Earlier this season, Sebastian Janikowski surpassed Tim Brown to become the all-time leader for the Raiders in games played.
Now the longtime Oakland place-kicker and career franchise scoring leader is on the verge of setting a league career record for field goals of 50 yards or more.
In Sunday’s disappointing 18-13 loss to the Lions, Janikowski did his part, making both of his field-goal attempts, including one from 56 yards.
That gives Janikowski, in his 16th NFL season, 51 field goals of 50 or more yards, just one behind all-time NFL leader Jason Hanson, who made 52 over 21 pro seasons.
This season, Janikowski has made 3-of-4 from 50 yards or more, and has converted 51-of-91 (56 percent) for his career.
Overall this season, Janikowski has shown no signs of age or regression. Only four NFL kickers have made more field goals from long range than Janikowski (Brandon McManus with five and Robbie Gould, Stephen Gostkowski and Steven Hauschka with four), and his overall accuracy rate of 83.3 (15-of-18) ranks 21st in the league and is higher than his career rate of 80.3 percent.
At age 37, Janikowski remains one of the NFL’s most accurate and strong-legged kickers and a key part of the Raiders’ offense.
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Though he was a controversial first-round pick of Oakland in the 2000 draft, Janikowski – who is signed through 2017 -- long ago proved to be a wise investment.
Plus, he and holder/punter Marquette King are working well together now after their rough 2013 season. Then, in King’s first year as Janikowski’s holder following the departure of Shane Lechler, Janikowski made just 70 percent of his field-goal attempts. Last season that improved to 86.4 percent. With a strong final six games, Janikowski could beat that figure in 2015.
Janikowski, who has missed only four games since coming into the league in 2000, says he’s improved his conditioning and weightlifting program over the years and doesn’t believe he’s taken a step back in any sense.
“I feel great,” he told Jerry McDonald of the Bay Area News Group earlier this season. “I’m just going to keep going as long as I can.”
Janikowski and the 4-6 Raiders will take on the 2-8 Titans in Tennessee this Sunday (10 a.m. kickoff).
