John McClain, a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame and the Texas Sports Hall of Fame, is in his 48th year of covering the NFL in Houston, including 45 seasons at the Houston Chronicle.
It makes perfect sense that Jon Weeks would offer the most sensible explanation of why Ka'imi Fairbairn is off to the greatest start of any kicker in NFL history.
Weeks, the best snapper in the league, is playing in his 15th season, including his ninth with Fairbairn, the AFC Special Teams Player of the Week. Weeks has been working with Fairbairn since the kicker signed with the Texans as an undrafted free agent from UCLA in 2016 and spent his rookie year on injured reserve before winning the job in 2017.
In Sunday's 19-13 victory over Chicago, Fairbairn kicked field goals of 56, 47, 59 and 53 yards. In the 29-27 victory at Indianapolis, he connected from 51, 50 and 51 yards. He was the first kicker to make five 50-plus field goals in a two-game span, and now he's got six in his portfolio.
"He's off to a fantastic start, and the credit goes to him and his preparation," Weeks said this week while the Texans prepared for Sunday's game at Minnesota. "He's detailed in his preparation. It's been showing on Sundays, and it's been awesome to watch."
So how does Weeks explain what Fairbairn is doing? Weeks is his snapper, and first-year punter Tommy Townsend is his holder. Everything is working perfectly, and they're a big reason the Texans are 2-0.
Going into this season, Fairbairn had never attempted more than six field goals of at least 50 yards in a season, and he's reached that milestone in two games. He's made six once, and that was in the 2020 season when he was 6-for-6. He'll shatter his career highs for attempts and makes, possibly when the Texans try to beat the Vikings for the first time.
Fairbairn's right leg must be stronger, right?
Wrong, Weeks said.
"He's always been strong," Weeks said. "He's got a really strong leg. He's got an amazing mental aspect for the game. He prepares like no one I've ever seen. I'm happy for him because he's taking advantage of his opportunities."
And therein lies the answer – opportunities.
Head Coach DeMeco Ryans and special teams coordinator Frank Ross have developed so much faith in Fairbairn's accuracy they're happy to let him attempt field goals from almost any distance, depending on the situation.
"Go back and see how many they've let us kick over 50," Weeks said.
Okay, let's go back in time and check it out.
Since Fairbairn's first season as the Texans' kicker in 2017, he's played for four head coaches and has never attempted more than six field goals of at least 50 yards. From 2018 through 2023, he tried six from 50-plus for six consecutive years and made 26.
"They're letting him hit the ball, and he's putting it through the uprights, and with each kick he makes, they're going to give us more opportunities," Weeks said. "That's all we can ask for."
Ross, who's one of the NFL's best special teams coaches, agrees with Weeks about the opportunities, and he thinks the new kickoff rule has contributed to the record number of field goals.
"I think opportunistic is the word," Ross said. "There have been more opportunities because drives don't have to be as long.
"The new kickoff (rule) generates more scoring opportunities. I want to know how many drives we have from a touchback (that gives teams the ball) at the 30 that (got) 2 ½ first downs, and you're teetering on (Fairbairn's) range."
So what is Fairbairn's maximum distance? The NFL record is 66 yards set by Baltimore's Justin Tucker in 2021.
"If we had a game on the line, and we needed it, I'd be comfortable with him kicking a 64- or 65-yard field goal," Weeks said. "If it's outdoors conditions and with a little wind behind us, maybe 66 or 67."
Ross was also asked about Fairbairn's range.
"I know he has a record of 61 (2021), but I think he can get it there any time over 60," he said. "That's what we're looking for. (I'm) really happy with where we (are) with the field goal unit so far.
Fairbairn, 30, was asked the same question about how far he's capable of kicking a field goal. Sunday night's 59-yarder against the Bears was his second-longest field goal.
"In our stadium, I've gone back to 65 before, but at that point, I have to start hitting it a little harder and changing my technique, which I don't like to do," Fairbairn said. "I'd say 60 to 62 yards, and I can hit the same ball, and it'll go through."
Each of Fairbairn's seven field goals this season have reached the net behind the goal posts. That would give him another 5 yards if Ryans is so inclined to give him that opportunity.
"It's having the team and coach trust you to kick those long field goals," Fairbairn said. "It's how the game goes. We try to take every opportunity we can get. Whatever the distance, I'll line up and try to hit it.
"I try to take the same approach by going through my same routine. If I make it, I enjoy the moment, savor it but don't get caught up in it too much and get back to work."
Naturally, Fairbairn credits the snap and hold.
"Strong roots, strong support system," he said. "I enjoy coming to work with my teammates every day and doing my job."
Fairbairn also credits his daily meditation.
"At the beginning of each day, I try to find that inter-calmness," he said.
"(Kicking) is part of a mental process I'm going through. I'm not overswinging on the long field goals and trying to make sure I have enough distance to get it there."
With Fairbairn kicking so successfully from long distance, Ryans hasn't hesitated calling on him when the opportunity is there. When asked what he believes is Fairbairn's range, Ryans said, "Hopefully, 60. We always test his range (pregame warmups) to see where he is."
Fairbairn's long distance success means Ryans might decide to let him kick in fourth-and-short situations. Three times in the first two games, the Texans have faced fourth-and-1 or fourth-and-2. Rather than have quarterback C.J. Stroud go for the first down, Ryans has called on Fairbairn, who's connected from 51 and 50 against the Colts and 47 against the Bears.
"I think it all depends on where you are in a game," Ryans said. "When it comes fourth down, you know it's better to have an option (and) you don't have to say, 'We have to go for it on fourth-and-4 or less.' I love to have that option in my back pocket. That's always comforting to me as a coach to know I can go in either direction."
Knowing he can count on a kicker who's so consistent in the 50- to 60-yard range might make Ryans the most comfortable coach in the league. Before he calls on Fairbairn, Ryans wants input from Ross.
"You want to see where everyone is on gameday," Ross said. "Who's flying around? Who's got the hot hand? (It's) no different for a kicker. We want to make sure he's feeling good. We know, generally speaking, that to have a good Sunday, you need a good Wednesday and Friday or whatever your kicking schedule is.
"We know his leg is this strong. We think this is our rough range, and then there's a little bit of situational gut instinct that goes into it even though he has his line of demarcation that we talk about pregame."
Because Fairbairn is so vital to point production and can be the difference in winning and losing, he gets lot of special attention when he's warming up. When the offense crosses midfield, the Texans are almost in Fairbairn's range.
"That helps a lot when we're talking pregame about the range," Ryans said about consulting with Ross. "I'm like, 'Man, Frank, are you sure this is his range?' And it seems like he tells me every week, 'Coach, he's hitting it from 60 in warmups.' And I'm like, 'Man, every kicker hits from 60 now.'"
In Week One, there were a record-21 field goals of 50-plus yards in the NFL. There were 14 in Week Two. Kickers have connected on 35-of-39 of at least 50 yards.
Kickers set a league record with 73 field goals in Week Two. Overall, their success rate is 92.1 percent. The league's all-time record is 86.5 in 2013.
"The game has definitely changed from that perspective," Ryans said. "A lot of kickers are able to hit the long ball, and when you have a guy on your side who can do that, I just tell the offense, 'Hey, let's make sure we cross the 50 (and) we've got a shot. I'm thankful to have (Fairbairn) on our side.
"Ka'imi is just calm. As a kicker with so much pressure on you, he's always cool in the moment. He never gets too high or too low. He's banging a 59-yard field goal, and he still comes to the sideline like, 'Hey, that's what I do.'
"When you have that demeanor, I think it really helps you. In that specialist-type mode, you have to be even-keeled. He doesn't show a ton of emotion, anyway. I think that keeps him calm and allows him to perform even when you can't really see the pressure, but we all know and understand the pressure that's on him. He just never shows it."
What Fairbairn does show is that he's off to the best start of any kicker in history, and without him, the Texans wouldn't have a chance to be 3-0 for the first time in 12 years.
