FRISCO, Texas -- With 100 career made field goals, Dallas Cowboys kicker Brandon Aubrey is officially in the NFL record books when it comes to accuracy.
Well, yet another part of the NFL record book, anyway.
He has made 90.3% of his kicks, second in NFL history to Cameron Dicker of the Los Angeles Chargers, who has made 93.6% of his kicks.
Aubrey found himself on the list by making five field goals against the Detroit Lions. He became the first kicker with three field goal makes from at least 55 yards in the same game. He connected from 55, 57 and 63 yards. His 63-yarder was his third from more than 60 in the season, an NFL record. The rest of the league has six this season.
He now has six career field goals of 60 yards or longer, extending his NFL record. Aubrey tied Kansas City's Harrison Butker for quickest to 100 field goals (47 games). It was his second career game with five field goals.
He also had a tackle on a 40-yard kickoff return.
"Form was not maybe what we teach, but did a good job getting the guy on the ground," coach Brian Schottenheimer said. "So, he's a dual-threat guy now for us."
The Cowboys don't want Aubrey to make many more tackles, but he did keep his right leg out of the hit when stopping Lions receiver Tom Kennedy.
"He's just an incredible kicker. He's so poised. He's so confident," Schottenheimer said. "A week or two ago, when he actually missed on one you thought the world was coming to an end. I just think he's so talented but just so clutch."
Aubrey is set to be a restricted free agent after the season. The Cowboys probably would place the second-round tender on him, which might scare off teams from signing him to an offer sheet. If they are able to get a deal done with unrestricted free agent wide receiver George Pickens, their top candidate for the franchise tag, the tag could be an option for Aubrey.
There have been discussions between the two sides, but nothing has gotten close -- yet.
Maybe it will be inevitable, like Aubrey making a field goal.
"No one has ever said, 'What in the hell are you doing, Schotty? Do not put him out there,'" the coach said.
A route of his own
Receiver Michael Irvin built much of his Hall of Fame career on the "Bang-8" route, a quick post. Tight end Jason Witten built much of his soon-to-be Hall of Fame career on "Y option," a route that gave him the freedom to pivot either way depending on the defender.
Pickens isn't there just yet with the slant, but he is making the slant his own in his first year with the Cowboys.
"It's kind of inevitable," Pickens said. "It's going to happen regardless."
If corners are playing with inside leverage, Pickens can still get to his spot with a quick move to the outside and use his strength. If the corner is playing outside or soft, he can create quick separation.
"I feel like that slant's not too much. It's a short route, so everything is pretty much on me," he said. "If he guards me, make a contested catch or I cook him off the line."
Before Thursday's 44-30 loss to the Lions, Pickens led the NFL with 292 receiving yards on slants, 126 more than Houston's Nico Collins. Pickens was targeted on 61% of his slant routes, most in the league. Teammate CeeDee Lamb is second at 56%, according to NFL Next Gen Stats.
But the Lions were able to take away the slant to a degree. Pickens had one reception on a slant negated by a face mask penalty, and he caught one more.
"Two of those slants just didn't go our way. Whether it's the call, whether that's the play, there's a lot of stuff that didn't go our way," Pickens said after the game.
The Cowboys and Pickens have answers off the slant, converting to deeper routes if necessary, which Schottenheimer wished he had gotten to versus Detroit. Schottenheimer won't shy away from getting the ball to Pickens on the slant.
"Executing something that the defense knows is coming," Schottenheimer said, "I think is really cool."
Just ask Irvin and Witten.
Bring the noise
Even though he is 6-foot-6, 332 pounds, Tyler Smith can be rather unassuming, but that changes when he gets on the field. His pregame speeches to the offensive line the past month are proof.
The Pro Bowl left guard has started talking to the offensive line group during pregame warmups, and it is pretty intense. So intense that when he popped Tyler Guyton in the chest recently, the left tackle gave a side glance to the videographer filming the speech.
"I really didn't think I hit him that hard at the time, but when you go back and watch the tape, the eye in the sky didn't lie," Smith said. "I did kind of hit him hard. But it's all fun and games. He was like, 'It's cool, bro, you're getting us hyped.'"
Smith's speeches are brief and carry the same message: Be dominant, be physical.
"Be who we know we are," Smith said. "That's something we're going to emphasize and continue to emphasize. And it's something that everybody in the room knows. Even though I'm the one speaking, I'm hearing everything everybody said during the week and I'm summarizing that."
The Cowboys are 3-1 since Smith started delivering his speeches.
"Sizz brings the passion, the energy," right tackle Terence Steele said. "Guys feed off of it and we love it."
