Dave Toub on Harrison Butker’s missed kick, kicking in the Denver air

After a missed field goal by Kansas City Chiefs’ kicker Harrison Butker against the Cincinnati Bengals, special teams coach Dave Toub says Butker’s confidence is unwavering.

“His confidence is where it needs to be,” Toub asserted. “Every kick…every time the quarter changes he’s thinking about where he’s going to be or how he’s going to play the ball and stuff like that, and [the] different positions of the field. He’s thinking about that constantly.”

While Toub and Butker are touted as the “no-excuses” type, there were many factors that played into the missed field goal, including a low snap.

“[The] snap was low, (Chiefs’ punter and snap holder) Tommy [Townsend] did an outstanding job catching the ball and then getting it down, number one, on the spot…and then he had the laces, he had to spin the laces at the last second,” praised Toub. “It really ended up being a perfect hold. Butker sees that the ball is low so he sees that before he goes and he’s counting on Tommy to clean it up and get it down, which he did, and now Butker just has to make the kick.”

Toub also reasons that Butker didn’t get the feel he wanted when the ball was kicked.

“He just didn’t get the draw on the ball like he normally does (and) he kind of just stayed out there,” Toub explained. “He normally has a draw on his kick, and he just didn’t hit it solid for him. That’s why he missed it.”

Photo by Michael Owens/Getty Images

The Chiefs face two opponents this week: The Denver Broncos and the Denver altitude. Toub is more than ready to face the often-troublesome altitude and has a theory that it actually benefits kickers.

“Up there it seems like the ball carries another five yards,” Toub explained. “That’s usually what I usually say and it kind of holds true.”

Beneficial to kickers as it may seem, it still can be a major factor in a game and preparation is key. Toub expects Butker to be ready to face the elements and warmups will be key in determining his range for the game.

“This week we’re in Denver, I mean, the altitude is going to be a factor,” Toub said. “So (Butker) might have a little bit more of a range this week. So you have to adjust, every week is different.”