Grim Sean McVay quote spells doom for Brett Maher before Cowboys matchup

The Dallas Cowboys face an overachieving LA Rams team in Week 8. These teams locked horns last season at SoFi Stadium and Dallas won a 22-10 defensive battle as Cooper Rush started at quarterback in place of an injured Dak Prescott.

It was a sluggish day for the Cowboys offense. Luckily, DeMarcus Lawrence opened the scoring with a scoop-and-score TD and Brett Maher was a perfect 3-for-3 on field goals, including a long of 40 yards, and made his only extra point.

In the end, Maher's 10 points equaled that of the Rams.

Now kicking for the Rams after a quick stop with the Broncos in training camp, Maher's dealing with another case of the yips before his return to AT&T Stadium.

Maher missed two field goals and an extra point in LA's loss to the Steelers on Sunday. That adds up to seven points in a game the Rams lost by seven. It's tough to say whether Maher's job is in jeopardy, but head coach Sean McVay's postgame quote doesn't bode well for the former Cowboy.

Former Cowboys kicker Brett Maher continues to struggle with LA Rams.

“We’ll look at it, and we’ll see. He’s got to be better. That’s seven points that were missed out on, that were key and critical for the momentum of the game and the type of game that it was. Those were tough ones, today," McVay said.

Not exactly a ringing endorsement from McVay. The only problem is the lack of proven kickers available on the market. McVay and the Rams have to decide whether to trust that Maher will figure it out, or cut him outright and sign a replacement.

Alternatively, Los Angeles could lay the groundwork for Maher's eventual release by signing a free agent as competition during practice. If Maher's struggles persist, then the decision is made for them. Even with the lack of alternative options, though, McVay's quote suggests Maher's job is anything but safe.

An uninspiring 16-for-20 on field goals entering Week 7, Maher is now 17-of-23 for the season after Sunday's dud. He's missed four straight kicks from beyond 50 yards. Range was once upon a time Maher's calling card. The fact he's struggling from distance now speaks to where his confidence level is at.

Maybe Maher hasn't recovered from the 2022 playoffs when he missed 5-of-6 extra points and entered the NFL history books in the process.

Maher returning to his old stomping grounds makes for a fun backstory, but at this rate it's anyone's guess if he'll kick against the Cowboys in Week 8.

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