49ers kicker Phil Dawson is still learning about Levi's Stadium winds
San Francisco 49ers kicker Phil Dawsontold reporters that he is still learning about the winds at Levi's Stadium after the team's first home preseason game.
Dawson missed both of his field goal attempts is the 49ers 34-0 preseason loss to the Denver Broncos. In the first quarter, Dawson's attempt from 55 yards out was wide right, and in the second quarter, the kicker was wide right again on a 44-yard field goal attempt.
Dawson told reporters Tuesday that doesn't know if he'll have Levi's Stadium "figured out anytime soon."
The kicker said his aim was fine during warmups, but the wind started just before the game began. Eric Branch of SFGate.com reported that Dawson "made all but one of his approximately 50 attempts before the 1 p.m. kickoff."
From SFGate.com:
"I felt like I had a good plan of what to do, the flags and the whole deal," Dawson said. "Then I get in the game, expecting everything to go right to left. I aim a little right and it went right. So you can't aim right and then have it go right. Note to self ...
"Anyone that lives around here knows the wind starts generally around 1 o'clock. So what you learn in pregame may not necessarily help you at all once the game starts."
Branch also reports that Dawson will now make "frequent visits to Levi's to kick around 1 p.m., about the time six of the 49ers' eight home games will start this season."
Dawson's is currently eighth in NFL history with a field-goal percentage of 84.5.
- Sarah Barshop
