HOUSTON – For Texans kicker, Ka’imi Fairbairn swinging his powerful and accurate right leg requires a singular focus.
If one kick is made more important than another, that could impact his well-practiced fundamentals.
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Fairbairn is in a zone, though. He kept splitting the uprights Sunday, hitting six field goals to tie the franchise single-game record. That included the game-winning kick with 12 seconds remaining in a 36-30 victory over the Indianapolis Colts to maintain the fifth seed in the AFC playoff standings. And that final field goal tied the NFL single-season records for field goals with David Akers, who also hit 44 field goals for the San Francisco 49ers in 2011.
“He means everything,” Texans Pro Bowl defensive end Will Anderson Jr. said of Fairbairn’s importance to this playoff squad. “He got us out of a lot of sticky situations, man. And he has put a lot of points on the board for us, man. If it wasn’t for him, we wouldn’t be in the position that we’re in right now.”
Fairbairn connected from 43 yards for the game-winner, following his successful kicks from 44, 43, 29, 48 and 51 yards. He’s hit 91.7 percent of his kicks this season, going 44 for 48 this season for 160 total points with 20 of the Texans’ 38 points Sunday.
“Best kicker in the league,” Texans wide receiver Xavier Hutchinson said. “Ice in his veins.”
Fairbairn emphasized he didn’t know he tied an NFL record that stood for 14 years until he was informed by KPRC 2 that he had hit that milestone.
“I don’t really look at stats, honestly,” Fairbairn said. “I just take it game by game, one at a time. You guys just told me.”
No, a Colts timeout intended to affect his focus meant nothing to him. Fairbairn, 31, isn’t going to be iced.
“We prepare for this,” Fairbairn said. “Regardless of the situation, time on the board, score of the game, you operate the same and that’s at a high level.”
After the game, Fairbairn received a game ball from Texans coach DeMeco Ryans and a lot of praise.
“Shoutout to ‘Imi,” Ryans said. “We can’t be where we are right now without ‘Imi and what he’s been capable of doing. T. A lot of times, I tell our guys, ‘You take for granted when you have such a great kicker who is able to secure you points, even if things don’t go your way in the red zone.’
“You want to score touchdowns every single drive, but it doesn’t happen. You get in range, and you got a sure-footed kicker who can make those points. We are so thankful for ‘Imi and how he consistently has performed throughout this entire year.”
Fairbairn, who tied Randy Bullock’s six field goals made in a 2014 win over the Baltimore Ravens, has been ultra-reliable.
The former Lou Groza award winner from UCLA has been kicking for the Texans for nine years. He missed a few games with a quadriceps injury this season. For his career, Fairbairn has made 244 of 291 field goals (87.6 percent). He’s made all 28 extra points this season.
Fairbairn has just one missed kick in the past seven games, all wins, as part of an NFL-leading nine-game winning streak.
“I missed a couple games, so coming back and staying healthy is part of that,” Fairbairn said. “It’s a blessing to be able to hit that may kicks, because you’re doing it for this team, for this organization and these fans. I just go out and whenever my number’s called, I’ll execute.”
Playing for special teams coordinator Frank Ross, a two-time Rick Gosselin award winner for having the top special teams units, Fairbairn has adapted to a new long snapper this season in rookie Austin Brinkman after legendary long snapper Jon Weeks wasn’t re-signed and joined the San Francisco 49ers.
“I think it starts with coaching and those guys, coach Frank is a great coach, and he really does a great job of getting us ready on a weekly basis,” Fairbairn said. “He demands a lot from us, and we definitely demand a lot from each other, so, yeah, I think that’s pretty neat.”
Aaron Wilson is a Texans and NFL reporter for KPRC 2 and click2houston.com