Seder Manages to Find a New Way to Get His Kicks

The Dallas Cowboys put the ball in the hands of someone who can make a big play: 5-foot-9, 180-pound Tim Seder, their rookie kicker who spent the previous two years as a high school teacher and coach.

Seder scored 17 of Dallas’ points in a 23-6 victory Sunday over Cincinnati, kicking three field goals and two extra points--including the one after his one-yard touchdown run.

Seder took a pitch from holder Micah Knorr on a fake field goal and scooted into the end zone without being touched. His touchdown burst is believed to be the first by a Cowboy kicker and among a select few by kickers in NFL history.

“Really it was pretty easy because the linemen did all the work,” said Seder, who was a running back in high school nearly a decade ago. “They made it easy for me, blowing people out of the way. There was just a huge hole.”

Interestingly, Emmitt Smith had failed to pick up that same yard on the previous play and had also lost a fumble at the Bengal one in the first quarter. Smith gained 16 yards in 17 carries, his worst production without being hurt since 1998.

“I thought it was going to work because of Tim’s background,” said Joe Avezzano, Dallas’ special teams coach. “He was a running back, has been in contact and has a little different mind-set.”

Seder’s big day overshadowed the most yards passing since the 1999 opener for Cowboy quarterback Troy Aikman, who didn’t play the previous week because of a sore back.

On a cold, wet afternoon, Aikman completed 24 of 37 for 308 yards--including a 35-yard touchdown pass to James McKnight--as Dallas (4-6) won for the first time in three games. McKnight caught eight passes for a 164 yards, both career bests.

Dallas led 10-6 in the third quarter when Ebenezer Ekuban forced Bengal quarter Akili Smith to fumble and recovered it at the 29. The Cowboys drove to the one, and after Emmitt Smith was stopped on third down, Seder and Knorr came on for what would have been an 18-yard field-goal attempt.

Knorr, the punter, was hurt in the second quarter and was practically immobile, making a fake unlikely. At least, it was to the Bengals--even though they were tricked on a similar play last season by Cleveland.

“We loaded up on one side [to block the kick] and they found the weak spot on the other,” Cincinnati defender Tom Carter said.

Knorr took the snap and lobbed it up. Seder caught it in stride near the eight, cut left and ran to the back of the end zone, where he celebrated by pumping his fist.