrored the mixed emotions surrounding him since the 2023 season. The 25-year-old, a 2023 third-round pick and the highest-drafted kicker in seven years, showed the kind of range and accuracy that led San Francisco to keep him in the competition, even after bringing in Greg Joseph in May to push for the job before releasing him on August 4.
After Moody’s string of struggles earlier in the game, coach Kyle Shanahan offered a visible vote of confidence, praising Moody’s performance and saying he “kicked his ass off,” a sentiment echoed by teammates who watched Moody respond to the pressure. Punter and holder Thomas Morstead, in his 17th NFL season, suggested Moody might have been playing for his job in the fourth quarter, noting that Moody stayed focused and delivered when the moment mattered most.
Moody has been working with a sports-performance coach who emphasizes process over outcomes and teaches him to stay grounded on the next kick rather than the previous one. That mindset paid off in the final drive, as Moody went from a high-stress sequence to a game-ending showcase of nerve and leg strength. His ability to refocus and execute under pressure is exactly what San Francisco hoped to see as the regular season approaches.
The game highlighted a simple truth about the kicking position: consistency can flicker in and out, but a kicker’s ceiling is measured by how quickly and calmly they can return to form on big moments. Moody’s 59-yard winner, two yards longer than his longest regular-season kick, showcased both his leg speed and his growing mental resilience—the traits the 49ers want to see if he’s to anchor the position all season.
What this means for Moody going forward is clearer: if he can bottle the final stretch of this game, maintain the mental routines that helped him rebound from the earlier misses, and translate that into steady regular-season performance, the 49ers may feel more confident in their kicking situation heading into Week 1. For the moment, Moody’s day ends with a dramatic highlight reel moment and a potential turning point in his tenure with San Francisco.
Summary of key points
– Moody finished 5-for-6 on field goals, with a 44-yard game-tying kick and a 59-yard walk-off winner.
– Earlier numbers included a 53-yard miss and a 26-yard make, sandwiched around a 30-yard field goal.
– The performance came under intense scrutiny but was backed by head coach Kyle Shanahan and team leadership, who stressed his work ethic and improvement.
– Moody has been focusing on mental approach and pressure handling as part of a broader effort to steady his preseason and regular-season role.
Additional notes and perspective
– The showdown underscored the delicate balance at kicker in today’s NFL: one great moment can erase a string of rough ones in the public eye.
– Morstead’s comments highlighted the veteran camaraderie on a special-teams unit that relies on routine, confidence, and trust in the holder and snapper as much as the kicker’s leg.
– If Moody sustains this level of performance, the 49ers’ special teams unit could gain a stable and dynamic weapon, with the added incentive of him competing at a high level when the lights are brightest.
Hopeful takeaway
– The game demonstrated Moody’s rare ability to rebound from adversity and deliver in clutch situations. If he carries this momentum into the regular season, San Francisco may have found a reliable answer at kicker, turning a potential point of concern into a strength.