Lawrence Tynes had an adventurous start to the season but has since found his stride.

Injured in the first preseason game on a blocked field goal (after missing two other field goals), Tynes returned from his bruised thigh for the regular season only to have his first field goal attempt blocked in the opener against Washington. Tynes wouldn't attempt another until the fourth week, rattling off 11 of 12 until attempting a 61-yarder in the closing seconds against New Orleans on Monday night.

Tynes, whose career long is 53 yards, explained the decision to go for it in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome.

"I think I have a better chance of making that than we do scoring a touchdown," Tynes said on Wednesday. "I don't know what the stats are, but I think two-out-of-five, I can make that kick as opposed to throwing the ball up for a Hail Mary. Usually you see them intercepted. You certainly don't want a return at that point. There's also the possibility of getting that long field goal blocked, too, but I felt like I could make it."

Upon watching the film, Tynes said it fell less than a yard short and that his leg has strengthened since the start of the season. That has shown up in his kickoffs as well.

Tynes has been teeing off nearly three yards longer than he was a year ago, while his 65.1-yard kickoff average this season is above his career average of 62.9.

"We've certainly had some favorable weather this year," Tynes said. "We haven't really played in anything too windy or too cold. But I'm definitely striking the ball a lot better."

Tynes, who has notched 403 of his 744 career points with the Giants, extended his franchise-record of consecutive extra points to 144 last week.

"There were a lot of people involved in that record," said Tynes, who broke Pete Gogolak's streak of 133 earlier in the season. "I've had a few snappers, a few holders, and obviously a bunch of guys protecting. But it's just a product of consistency with what we're trying to do and you'd like to be 100 percent in that category...I know a lot about (Pete). I know he was the first pure soccer style kicker. I definitely followed what he brought to the game and the history of it."

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