Graham Gano knows Carolina Panthers are running out of chances as they bid to make the NFL play-offs and a shot at the Super Bowl.
But, against all the odds, their season is still alive. The Arbroath-born kicker is aiming to become the second Scot - after former New York Giants' kicker Lawrence Tynes - to win a Super Bowl ring.
The Panthers looked out of it last month after six straight losses but can still make the play-offs after winning their last two games.
They host Cleveland Browns in a must-win game this weekend hoping they can keep their season alive until the final regular-season match against Atlanta Falcons.
Carolina are seeking to become only the second team in NFL history to make the play-offs with a losing record and Gano has a huge part to play.
He booted four field goals in last weekend's narrow win over Tampa Bay Buccaneers which talismanic quarterback Cam Newton missed when he broke two bones in his back in a car accident.
He has resumed training this week and a late decision will be made on whether to start him.
Gano has a particular reason for wanting to take the season to a last-game decider against the Falcons.
In mid-November, he missed a couple of long field goals in a 19-17 defeat, albeit his last-second attempt from 63 yard would have been just a yard short of equalling the longest in NFL history.
It was blocked by Falcons' defensive end Ra'Shede Hageman to seal his team's victory.
"I was wanting that opportunity really bad to redeem myself after the first one," Gano said. "It's just unfortunate that it ended that way."
The kicker has made field goals from 70 yards in practice and thought he had nailed this one.
"I've kicked long enough where I can tell if it's a good ball or not, and I felt like that ball was going to hit the net," he continued.
"I've been blessed with a strong leg, so I don't have to change the way I kick it. I hit that ball just like I do the rest, and I hit it well. It felt good coming off my foot."
He would love another such opportunity and, if he can draw inspiration from anyone, then it is Tynes.
The Greenock-born kicker famously missed two field goals in the NFC Championship game at Green Bay Packers in January, 2008, before making his third in overtime to send the Giants to the Super Bowl in Arizona where they went on to beat New England Patriots.
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