The Bears raised a few eyebrows when they drafted Aussie punter Tory Taylor so high in the 2024 NFL Draft, but the Melbourne product proved why it was a good idea with a game-winning performance on Monday morning (AEST).

Meanwhile, in San Francisco, an Aussie is out of form and feeling the heat.

Read on for the Aussies in the NFL wrap!

Tory Taylor (Chicago Bears – punter)

It was a red-letter day for the Aussie, who helped deliver the Bears their second win of the season with two crucial fourth quarter punts.

With the Bears leading 24-18 with just over a minute to go in the final quarter, Taylor came onto the field hoping to pin the Rams deep in their own territory.

From his own 45, Taylor landed a pinpoint punt inside the Rams’ 10, meaning Los Angeles would have to drive over 90 yards to score the game winning touchdown.

To show how perfect Taylor’s late game punt was, ESPN’s win probability model increased from 75.7% to 82.7% in Chicago’s favour.

That wouldn’t be Taylor’s only fourth-quarter highlight.

Earlier, the Melbourne product uncorked a massive 66-yard punt to pin the Rams deep with six minutes left in the fourth quarter.

It just made the Rams’ task of a comeback so much tougher especially against a defence as good as the Bears’.

“I knew it was good straight away,” Taylor said post-game when asked about the monster 66 yarder.

Taylor was used five times, with three of those punts landing inside the Rams’ 20. He averaged a whopping 55.4 yards per punt as well.

Matthew Hayball (New Orleans Saints – punter)

Hayball is improving with each game in what is his debut season in the NFL.

The 27-year-old only punted three times in the Saints’ loss to the Falcons, but made them count.

He worked with short fields and used them to his advantage, pinning the Falcons inside their own 20 on three occasions.

Jordan Mailata (Philadelphia Eagles – offensive lineman)

The Eagles offensive line star was the best-rated Eagle on the field in Philly’s 33-16 loss to the Buccaneers according to Pro Football Focus.

Mailata earned a 90.0 rating, 17.5 rating points above the next best.

It wasn’t the Eagles’ best day, especially from their offensive line, but Mailata was again typically solid for a team that is injury-ravaged.

Mailata did allow a sack late in the game, but at that stage, the game was already out of reach for Philadelphia.

The loss drops the Eagles to 2-2.

Mitch Wishnowsky (San Francisco 49ers – punter)

It’s been an underwhelming season thus far for the Aussie punter, and he was again a little disappointing on Monday despite the 49ers getting back on track with a win.

Wishnowsky has struggled to flip the field position this season when called upon and pin teams deep, with his net punting average of 32.8 the lowest mark in the entire league.

After another ordinary showing in Week 4, some fans on social media site X called upon the 49ers to make a change at punter.

While the NFL, especially the punters’ market is a very fickle industry, Wishnowsky has runs on the board you’d think to keep his spot for at least the foreseeable future.

He needs to start turning it around soon though.

STILL TO PLAY

Daniel Faalele (Baltimore Ravens – offensive lineman)

Michael Dickson (Seattle Seahawks – punter)