Can we finally say CROSBY HAS TO GO?

[gbpackfan]

ANY good kicker should make a 42 yarder. We NEED him to make those. We are very, very lucky that miss didn't cost us dearly today. Does anyone trust this guy to make a FG from any length? I sure don't. The only problem is.....is there anyone on the street that is better?

[Maxie the Taxi]

ANY good kicker should make a 42 yarder. We NEED him to make those. We are very, very lucky that miss didn't cost us dearly today. Does anyone trust this guy to make a FG from any length? I sure don't. The only problem is.....is there anyone on the street that is better?

It sure would depend on who's available to take his place.

I think we're stuck with him for the duration.

Let's hope it's just a kicker thing and he eventually gets his head screwed on straight.

[Badgerinmaine]

Washington didn't think he was clutch, and his miss sunk them against the Saints, but Shaun Suisham was 18 of 21 this year. Not a big leg, though.

[Brandon494]

Crosby might have one of the stronger legs in the league but he is not "clutch" We need to bring in another kicker in the offseason.

[red]

wheres patler?

was that hold off too? :wink:

[Spaulding]

I have no idea why (probably other than I watched him at Colorado where he shined), but my gut still says it's a temporary thing and that when push comes to shove he's going to come through.

I know he's been mediocre this year and missed some crucial kicks last year (was at the Metrodome game where his kick would have won it) but I think it's a mental thing right now.

I firmly believe he'll overcome this and produce down then.

[gbpackfan]

Crosby might have one of the stronger legs in the league but he is not "clutch" We need to bring in another kicker in the offseason.

The offseason? So we can allow him to keep missing and missing and missing and missing and missing and missing..........

[Tony Oday]

Crosby needs to be gone now. We need a guy that can hit mid range FGs

[Packers4Ever]

ANY good kicker should make a 42 yarder. We NEED him to make those. We are very, very lucky that miss didn't cost us dearly today. Does anyone trust this guy to make a FG from any length? I sure don't. The only problem is.....is there anyone on the street that is better?

It sure would depend on who's available to take his place.

I think we're stuck with him for the duration.

Let's hope it's just a kicker thing and he eventually gets his head screwed on straight.


NO NO NO !!!

I know between seasons is the ideal way but doggone it, this guy has
missed too many ! The next one could mean the loss of a Packer
game and we're not that far ahead of that many teams !

MM are you listening ??

[Maxie the Taxi]

Crosby and Nick Folk were the best kickers coming out of that draft.

Right now they are both on the ropes.

[Maxie the Taxi]

ANY good kicker should make a 42 yarder. We NEED him to make those. We are very, very lucky that miss didn't cost us dearly today. Does anyone trust this guy to make a FG from any length? I sure don't. The only problem is.....is there anyone on the street that is better?

It sure would depend on who's available to take his place.

I think we're stuck with him for the duration.

Let's hope it's just a kicker thing and he eventually gets his head screwed on straight.


NO NO NO !!!

I know between seasons is the ideal way but doggone it, this guy has
missed too many ! The next one could mean the loss of a Packer
game and we're not that far ahead of that many teams !

MM are you listening ??

I'd be shocked as hell if McStubby and TT changed horses in mid-stream. It's against their religion.

[Scott Campbell]

I really like Crosby, but he's really pushing it - literally and figuratively.

[red]

does he have a kicking coach

has slocum screwed him up or what

he was one of the best, if not THE best kickers in the league his first year or two

now we can't count on him

i've been a big supporter of him and defended him until last week. this week didn't help swing me back

something has screwed him up this year

did he change something?

[Fosco33]

Do you really want Rayner back?

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/players/7378/career;_ylt=Ag16e_ORD.35B4bBnl2gZrn.uLYF

In '06 -

20-29
11 for 12

30-39
6 for 9

40-49
8 for 11

50+
1 for 3

[Fosco33]

He's shaken right now - he needs some confidence...

[Brandon494]

Crosby might have one of the stronger legs in the league but he is not "clutch" We need to bring in another kicker in the offseason.

The offseason? So we can allow him to keep missing and missing and missing and missing and missing and missing..........

Who are we going to get now with 4 games left in the season?

[Packers4Ever]

I have no idea why (probably other than I watched him at Colorado where he shined), but my gut still says it's a temporary thing and that when push comes to shove he's going to come through.

I know he's been mediocre this year and missed some crucial kicks last year (was at the Metrodome game where his kick would have won it) but I think it's a mental thing right now.

I firmly believe he'll overcome this and produce down then.


He's in his 3rd year, how many more does it take?

One of these weeks that 3 pointer will lose a game for us. :(

[green_bowl_packer]

all his misses are to the right side, I don't know why he doesn't aim down the middle more.

[Lurker64]

I've always been a proponent of not wanting to get rid of anybody on your roster unless a suitable replacement or clear upgrade was available for a price that's reasonable. That is, you don't cut your kicker because he's bad, you cut your kicker because you can get a better one without mortgaging the team to do so.

That being said, it's time to start looking at other kickers. Crosby should absolutely not be the only kicker brought in to offseason activities.

[BallHawk]

Why hasn't anybody mentioned that McCarthy was basically playing for a 40+ yard FG in cold weather? Crosby should make that kick, but why is MM completely contempt with just letting the kid kick it from far out? If you want to remedy the problem you let him kick a few short ones to get his confidence up.

And calling for his head is just stupid. I'm all for bringing in competition during camp, but if anybody seriously thinks that there's somebody out there that would be better for this team than Crosby...that's just stupid.

[ThunderDan]

Why hasn't anybody mentioned that McCarthy was basically playing for a 40+ yard FG in cold weather? Crosby should make that kick, but why is MM completely contempt with just letting the kid kick it from far out? If you want to remedy the problem you let him kick a few short ones to get his confidence up.

And calling for his head is just stupid. I'm all for bringing in competition during camp, but if anybody seriously thinks that there's somebody out there that would be better for this team than Crosby...that's just stupid.

Sounds like everyone else 5 weeks ago calling for every coach to be fired!

[Patler]

wheres patler?

was that hold off too? :wink:

I have no idea whether it was or not, just as I didn't last week (although I suspected it from the bobbled snap). I didn't know until Slocum explained it. Are you doubting my explanation last week, after Slocum said almost exactly the same thing that I did?

Yes, Crosby should have made the kick today. I would have expected him to make the kick. I did expect him to make the kick. Was I shocked that he missed? No. Would I have been shocked if any kicker missed it? No, not really. Would I have wanted my kicker to make it? Yes.

That being said, take a look at what's available out there. Not much. Heck, as I explained last week, kicks from beyond 40 are not automatic for any of the kickers on teams, no matter what you would like to think.

Haven't watched the game yet, but I did listen to it. I will watch it tonight. The kick was wide right, wasn't it. Most of his misses have been wide right, which leads me to believe it is correctable. But it will take a coach who understands kicking to sort it out.

I wouldn't give up on Crosby yet, but I would certainly start looking in the off season.

[Brandon494]

Why hasn't anybody mentioned that McCarthy was basically playing for a 40+ yard FG in cold weather? Crosby should make that kick, but why is MM completely contempt with just letting the kid kick it from far out? If you want to remedy the problem you let him kick a few short ones to get his confidence up.

And calling for his head is just stupid. I'm all for bringing in competition during camp, but if anybody seriously thinks that there's somebody out there that would be better for this team than Crosby...that's just stupid.

If BJack catches that ball he either picks up the first or its a 35-38 yard FG. The kicker has one job and Crosby always seems to miss the clutch kicks. Thats all on Crosby, not MM.

[digitaldean]

You DO NOT change kickers now unless someone like Matt Stover are available. And now like that is.

Undoubtedly, Crosby will have to have SIGNIFICANT competition next season.

I am more PO'd at the execution by the offense. They failed to do it today.

Nelson and Jones didn't appear to be involved much, if at all, in the game plan.

[MJZiggy]

We can SAY he has to go all we want. He won't go unless M3 thinks the Skins were as stupid as the local press does to let Suisham go...

[BZnDallas]

i know his kicking has hurt us the last few weeks, but so has the rest of the special teams!!... maybe we should keep him for the rest of this year and get a new special teams coach next year to see what he can do with the kid (along with bringing in new competition in the off-season).... i'd hate to have his big leg somewhere else with a better ST coach, and have it come back to bite us even bigger in the ass... just one mans opinion....

[bobblehead]

wheres patler?

was that hold off too? :wink:

I have no idea whether it was or not, just as I didn't last week (although I suspected it from the bobbled snap). I didn't know until Slocum explained it. Are you doubting my explanation last week, after Slocum said almost exactly the same thing that I did?

Yes, Crosby should have made the kick today. I would have expected him to make the kick. I did expect him to make the kick. Was I shocked that he missed? No. Would I have been shocked if any kicker missed it? No, not really. Would I have wanted my kicker to make it? Yes.

That being said, take a look at what's available out there. Not much. Heck, as I explained last week, kicks from beyond 40 are not automatic for any of the kickers on teams, no matter what you would like to think.

Haven't watched the game yet, but I did listen to it. I will watch it tonight. The kick was wide right, wasn't it. Most of his misses have been wide right, which leads me to believe it is correctable. But it will take a coach who understands kicking to sort it out.

I wouldn't give up on Crosby yet, but I would certainly start looking in the off season.

I have to say patler that you swayed me slightly with his overall numbers, but I'm getting back to where I was in that I want him replaced. I love his big leg except that when its clutch time he comes up wanting. He was the same way in college from what I have heard, when it was go time he missed a healthy percentage. There are a mountain of guys who can kick 38 yarders consistently, but what makes and NFL kicker is ice water in the veins. 5 of the last 6 important 2nd half kicks that I recall, Crosby missed.

[Spaulding]

Hopefully he'll be the inverse of Gary Anderson circa 1999 where although he's been shakey during the regular season he's automatic in the playoffs.

Wishful thinking but given it looks like he continues to push to the right you'd hope it's a correction that he makes soon.

[red]

wheres patler?

was that hold off too? :wink:

Are you doubting my explanation last week?

no, i just like giving you shit




Haven't watched the game yet, but I did listen to it. I will watch it tonight. The kick was wide right, wasn't it. Most of his misses have been wide right, which leads me to believe it is correctable. But it will take a coach who understands kicking to sort it out.


yup, he pushed it just to the right again, maybe by a foot

[Scott Campbell]

Why hasn't anybody mentioned that McCarthy was basically playing for a 40+ yard FG in cold weather? Crosby should make that kick, but why is MM completely contempt with just letting the kid kick it from far out? If you want to remedy the problem you let him kick a few short ones to get his confidence up.

And calling for his head is just stupid. I'm all for bringing in competition during camp, but if anybody seriously thinks that there's somebody out there that would be better for this team than Crosby...that's just stupid.


That ain't really cold weather.

[pbmax]

He has two problems, one should be correctable, but hasn't been fixed yet. McGinn has kept count of how many misses he has with the ball going wide right off the right hash. This has been pretty consistent since the start of the season. It should have been addressed by Game 13.

I am not nearly as concerned over the over 50 yds stuff.

[channtheman]

Why hasn't anybody mentioned that McCarthy was basically playing for a 40+ yard FG in cold weather? Crosby should make that kick, but why is MM completely contempt with just letting the kid kick it from far out? If you want to remedy the problem you let him kick a few short ones to get his confidence up.

And calling for his head is just stupid. I'm all for bringing in competition during camp, but if anybody seriously thinks that there's somebody out there that would be better for this team than Crosby...that's just stupid.

I was wondering the same thing. MM is a dipshit and he continues to amaze me.

[channtheman]

edit.

[Guiness]

wheres patler?

was that hold off too? :wink:

I have no idea whether it was or not, just as I didn't last week (although I suspected it from the bobbled snap). I didn't know until Slocum explained it. Are you doubting my explanation last week, after Slocum said almost exactly the same thing that I did?

Yes, Crosby should have made the kick today. I would have expected him to make the kick. I did expect him to make the kick. Was I shocked that he missed? No. Would I have been shocked if any kicker missed it? No, not really. Would I have wanted my kicker to make it? Yes.

That being said, take a look at what's available out there. Not much. Heck, as I explained last week, kicks from beyond 40 are not automatic for any of the kickers on teams, no matter what you would like to think.

Haven't watched the game yet, but I did listen to it. I will watch it tonight. The kick was wide right, wasn't it. Most of his misses have been wide right, which leads me to believe it is correctable. But it will take a coach who understands kicking to sort it out.

I wouldn't give up on Crosby yet, but I would certainly start looking in the off season.

I tend to be with you on this Patler.

It was a 42 yd try, outside, in December. If Longwell was still on the team, and MM tried to send him out, he would have refused.

What bobble said concerns me, that he has missed 5 of the last 6 important 2nd half kicks. If that's true, it speak of a confidence problem. Or, maybe that the coach is sending him out in impossible situations.

[Patler]

It is clear that something needs to be fixed, but wouldn't it be wonderful to jettison Crosby and have it work out as well as it did dumping Jon Ryan? Or finding out when the next kicker comes in and starts missing wide right on long kicks too, that it is really a problem with Flynn? Years back the Packers were missing field goals frequently, brought in a new holder (I think it was Pederson) and things improved.

If Crosby is the problem, replace him when you are confident that you have someone better, and only when you are sure that the problem is him.

I have to admit, I feel a bit sorry for Crosby. At one time he was 18/19 (I think, something like that) on kicks under 50 yards, and the one miss was from 40-something; yet people were already complaining about his "inconsistency". He might have let that play with his head a bit. He shouldn't have, but I suspect he might have.

[Tyrone Bigguns]

Why hasn't anybody mentioned that McCarthy was basically playing for a 40+ yard FG in cold weather? Crosby should make that kick, but why is MM completely contempt with just letting the kid kick it from far out? If you want to remedy the problem you let him kick a few short ones to get his confidence up.

And calling for his head is just stupid. I'm all for bringing in competition during camp, but if anybody seriously thinks that there's somebody out there that would be better for this team than Crosby...that's just stupid.

Sounds like everyone else 5 weeks ago calling for every coach to be fired!

New dog, same fleas.

[ThunderDan]

Why hasn't anybody mentioned that McCarthy was basically playing for a 40+ yard FG in cold weather? Crosby should make that kick, but why is MM completely contempt with just letting the kid kick it from far out? If you want to remedy the problem you let him kick a few short ones to get his confidence up.

And calling for his head is just stupid. I'm all for bringing in competition during camp, but if anybody seriously thinks that there's somebody out there that would be better for this team than Crosby...that's just stupid.

Sounds like everyone else 5 weeks ago calling for every coach to be fired!

New dog, same fleas.

Yeah, this team is a 10-6 caliber team. 2007 we won a few we should have lost, 2008 we lost a lot we should have won. I bought into the preseason hype and predicted 12-4.

Hopefully, we can keep our run going thru the playoffs. Why can't we be the Cardinals of 2009?

[Maxie the Taxi]

Two things:

Nick Folk missed a 42 yarder today that could have kept the Cowboys in the game. He's been pulling them bad. And they changed holders, back to Romo. Still no good.

Also, I don't understand what happened to Crosby's booming kickoffs. I watched two other games today and several times in both games the kicks were to the back of the end zone. A touchback is the best friend special teams have, along with coffin-corner and inside the 10 punts -- which we aren't doing anymore either.

Didn't we let Longwell go because his kickoffs were so pathetic. Now even he's booming them.

Maybe it's a special team's coaching strategy to kickoff short. If it is, I don't buy it.

[Fritz]

Okay, so people want to cut Crosby because he's missed some makeable field goals.

Again, though - who do you bring in?

Suisham? The kicker the Skins cut because he....missed a short field goal?

Nick Folk missed a clutch 43 yarder today. The Cowboys' head coach didn't exactly give the guy a big endorsement in his post game interview.

If the Cowboys cut him, do you want him?

Who else is out there who is better? Names?

[MJZiggy]

We could probably try out your mom, but I hear she's returning kicks somewhere...

[Fritz]

And if it's against the Packers, she might score.

Does this mean my mom is easy?? Hmmm.

[MJZiggy]

[not touching with 10-ft. pole...]

[rbaloha1]

Strong leg with a nice stroke. Crosby's pre season problems continued to the regular season.

Agree if percentage does not improve tremendously its time for a new kicker next season.

[The Leaper]

He's having some major issues from the right hash at present...he's lost confidence from there. That isn't a good reason to jettison a kicker with a bona fide NFL leg. Let him work hard on things this offseason...and bring in some competition in preseason to push him.

I see no reason to consider dumping Crosby just yet. Few kickers come into the NFL and make an immediate impact...but Crosby did. It is easy to sit on the couch and claim that everyone needs to be fired after some struggles on the field. I'm willing to give the kid some time to work out his issues...but putting together a plan B this offseason isn't foolish either.

[gbgary]

He's having some major issues from the right hash at present...he's lost confidence from there. That isn't a good reason to jettison a kicker with a bona fide NFL leg. Let him work hard on things this offseason...and bring in some competition in preseason to push him.

I see no reason to consider dumping Crosby just yet. Few kickers come into the NFL and make an immediate impact...but Crosby did. It is easy to sit on the couch and claim that everyone needs to be fired after some struggles on the field. I'm willing to give the kid some time to work out his issues...but putting together a plan B this offseason isn't foolish either.


this!!

[BallHawk]

Why hasn't anybody mentioned that McCarthy was basically playing for a 40+ yard FG in cold weather? Crosby should make that kick, but why is MM completely contempt with just letting the kid kick it from far out? If you want to remedy the problem you let him kick a few short ones to get his confidence up.

And calling for his head is just stupid. I'm all for bringing in competition during camp, but if anybody seriously thinks that there's somebody out there that would be better for this team than Crosby...that's just stupid.

That ain't really cold weather.

I live in Florida. If the temperature makes it feel uncomfortable to wear flip flops, its cold.

[MJZiggy]

There was a dude on the train in flip flops. It was 29 degrees. I was tempted to tell him that if he goes to the local shelter, they'll try to get him a real pair of shoes... :lol:

[Patler]

Nick Folk missed a 42 yarder today that could have kept the Cowboys in the game. He's been pulling them bad. And they changed holders, back to Romo. Still no good.


Not only did Falk miss from 42 today, he is just 4/11 from 40-49 on the year. 4 of 11 ! !

[Maxie the Taxi]

Nick Folk missed a 42 yarder today that could have kept the Cowboys in the game. He's been pulling them bad. And they changed holders, back to Romo. Still no good.


Not only did Falk miss from 42 today, he is just 4/11 from 40-49 on the year. 4 of 11 ! !

Yeah, and we're going to fire our guy? :o

[hoosier]

And if it's against the Packers, she might score.

Does this mean my mom is easy?? Hmmm.

Not necessarily easy, just has a leg up on the competition.

[pbmax]

I'd be shocked as hell if McStubby and TT changed horses in mid-stream. It's against their religion.
Jon. Ryan. A self-inflicted reason not to change horses midstream.

*****

For those blaming this on Crosby's confidence, that is like blaming play calling or "intensity" or "fired up"-ness of the team for poor performance. No one here has a clue about any of these very ambiguous, emotional, hard to quantify factors. And it is not clear how much they relate to success on the field.

He has a targeting problem, evidenced by his frequent misses from 40 yards out wide right when he is on the right hash. Like target shooting, he is clustering his misses in one specific area. This also means that his motion and the hold are probably OK. But his aiming point, or starting point is off. Correctable.

That said, if he does become a basket case and start missing them wildly, Suisham probably is not a horrible option. But I don't think its time to make that change.

[MichiganPackerFan]

There was a dude on the train in flip flops. It was 29 degrees. I was tempted to tell him that if he goes to the local shelter, they'll try to get him a real pair of shoes... :lol:

People here wear heavy winter coats, hats, scarves and gloves when it drops below 60 degrees. A lone snow flake flutters down and they park their can into the nearest tree or guard rail.

[MichiganPackerFan]

I'd be shocked as hell if McStubby and TT changed horses in mid-stream. It's against their religion.
Jon. Ryan. A self-inflicted reason not to change horses midstream.

*****

For those blaming this on Crosby's confidence, that is like blaming play calling or "intensity" or "fired up"-ness of the team for poor performance. No one here has a clue about any of these very ambiguous, emotional, hard to quantify factors. And it is not clear how much they relate to success on the field.

He has a targeting problem, evidenced by his frequent misses from 40 yards out wide right when he is on the right hash. Like target shooting, he is clustering his misses in one specific area. This also means that his motion and the hold are probably OK. But his aiming point, or starting point is off. Correctable.

That said, if he does become a basket case and start missing them wildly, Suisham probably is not a horrible option. But I don't think its time to make that change.

I wasn't on the fire him wagon, but I think I'm there now. He's missed a lot that should be automatic. At a minimum some solid competition needs to be brought in during the offseason.

[Smidgeon]

I'd be shocked as hell if McStubby and TT changed horses in mid-stream. It's against their religion.
Jon. Ryan. A self-inflicted reason not to change horses midstream.

*****

For those blaming this on Crosby's confidence, that is like blaming play calling or "intensity" or "fired up"-ness of the team for poor performance. No one here has a clue about any of these very ambiguous, emotional, hard to quantify factors. And it is not clear how much they relate to success on the field.

He has a targeting problem, evidenced by his frequent misses from 40 yards out wide right when he is on the right hash. Like target shooting, he is clustering his misses in one specific area. This also means that his motion and the hold are probably OK. But his aiming point, or starting point is off. Correctable.

That said, if he does become a basket case and start missing them wildly, Suisham probably is not a horrible option. But I don't think its time to make that change.

I wasn't on the fire him wagon, but I think I'm there now. He's missed a lot that should be automatic. At a minimum some solid competition needs to be brought in during the offseason.

I agree that competition should be brought in, but I also believe that Crosby is the long-term answer at kicker. He's got the leg and just needs to improve on his technique like every other player on the roster. The thing that makes mistakes glaring for both kickers and punters is that there is no one else to put on the field to cover their youth, incomplete techniques, or mistakes like you can with a linebacker, corner, wide receiver, etc. I earnestly believe Crosby will get better and everyone will be glad GB held onto him. GB could do a lot worse. But I agree competition will only help him.

[bobblehead]

Why hasn't anybody mentioned that McCarthy was basically playing for a 40+ yard FG in cold weather? Crosby should make that kick, but why is MM completely contempt with just letting the kid kick it from far out? If you want to remedy the problem you let him kick a few short ones to get his confidence up.

And calling for his head is just stupid. I'm all for bringing in competition during camp, but if anybody seriously thinks that there's somebody out there that would be better for this team than Crosby...that's just stupid.

I was wondering the same thing. MM is a dipshit and he continues to amaze me.

I don't buy this. MM called a pass play that ARod took some time looking the field over before going to his checkdown who had room to run, but he dropped it....exactly what in that situation says that MM settled for a 40+ yarder?? I have been critical of MM plenty, but this just isn't warranted.

edit: I do agree that we should NOT replace him unless we are pretty confident its an upgrade which does mean we are stuck with him for the season.....and I also am only stating what I recall with the 5/6 important kicks, I often remember the pain more than the glory.

edit/edit: According to Bedard: "he's only delivered in four of seven "gotta-have-it" moments late in games. He's missed three of his last four"

[MJZiggy]

There was a dude on the train in flip flops. It was 29 degrees. I was tempted to tell him that if he goes to the local shelter, they'll try to get him a real pair of shoes... :lol:

People here wear heavy winter coats, hats, scarves and gloves when it drops below 60 degrees. A lone snow flake flutters down and they park their can into the nearest tree or guard rail.

Just wait until they cancel school because it MIGHT snow...

[Iron Mike]

Crosby needs to be gone now.

Awww, hell to the naw. He made an AWESOME Christmas album.

http://siriusbuzz.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/12/bing-crosby-white-christmas.jpg

[LEWCWA]

I think everyone should take a step back off the ledge! Crosby is going through a slump it happens. If you give up on talent, due to a slump, it won't be long b4 you are pining for that player while he is excelling someplace else. I believe Crosby will be here and will get it together. He has insured himself of a kicking battle for next season though. They won't just bring in the obligitory camp leg.

[Pugger]

Maybe on 3rd down when we are FG range we should try to run plays to the left hash mark in case we come up short... :wink:

We are indeed stuck with Crosby for the duration and as Packer fans we should all pray he gets out of this funk real quick.

[Noodle]

Crosby will be fine. Like PB said, he's clustering his misses, and they're all from the same problem area (right hash). This is WAY fixable with some concentrated practice.

And while we're talking kickers, I've never been a fan of Kampinos, but his booming punt when we got stuffed on 3rd & 1 at the end of the Bear game was huge. I think the punt was 50-some yards, great hang time, and then the Bears pulled a Packer and had a penalty on the return. Clutch kick at a time when a 38 yarder would have put some big pressure on the D.

[Patler]

And while we're talking kickers, I've never been a fan of Kampinos, but his booming punt when we got stuffed on 3rd & 1 at the end of the Bear game was huge. I think the punt was 50-some yards, great hang time, and then the Bears pulled a Packer and had a penalty on the return. Clutch kick at a time when a 38 yarder would have put some big pressure on the D.

Kampinos is certainly no great shakes as a punter, but as with all things in sports you have to evaluate the totality of performances and contributing factors to failures.

Case in point: I think it was against the Ravens. Kampinos had a beautiful punt that hit inside the 5, bounced up into the air and hit again at about the three. It bounced reasonably high again, then barely went into the endzone before any Packer player even showed up on the TV screen. They immediately switched to a shot of Kampinos with this bewildered look on his face, as if to say, "What do I have to do?". Of course, all the articles said was that Kampinos failed to keep the ball inside the 20, when the problem on that kick was that no one on the coverage team got there. It seemed to have reasonable hang time, hit once and bounced fairly high before hitting again in play. Even the second bounce was up, not skittering on the ground. They never showed a wide enough view to see what happened on coverage, but I suspect the guys never got off the blocks Someone certainly should have gotten there sooner than they did.

The next time Kampinos punted he kicked to about the 18.

[Airin' Rodgers]

And while we're talking kickers, I've never been a fan of Kampinos, but his booming punt when we got stuffed on 3rd & 1 at the end of the Bear game was huge. I think the punt was 50-some yards, great hang time, and then the Bears pulled a Packer and had a penalty on the return. Clutch kick at a time when a 38 yarder would have put some big pressure on the D.

Kampinos is certainly no great shakes as a punter, but as with all things in sports you have to evaluate the totality of performances and contributing factors to failures.

Case in point: I think it was against the Ravens. Kampinos had a beautiful punt that hit inside the 5, bounced up into the air and hit again at about the three. It bounced reasonably high again, then barely went into the endzone before any Packer player even showed up on the TV screen. They immediately switched to a shot of Kampinos with this bewildered look on his face, as if to say, "What do I have to do?". Of course, all the articles said was that Kampinos failed to keep the ball inside the 20, when the problem on that kick was that no one on the coverage team got there. It seemed to have reasonable hang time, hit once and bounced fairly high before hitting again in play. Even the second bounce was up, not skittering on the ground. They never showed a wide enough view to see what happened on coverage, but I suspect the guys never got off the blocks Someone certainly should have gotten there sooner than they did.

The next time Kampinos punted he kicked to about the 18.

Honestly, I don't think Kapinos is a huge problem. He is average. He just has trouble pinning them deep. His length is fine, he has punts over 50 in nearly every game. Take a look:

PUNTS AVG LNG YDS TB TB% IN20 IN20% RET AVG NET
1 CHI W 21-15 6 44.7 58 268 2 33.3 1 16.7 2 7.5 35.5
2 CIN L 31-24 6 43.2 53 259 0 0.0 1 16.7 5 22.8 24.2
3 @STL W 36-17 4 50.0 54 200 0 0.0 3 75.0 2 11.5 44.3
4 @MIN L 30-23 2 51.0 51 102 0 0.0 0 0.0 2 21.0 30.0
5 Bye Week
6 DET W 26-0 2 41.0 41 82 0 0.0 1 50.0 1 0.0 41.0
7 @CLE W 31-3 2 43.5 45 87 1 50.0 0 0.0 1 9.0 29.0
8 MIN L 38-26 5 43.2 52 216 0 0.0 1 20.0 5 7.4 35.8
9 @TB L 38-28 6 41.2 50 247 0 0.0 2 33.3 4 13.5 32.2
10 DAL W 17-7 7 43.7 52 306 1 14.3 1 14.3 5 8.2 35.0
11 SF W 30-24 5 43.4 57 217 1 20.0 2 40.0 3 2.3 38.0
12 @DET W 34-12 3 44.0 57 132 1 33.3 0 0.0 1 14.0 32.7
13 BAL W 27-14 3 43.0 53 129 1 33.3 1 33.3 1 6.0 34.3
14 @CHI W 21-14 4 43.3 51

I think its the coverage team myself. He is 14th in the league in gross average. Dead last in net. Big returns and touchbacks kill it

[Noodle]

Kicking in GB and 14th in gross? That's pretty dang good. I also think you're right -- coverage teams, whether Punt or KO, are just killing the Pack this year.

[Pugger]

I'm not gonna complain about Kapinos after that disaster with Frost!! :shock:

[pbmax]

Kicking in GB and 14th in gross? That's pretty dang good. I also think you're right -- coverage teams, whether Punt or KO, are just killing the Pack this year.
Hang time has been a problem. Like Ryan, Kampinos earlier this year was trading hang time for distance. Then, after what was presumably several private admonitions, got a public calling out by Slocum for bad footwork. He was taking too long a stride. That wasn't helping his coverage teams.

Since then, he has seemed to be getting better lift on his kicks. His coverage teams have still struggled, but there have been some bright spots like the Bears game.

[Merlin]

Look for Kapinos to get some competition in the off season or hell even this season heading into the playoffs. He has been unfairly evaluated and he has done a fairly decent job. The issue are the negative evaluations of his performance - regardless of how the coverage is on the punt and that isn't really fair but stats are what drives life in the NFL. John Ryan would probably have much better touch on the ball had we given him the opportunity to grow in the system, he definitely had the leg - he was improving with his hang time and touch when we gave him the boot. I don't see much patience with Kapinos, we haven't had any patience with any punter since letting Bidwell leave.

When Rayner and Crosby were in the competition, Crosby edged Rayner out by a very small margin. I said it then and I will say it now, in that case you stick with the veteran. Crosby has a big leg, can probably hit a 70 yarder (as could Rayner), but he isn't kicking worth a crap right now and has chocked when we needed him (Vikings 2008) I would say as many times as he has been there when we needed him. Now, I say stick with him and see if he can overcome whatever his issue is. Just like Rayner before him, you stick with the veteran and Crosby has the leg to be a very good kicker in the NFL. But knowing the Packers and Thompson, we will have another kicker in for competition, it will be close, and we will go with the younger guy.

[BallHawk]

Crosby...has chocked when we needed him (Vikings 2008)

You call missing a 52-yard FG choking? Why does everybody have such unrealistic expectations for Crosby? I understand getting frustrated with him for consistently missing kicks from the right hashmark, ok. But you're gonna say he choked by missing a FG that has a higher fail rate than success rate? And let's not forget that McCarthy was pathetically passive towards the end of that drive and seemed content to settle for such a long FG. That kick was barely wide right. If MM had gotten the ball 5 yards closer it woulda been good and we woulda got the win.

[ThunderDan]

Look for Kapinos to get some competition in the off season or hell even this season heading into the playoffs. He has been unfairly evaluated and he has done a fairly decent job. The issue are the negative evaluations of his performance - regardless of how the coverage is on the punt and that isn't really fair but stats are what drives life in the NFL. John Ryan would probably have much better touch on the ball had we given him the opportunity to grow in the system, he definitely had the leg - he was improving with his hang time and touch when we gave him the boot. I don't see much patience with Kapinos, we haven't had any patience with any punter since letting Bidwell leave.

When Rayner and Crosby were in the competition, Crosby edged Rayner out by a very small margin. I said it then and I will say it now, in that case you stick with the veteran. Crosby has a big leg, can probably hit a 70 yarder (as could Rayner), but he isn't kicking worth a crap right now and has chocked when we needed him (Vikings 2008) I would say as many times as he has been there when we needed him. Now, I say stick with him and see if he can overcome whatever his issue is. Just like Rayner before him, you stick with the veteran and Crosby has the leg to be a very good kicker in the NFL. But knowing the Packers and Thompson, we will have another kicker in for competition, it will be close, and we will go with the younger guy.

The same Dave Rayner who went 15/22 or 68% in 2007 after getting cut by the Packer? 6/9 from 30-39 5/8 from 40-49 and 0/1 from 50+. That's 11 for 18 over 30 yards or 61%.

Crosby has made 78.1% of his kicks since joining the Pack. This year being his worst at 75%. Crosby is 75/89 under 50 yards or 84% for his career.

[Zool]

Look for Kapinos to get some competition in the off season or hell even this season heading into the playoffs. He has been unfairly evaluated and he has done a fairly decent job. The issue are the negative evaluations of his performance - regardless of how the coverage is on the punt and that isn't really fair but stats are what drives life in the NFL. John Ryan would probably have much better touch on the ball had we given him the opportunity to grow in the system, he definitely had the leg - he was improving with his hang time and touch when we gave him the boot. I don't see much patience with Kapinos, we haven't had any patience with any punter since letting Bidwell leave.

When Rayner and Crosby were in the competition, Crosby edged Rayner out by a very small margin. I said it then and I will say it now, in that case you stick with the veteran. Crosby has a big leg, can probably hit a 70 yarder (as could Rayner), but he isn't kicking worth a crap right now and has chocked when we needed him (Vikings 2008) I would say as many times as he has been there when we needed him. Now, I say stick with him and see if he can overcome whatever his issue is. Just like Rayner before him, you stick with the veteran and Crosby has the leg to be a very good kicker in the NFL. But knowing the Packers and Thompson, we will have another kicker in for competition, it will be close, and we will go with the younger guy.

The same Dave Rayner who went 15/22 or 68% in 2007 after getting cut by the Packer? 6/9 from 30-39 5/8 from 40-49 and 0/1 from 50+. That's 11 for 18 over 30 yards or 61%.

Crosby has made 78.1% of his kicks since joining the Pack. This year being his worst at 75%. Crosby is 75/89 under 50 yards or 84% for his career.

Couldnt possibly be the same Raynor. Didn't he have a twin who was a better kicker?

[ThunderDan]

Look for Kapinos to get some competition in the off season or hell even this season heading into the playoffs. He has been unfairly evaluated and he has done a fairly decent job. The issue are the negative evaluations of his performance - regardless of how the coverage is on the punt and that isn't really fair but stats are what drives life in the NFL. John Ryan would probably have much better touch on the ball had we given him the opportunity to grow in the system, he definitely had the leg - he was improving with his hang time and touch when we gave him the boot. I don't see much patience with Kapinos, we haven't had any patience with any punter since letting Bidwell leave.

When Rayner and Crosby were in the competition, Crosby edged Rayner out by a very small margin. I said it then and I will say it now, in that case you stick with the veteran. Crosby has a big leg, can probably hit a 70 yarder (as could Rayner), but he isn't kicking worth a crap right now and has chocked when we needed him (Vikings 2008) I would say as many times as he has been there when we needed him. Now, I say stick with him and see if he can overcome whatever his issue is. Just like Rayner before him, you stick with the veteran and Crosby has the leg to be a very good kicker in the NFL. But knowing the Packers and Thompson, we will have another kicker in for competition, it will be close, and we will go with the younger guy.

The same Dave Rayner who went 15/22 or 68% in 2007 after getting cut by the Packer? 6/9 from 30-39 5/8 from 40-49 and 0/1 from 50+. That's 11 for 18 over 30 yards or 61%.

Crosby has made 78.1% of his kicks since joining the Pack. This year being his worst at 75%. Crosby is 75/89 under 50 yards or 84% for his career.

Couldnt possibly be the same Raynor. Didn't he have a twin who was a better kicker?

Rayner's highlight on NFL.com is his 2008 FG for the Bengals. His only FG during the last 2 years. I wonder why no one picked him up?

[Brandon494]

http://vimeo.com/8227888 :lol:

[Tyrone Bigguns]

There are certain players, that for no logic, Merlin has decided where better than they were and didn't get a fair shake..rayner and nall.

Despite the raw deal they received in Green Bay, both were able to show their stuff in other locales, ultimately enjoying long careers and proving the Green Bay brass they had made a mistake.

[pack4to84]

any of you watching the Jets/Falcon game. Crosby would be an improvement over this kickers.

[MJZiggy]

I see that. How many misses today?

[pack4to84]

I see that. How many misses today?Feely of Jets missed one right, had one blocked and had a bobble snap on another no kick. Falcons kicker missed one at 38 yards

[gbpackfan]

Crosby is done. Shot. Get him the fuck off the roster. Fucking pathetic!

[Scott Campbell]

He's our kicker through the end of the season.

[gbpackfan]

He's our kicker through the end of the season.

And it will cost us!

[red]

ok patler, i have a theory after watching mason miss his kick today

i assume you know golf, because you brought it up when talking to me

how do a kicker and holder line up on a fg? do they line up on an angle pointing towards the uprights, or do they line up stright behind the center?

now in golf, if your feet are lined up straight down the line, and if you then use an outside-in swing, you're gonna slice it

crosby is missing from the right hash, and he is slicing the ball missing to the right

if he is lined up straight down the hash and then tries to pull the ball to the left. this would me making the exact same motion as a slice swing in golf

make any sense?

so to correct this he would have to aim his whole body, and the holder, more in-line with the center of the uprights

[Patler]

Could be. There seems to be some little thing off, because every kick looks the same, and just drifts out. Crosby is not missing badly, most have been very close. He's not all over the place with his kicks. I thought it was interesting that they changed holders today.

Having witnessed some of the really bad kickers who have come through GB, I'm in favor of trying to fix Crosby more than dump him. It's a 53 man roster, of which only 45 matter. If there is a more reliable kicker out there, sign him and move Thompson to IR, but keep Crosby.

[mraynrand]

They have 6 days during the week to figure this stuff out. WTF? Is it really this complicated? Maybe Crosby would improve his swing if he started having sex with 12+ different gorgeous, high-priced babes.

[esoxx]

Maybe they should try a different holder next week. :roll:

[MJZiggy]

Maybe they should try a different holder next week. :roll:

How 'bout a new kicker. They're still pretty ticked about Suisham being let go...

[BallHawk]

Maybe Crosby would improve his swing if he started having sex with 12+ different gorgeous, high-priced babes.

Beat me to it.

[red]

Could be. There seems to be some little thing off, because every kick looks the same, and just drifts out. Crosby is not missing badly, most have been very close. He's not all over the place with his kicks. I thought it was interesting that they changed holders today.

Having witnessed some of the really bad kickers who have come through GB, I'm in favor of trying to fix Crosby more than dump him. It's a 53 man roster, of which only 45 matter. If there is a more reliable kicker out there, sign him and move Thompson to IR, but keep Crosby.

i like the idea oh bringing in another kicker but keeping crosby. i really was high on the kid until 3 weeks ago, and think he can be damn good if he gets his head straight

but we can't afford to keep letting him try and figure things out in the middle of a game

[Willard]

Maybe Crosby would improve his swing if he started having sex with 12+ different gorgeous, high-priced babes.
Is this possible in Green Bay, or will he need to travel?

[pbmax]

New coach. Every right hash kick is right at the same spot. Aimed just inside the right upright, it fades right and misses by 5 feet. His targeting is off, or possibly, he does something different on game day than he does in practice. But whatever he is doing different is incredibly consistent, which I find hard to believe is random.

His coach needed to step up and either correct the first or stop the second. He should be fired since it hasn't happened yet.

[bobblehead]

New coach. Every right hash kick is right at the same spot. Aimed just inside the right upright, it fades right and misses by 5 feet. His targeting is off, or possibly, he does something different on game day than he does in practice. But whatever he is doing different is incredibly consistent, which I find hard to believe is random.

His coach needed to step up and either correct the first or stop the second. He should be fired since it hasn't happened yet.

Some guys can't throw from 2nd to first, or from the plate back to the pitcher. No coach can figure it out. Crosby has it in his head, just like he did the 2 game winners last year. He is just another big leg with no icewater in his veins. We need to replace him next year as I don't believe he will ever make clutch kicks consistently.

[BallHawk]

We need to replace him next year as I don't believe he will ever make clutch kicks consistently.

He made a gamewinning kick in his first career NFL game against Philly. The kid has it, or at least had it. Whether he lost it along the way, I don't know. But we definitely can't give up on him.

[pbmax]

New coach. Every right hash kick is right at the same spot. Aimed just inside the right upright, it fades right and misses by 5 feet. His targeting is off, or possibly, he does something different on game day than he does in practice. But whatever he is doing different is incredibly consistent, which I find hard to believe is random.

His coach needed to step up and either correct the first or stop the second. He should be fired since it hasn't happened yet.

Some guys can't throw from 2nd to first, or from the plate back to the pitcher. No coach can figure it out. Crosby has it in his head, just like he did the 2 game winners last year. He is just another big leg with no icewater in his veins. We need to replace him next year as I don't believe he will ever make clutch kicks consistently.
He does the same thing everytime. That is not panic. That is a repeatable act. Someone needs to, literally, straighten him out.

[red]

do kickers have their own coaches? everyone else on the team has there own personal coach just about

do the packers have a kicker coach? or is it just slocum?

[Fritz]

I'm with PB. There's something he must be doing consistently wrong, and why he hasn't made an adjustment that will get the ball to the left, I don't know. I'd like to at least see him miss one left from that right hash mark, just to assure me that he's making some kind of adjustment.

[3irty1]

He's got the kicker equivalent of Steve Blass syndrome.

[MJZiggy]

I'm with PB. There's something he must be doing consistently wrong, and why he hasn't made an adjustment that will get the ball to the left, I don't know. I'd like to at least see him miss one left from that right hash mark, just to assure me that he's making some kind of adjustment.

I'm trying to blow off steam. Quit being so damned reasonable!! :wink:

[mraynrand]

I'm with PB. There's something he must be doing consistently wrong, and why he hasn't made an adjustment that will get the ball to the left, I don't know. I'd like to at least see him miss one left from that right hash mark, just to assure me that he's making some kind of adjustment.

He tried that on an extra point. If it had been a 30 yard FGA, he would have missed it.

[pbmax]

I'm with PB. There's something he must be doing consistently wrong, and why he hasn't made an adjustment that will get the ball to the left, I don't know. I'd like to at least see him miss one left from that right hash mark, just to assure me that he's making some kind of adjustment.
They have said the same thing isn't happening in practice. But of it is in games, then the coach needs to tell him on Game Day (Slocum said the ball was moving right on him in pre-game) to adjust his alignment.

[pbmax]

I'm with PB. There's something he must be doing consistently wrong, and why he hasn't made an adjustment that will get the ball to the left, I don't know. I'd like to at least see him miss one left from that right hash mark, just to assure me that he's making some kind of adjustment.

He tried that on an extra point. If it had been a 30 yard FGA, he would have missed it.
That was so bad it had to be the hold. Or he stumbled. Anyone see a replay that made it clear?

[Patler]

I'm with PB. There's something he must be doing consistently wrong, and why he hasn't made an adjustment that will get the ball to the left, I don't know. I'd like to at least see him miss one left from that right hash mark, just to assure me that he's making some kind of adjustment.

He tried that on an extra point. If it had been a 30 yard FGA, he would have missed it.
That was so bad it had to be the hold. Or he stumbled. Anyone see a replay that made it clear?

The first one? Kapinos bobbled it.

[Patler]

I'm with PB. There's something he must be doing consistently wrong, and why he hasn't made an adjustment that will get the ball to the left, I don't know. I'd like to at least see him miss one left from that right hash mark, just to assure me that he's making some kind of adjustment.
They have said the same thing isn't happening in practice. But of it is in games, then the coach needs to tell him on Game Day (Slocum said the ball was moving right on him in pre-game) to adjust his alignment.

It has shown up on shorter kicks only recently. The first half of the season it was only on 50+ kicks. He was making everything under 50. Wasn't he 18/19 at one point with kicks under 50? Then it crept into his 40+ yarders, now into even shorter ones. But it is incredibly consistent. They all look exactly the same. Contrast this with kickers who are all over the place, missing badly right, then left, with no consistency.

It's a funny year for kickers. A lot of good ones are missing a lot of kicks, even short kicks. When it happens with homerun hitters n a season or two, they start analyzing the ball. Maybe the footballs are bad? Maybe the official goalpost manufacturer bought a cheap tape measure that is wrong! :lol: :lol: :lol:

[mngolf19]

Maybe Crosby would improve his swing if he started having sex with 12+ different gorgeous, high-priced babes.
Is this possible in Green Bay, or will he need to travel?

He would at least need to drink alot first. :lol:

[Tony Oday]

Right now we just need a guy that can hit a 40 yarder...bye bye Mason, will be good someday but time to bring in a new guy.

[Patler]

Right now we just need a guy that can hit a 40 yarder...bye bye Mason, will be good someday but time to bring in a new guy.

With all the kickers who are struggling this year, I'm not sure there is one available. The Cowboys are bringing Suishim in today for a tryout, and he was cut for missing 20-30 yarders.

[Bossman641]

I'm no kicking coach, but I don't think Crosby's problem is an alignment problem as much as it is finishing his kicks. Like a golfer not getting through the ball correctly, he keeps blocking them out to the right. He seems to be hitting them solid, just isn't finishing the kick.

[Fritz]

Right now we just need a guy that can hit a 40 yarder...bye bye Mason, will be good someday but time to bring in a new guy.

With all the kickers who are struggling this year, I'm not sure there is one available. The Cowboys are bringing Suishim in today for a tryout, and he was cut for missing 20-30 yarders.

This is exactly the point I keep making. Sure, Crosby is getting scary. But who's out there who is better? Who's available?

[Smidgeon]

Sure it sucks now, but with his consistency (just a little to the right like has been rehashed) that should be correctable and his NFL strong leg, I think if the Packers cut Crosby, it will be akin to cutting Bidwell: letting someone go who it will take years to replace. You don't know what you've got until it's gone. I think Crosby will be good. He's got an area to improve, but I still think he'll be one of the best.

[hoosier]

Right now we just need a guy that can hit a 40 yarder...bye bye Mason, will be good someday but time to bring in a new guy.

With all the kickers who are struggling this year, I'm not sure there is one available. The Cowboys are bringing Suishim in today for a tryout, and he was cut for missing 20-30 yarders.

I know of an option that has not been explored seriously enough: when the Packers get inside the opp's 38 yard line they keep Crosby seated on the far side of the bench unless and until they get into a 4th and long situation (say, 4th and 10 or more) where going for it is just silly. And treat 3rd down play calling accordingly: everything in field goal range is considered 4 down territory. Somebody did a study comparing different outcome probabilties on 4th down and found that, looking at mathematics alone, NFL coaches in general are far too conservative when deciding to kick rather than go for it on 4th. Given Crosby's struggles, McCarthy could just raise the blue bar a little in the "recommended options on 4th down" graph located a third of the way down the page. http://www.advancednflstats.com/2009/09/4th-down-study-part-4.html

[bobblehead]

I understand the point you all are making, but it reminds me of the kicker Wolf drafted in the 3rd/4th?? that lost the preseason job to Longwell. Huge leg on that kid, but no icewater. Longwell on the other hand simply blames the holder and moves on....sure its annoying, but he doesn't let missing a big kick stick in his mind, he rationalizes....maybe MM should instruct Crosby to start throwing his teammates under the bus to remove the pressure.

Honestly I hope you all are right and he fixes it. I love the strength of his leg. If he can get those faders over 10 feet the ball flight is very good and he likely can hit 55 yarders with ease. The truth is that Knoblach never did get it fixed.

I agree there is nothing we can do this season, but we really gotta press him during the offseason and see if he can handle the pressure of REAL competition.

[mraynrand]

...maybe MM should instruct Crosby to start throwing his teammates under the bus to remove the pressure.

They already changed the holder once. Your suggested option has pretty much been exhausted. Best Pack can hope for is an easy last couple of games with McCarthy able to get Crosby to kick several field goals. either he gets his confidence back or hire someone off the street who can hit 40 in.

[cheesner]

Can we finally say CROSBY HAS TO GO??
Yes.

[Fritz]

I understand the point you all are making, but it reminds me of the kicker Wolf drafted in the 3rd/4th?? that lost the preseason job to Longwell. Huge leg on that kid, but no icewater. Longwell on the other hand simply blames the holder and moves on....sure its annoying, but he doesn't let missing a big kick stick in his mind, he rationalizes....maybe MM should instruct Crosby to start throwing his teammates under the bus to remove the pressure.

Honestly I hope you all are right and he fixes it. I love the strength of his leg. If he can get those faders over 10 feet the ball flight is very good and he likely can hit 55 yarders with ease. The truth is that Knoblach never did get it fixed.

I agree there is nothing we can do this season, but we really gotta press him during the offseason and see if he can handle the pressure of REAL competition.

That was Brett Conway, and I thought the consensus was that the Packers overworked him in training camp, he had a fatigued leg, didn't want to complain....and got cut.

He later kicked for Washington, and had an okay career. But I think it was - again - a case of teams not having enough regard for kicking coaches. I don't understand, when every position has its own coach, why there's not a kicker/punter coach. Then the special teams coach is more like a coordinator.

[mraynrand]

Packer may have to hire a Placekicker Whisperer at this point.

[Noodle]

Here's an idea: the kid misses from the right hash, correct?

So when we get inside the forty, run everything left or center so that he ends up kicking on the left hash or the middle of the field. Problem solved.

Damn, I should go apply to be an NFL OC somewhere.

[Fritz]

Exactly.

[rbaloha1]

A shaky kicker entering the playoffs is bad. IMO its too late in the season to find a new kicker. Started in preseason and never fixed.

Another fg kicker needs to be found for next season.

[sharpe1027]

A shaky kicker entering the playoffs is bad. IMO its too late in the season to find a new kicker. Started in preseason and never fixed.

Another fg kicker needs to be found for next season.

They'll bring in some bodies for sure. I bet Crosby gets it figured out though. He's got an NFL leg and was good up until recently.

[Pugger]

Here's an idea: the kid misses from the right hash, correct?

So when we get inside the forty, run everything left or center so that he ends up kicking on the left hash or the middle of the field. Problem solved.

Damn, I should go apply to be an NFL OC somewhere.

I suggested that earlier in another thread jokingly but maybe somebody should give MM and Slocum a call...

[Pugger]

Can we sign a kicker whose contract is up with his present team after said team's season is over in a couple of weeks? :?:

[sheepshead]

Packer may have to hire a Placekicker Whisperer at this point.


:lol: :lol: :wink:

[Smidgeon]

Can we sign a kicker whose contract is up with his present team after said team's season is over in a couple of weeks? :?:

Nope. Contracts don't expire until the end of the league year. JSO referenced the specific date when they did their piece when Tauscher came back.

[Packers4Ever]

I'm with PB. There's something he must be doing consistently wrong, and why he hasn't made an adjustment that will get the ball to the left, I don't know. I'd like to at least see him miss one left from that right hash mark, just to assure me that he's making some kind of adjustment.

I'm trying to blow off steam. Quit being so damned reasonable!! :wink:


Pretty hard to blow off steam with a bunch of
guys around being so calm and reasonable.
Isn't this something TT should have fixed before now?




DO Something, OK ?? :wink:

[The Shadow]

I think we may just have to let him work through the problem.

[Pugger]

Can we sign a kicker whose contract is up with his present team after said team's season is over in a couple of weeks? :?:

Nope. Contracts don't expire until the end of the league year. JSO referenced the specific date when they did their piece when Tauscher came back.

I kinda thought so. That's too bad. Let's pray Crosby gets out of this funk quickly. :?

[Fritz]

He tried. He told us all to quit being unreasonable, but we didn't listen.

[rbaloha1]

I think we may just have to let him work through the problem.

Unfortunately you are correct. Its painful to watch.

[retailguy]

I think we may just have to let him work through the problem.

It feels dirty to agree with you, but I do.

This is all much ado about nothing. Crosby has a bit of a dry spell going, but it'll pass, maybe painfully like shadows kidney stones, but eventually, it'll pass.

We have no need for a new kicker.

[gbgary]

Folk is available now...released by dallas. Don't need another headcase.

[The Leaper]

I'm glad we didn't listen to most of you when Favre had his struggles back in 1993. Some of you are way to quick to pull the trigger...which is why you aren't ever going to be NFL front office executives.

You won't find anything even remotely close to Crosby's talent available...so why the hell would you replace him? GIve the kid a chance to work it out...it isn't like he's shanking kicks 5 yards off the upright. He's barely missing these kicks...it is ENTIRELY a confidence issue IMO.

I'd much rather fire the special teams coach and Bush.

[Maxie the Taxi]

Packer may have to hire a Placekicker Whisperer at this point.

:lol: :lol: :lol:

[pbmax]

I understand the point you all are making, but it reminds me of the kicker Wolf drafted in the 3rd/4th?? that lost the preseason job to Longwell. Huge leg on that kid, but no icewater. Longwell on the other hand simply blames the holder and moves on....sure its annoying, but he doesn't let missing a big kick stick in his mind, he rationalizes....maybe MM should instruct Crosby to start throwing his teammates under the bus to remove the pressure.

Honestly I hope you all are right and he fixes it. I love the strength of his leg. If he can get those faders over 10 feet the ball flight is very good and he likely can hit 55 yarders with ease. The truth is that Knoblach never did get it fixed.

I agree there is nothing we can do this season, but we really gotta press him during the offseason and see if he can handle the pressure of REAL competition.
Icewater? He injured his leg after working too hard after a miss in a preseason game. All by his lonesome, Longwell won the job when Brett Conway could not get fully healthy before cut downs.

[pbmax]

Here's an idea: the kid misses from the right hash, correct?

So when we get inside the forty, run everything left or center so that he ends up kicking on the left hash or the middle of the field. Problem solved.

Damn, I should go apply to be an NFL OC somewhere.
Enough with your fancy thinking.

[packerbacker1234]

Uh, the guy is missing big kicks in big games.

Confidence is shot, and he hasn't been that consistent, or reliable, from day one. What are we on, year 2 or 3? Some people have it, some don't. If he lacks confidence, then what reason is there to keep him? Jason Elam is available, and is noteably reliable. Just saying, we want to win games, not wonder "what if crosby made that field goal".

[digitaldean]

Uh, the guy is missing big kicks in big games.

Confidence is shot, and he hasn't been that consistent, or reliable, from day one. What are we on, year 2 or 3? Some people have it, some don't. If he lacks confidence, then what reason is there to keep him? Jason Elam is available, and is noteably reliable. Just saying, we want to win games, not wonder "what if crosby made that field goal".

Elam is available because he was reportedly having shankitis in the Georgia Dome for the Falcons.
http://www.ajc.com/sports/atlanta-falcons/falcons-cut-elam-sign-221308.html

[Freak Out]

No....not yet.

[bobblehead]

I understand the point you all are making, but it reminds me of the kicker Wolf drafted in the 3rd/4th?? that lost the preseason job to Longwell. Huge leg on that kid, but no icewater. Longwell on the other hand simply blames the holder and moves on....sure its annoying, but he doesn't let missing a big kick stick in his mind, he rationalizes....maybe MM should instruct Crosby to start throwing his teammates under the bus to remove the pressure.

Honestly I hope you all are right and he fixes it. I love the strength of his leg. If he can get those faders over 10 feet the ball flight is very good and he likely can hit 55 yarders with ease. The truth is that Knoblach never did get it fixed.

I agree there is nothing we can do this season, but we really gotta press him during the offseason and see if he can handle the pressure of REAL competition.
Icewater? He injured his leg after working too hard after a miss in a preseason game. All by his lonesome, Longwell won the job when Brett Conway could not get fully healthy before cut downs.

PB, I respect your opinion as much as anyones on this site, but Conway was out of the league in 4? years. Longwell had half his leg and is still going. I remember a "diary" entry in the old paper version of Packer Plus where Conway wrote something about Longwell being cocky. He was kinda whiny about Longwell winning the job, but he didn't have to be cocky about it.

I also watched the collegiate kicking competition on ESPN the year we drafted Crosby. (don't fucking ask me why, it must have been really late and nothing else on). Crosby choked, and with each miss he would miss the next one worse. The announcers kept bragging about his big leg, but he just kept missing.

Now all that being said, according to his wiki page he was very clutch at Colorado. Something like 13/14 in the 4th quarter of games. ESPN basically called him the best college kicker of all time. Maybe he can shake this, but I've seen guys lose confidence before. I used to bowl with a kid in college that could ring up 11 strikes in a row, but couldn't hit the headpin on #12. We also couldn't let him shoot last cuz if it came to the tenth and he needed mark he was a lock to miss a single pin spare.

Some guys like Bird, or Jordan, or Kobie are just too dumb to feel the pressure. Too cocky, whatever, they don't feel it. Crosby looks like a guy who has a long memory and that doesn't bode well right now.

Again, I hope he shakes this cuz he has a HUGE leg, but I have my serious doubts right now.

[Freak Out]

Slumpbuster time?

[channtheman]

Here's an idea: the kid misses from the right hash, correct?

So when we get inside the forty, run everything left or center so that he ends up kicking on the left hash or the middle of the field. Problem solved.

Damn, I should go apply to be an NFL OC somewhere.

Seriously, why the fuck don't they do this?

[MichiganPackerFan]

I think right before the snap, the holder should quickly run and stand behind crosby, grab his shoulders and rotate him slowly counter-clockwise by a few degrees and then return to his position to receive the snap.

[HarveyWallbangers]

I agree with Mike.

Mike Vandermause column: Green Bay Packers shouldn't give up on K Mason Crosby

http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/apps/pbcs.dll/section?category=PKR01


How soon we forget that Longwell, who turned out to be the greatest field-goal kicker in Packers history, endured a terrible season in which he made just 64.5 percent of his field-goal attempts...

Longwell made just 20 of 31 field goals eight years ago and ranked 33rd among NFL kickers, but bounced back by converting 85.2 percent of his kicks over the next three seasons. His 81.6 percent career mark ranks No. 1 in Packers history.

No one can predict how Crosby will respond to his slump, but history says he deserves every opportunity to break out of it...

Crosby still ranks third all-time among Packers kickers in field-goal accuracy at 77.4 percent, behind Longwell and Jan Stenerud (80.8 percent) and just ahead of Chris Jacke (77.2 percent).

Even this season, for all the scrutiny Crosby has received, his accuracy is close to Longwell’s 74.1 percent during his final season with the Packers in 2005...

Neil Rackers of the Arizona Cardinals has been the most accurate kicker in the NFL over the past two seasons (41 of 45, 91.1 percent) and in 2005 converted 40 of 42 field goals (95.2 percent). But in 2001, the same year Longwell struggled, Rackers made just 17 of 28 kicks (60.7 percent), and during a two-year span in 2006 and 2007 made just 73.1 percent of his field goals.

Rackers and Longwell provide compelling examples why it would be a mistake to give up on Crosby after one bad month, or even one subpar season.

[Bretsky]

I agree with Mike.

Mike Vandermause column: Green Bay Packers shouldn't give up on K Mason Crosby

http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/apps/pbcs.dll/section?category=PKR01


How soon we forget that Longwell, who turned out to be the greatest field-goal kicker in Packers history, endured a terrible season in which he made just 64.5 percent of his field-goal attempts...

Longwell made just 20 of 31 field goals eight years ago and ranked 33rd among NFL kickers, but bounced back by converting 85.2 percent of his kicks over the next three seasons. His 81.6 percent career mark ranks No. 1 in Packers history.

No one can predict how Crosby will respond to his slump, but history says he deserves every opportunity to break out of it...

Crosby still ranks third all-time among Packers kickers in field-goal accuracy at 77.4 percent, behind Longwell and Jan Stenerud (80.8 percent) and just ahead of Chris Jacke (77.2 percent).

Even this season, for all the scrutiny Crosby has received, his accuracy is close to Longwell’s 74.1 percent during his final season with the Packers in 2005...

Neil Rackers of the Arizona Cardinals has been the most accurate kicker in the NFL over the past two seasons (41 of 45, 91.1 percent) and in 2005 converted 40 of 42 field goals (95.2 percent). But in 2001, the same year Longwell struggled, Rackers made just 17 of 28 kicks (60.7 percent), and during a two-year span in 2006 and 2007 made just 73.1 percent of his field goals.

Rackers and Longwell provide compelling examples why it would be a mistake to give up on Crosby after one bad month, or even one subpar season.



DITTO

[pbmax]

Slumpbuster time?
An idea that even if it fails, still leaves you with a smile on your face.

[Scott Campbell]

Mason sure looks the part.

[pbmax]

I understand the point you all are making, but it reminds me of the kicker Wolf drafted in the 3rd/4th?? that lost the preseason job to Longwell. Huge leg on that kid, but no icewater. Longwell on the other hand simply blames the holder and moves on....sure its annoying, but he doesn't let missing a big kick stick in his mind, he rationalizes....maybe MM should instruct Crosby to start throwing his teammates under the bus to remove the pressure.

Honestly I hope you all are right and he fixes it. I love the strength of his leg. If he can get those faders over 10 feet the ball flight is very good and he likely can hit 55 yarders with ease. The truth is that Knoblach never did get it fixed.

I agree there is nothing we can do this season, but we really gotta press him during the offseason and see if he can handle the pressure of REAL competition.
Icewater? He injured his leg after working too hard after a miss in a preseason game. All by his lonesome, Longwell won the job when Brett Conway could not get fully healthy before cut downs.

PB, I respect your opinion as much as anyones on this site, but Conway was out of the league in 4? years. Longwell had half his leg and is still going. I remember a "diary" entry in the old paper version of Packer Plus where Conway wrote something about Longwell being cocky. He was kinda whiny about Longwell winning the job, but he didn't have to be cocky about it.

I also watched the collegiate kicking competition on ESPN the year we drafted Crosby. (don't fucking ask me why, it must have been really late and nothing else on). Crosby choked, and with each miss he would miss the next one worse. The announcers kept bragging about his big leg, but he just kept missing.
I cannot say that Crosby is the answer, or that he will go onto a long and glorious career. But Conway's problem initially with the Packers was that injury, up until that point, it wasn't close, the job was his. Longwell was brought in after the injury, I think. He had been cut as a camp leg in San Fran.

Now Conway's career might match your description, but I honestly do not know why he struggled in DC. I do remember one other injury, I think. But it could be that the misses would bother him so much that he was inclined to work himself too hard and he hurt his game. It might have been a mental hurdle he was fighting.

But I do not get this sense with Crosby. All the bad misses are the same and to the same spot. Repeatable action does not equate to panic or fear in my estimation. The problem for the coach and the kicker is that he is doing this in games but not in practice. If this is not simply dissembling, he is changing something when the ball is live.

From your post about other clutch players, you claim not thinking about the shot too much is the key. But I think the reverse is true. Bird, Jordan and Kobe were all so hypercompetitive that they were ALWAYS outworking the competition in practice and perfecting their game. They are clutch because they have practiced the scenario over and over again, not because they dumb, Zen-like or unconscious.

Crosby will get there IF they can identify what he is doing in the game and give him the appropriate guidepost in his motion to ensure it doesn't happen again. If they are being disingenuous and it is happening in practice, then I think its a simple matter of targeting or alignment. Either way, it should be fixable.

[pbmax]

McGinn claims that in the Steeler game, it was both a poorly placed plant foot and follow through that failed on the FG. If true, then it seems logical that this has happened on the other misses. The plant foot issue cannot be difficult to fix. Follow through, I cannot imagine how McGinn can discern that on videotape, but then I am also unsure how that should be corrected.

[Guiness]

I thought they showed on replay the extent to which the turf affected the kick - his plant foot slid a good few inches, enough to affect the kick. They showed the Pitt kicker, and he slid, but not as much, and his plant was further back.

A bit of homefield advantage, and knowing which way the bounces go, IMO. Not that that's an excuse for missing one at that distance, but it certainly affected it.

[Bretsky]

McGinn claims that in the Steeler game, it was both a poorly placed plant foot and follow through that failed on the FG. If true, then it seems logical that this has happened on the other misses. The plant foot issue cannot be difficult to fix. Follow through, I cannot imagine how McGinn can discern that on videotape, but then I am also unsure how that should be corrected.


The replay clearly showed his plant foot slipped forward so he was a bit off balance. The coaches have commented when he pushes it that way it's because he's not properly following through so McGinn is mimicking them most likely. Also sounds like Mason is shining in practice but the follow through issue comes up in recent games. With that being said, this guy has too much talent to give up on. He'll come through. I feel a lot better about saying three years from now Crosby should be out kicker than Kapinos our punter.

[pbmax]

McGinn claims that in the Steeler game, it was both a poorly placed plant foot and follow through that failed on the FG. If true, then it seems logical that this has happened on the other misses. The plant foot issue cannot be difficult to fix. Follow through, I cannot imagine how McGinn can discern that on videotape, but then I am also unsure how that should be corrected.


The replay clearly showed his plant foot slipped forward so he was a bit off balance. The coaches have commented when he pushes it that way it's because he's not properly following through so McGinn is mimicking them most likely. Also sounds like Mason is shining in practice but the follow through issue comes up in recent games. With that being said, this guy has too much talent to give up on. He'll come through. I feel a lot better about saying three years from now Crosby should be out kicker than Kapinos our punter.
Odd that a slipping foot causes the same problem as previous tries from longer yards. I did not see that replay, so its hard to visualize, but I would guess there could be a correlation to the other kicks if his plant has been to far forward (closer to the ball) on the other kicks. Maybe he is having the same to eager, too long a stride issue that Kapinos was having?

[MichiganPackerFan]

I've seen him slip a lot lately. Why doesnt the equipment manager put slightly longer cleats on the heal so he can approach the way he normally does but when he plants the heel digs in a bit more?

[Maxie the Taxi]

I've seen him slip a lot lately. Why doesnt the equipment manager put slightly longer cleats on the heal so he can approach the way he normally does but when he plants the heel digs in a bit more?

Didn't Crosby kick in Colorado? He should be practiced in kicking in poor, winter conditions.

[denverYooper]

I've seen him slip a lot lately. Why doesnt the equipment manager put slightly longer cleats on the heal so he can approach the way he normally does but when he plants the heel digs in a bit more?

Didn't Crosby kick in Colorado? He should be practiced in kicking in poor, winter conditions.

Boulder weather is much nicer than Green Bay weather.

[Smidgeon]

I've seen him slip a lot lately. Why doesnt the equipment manager put slightly longer cleats on the heal so he can approach the way he normally does but when he plants the heel digs in a bit more?

Didn't Crosby kick in Colorado? He should be practiced in kicking in poor, winter conditions.

Boulder weather is much nicer than Green Bay weather.
And definitely better field conditions that Heinz Field's.

[Patler]

I've seen him slip a lot lately. Why doesnt the equipment manager put slightly longer cleats on the heal so he can approach the way he normally does but when he plants the heel digs in a bit more?

Didn't Crosby kick in Colorado? He should be practiced in kicking in poor, winter conditions.

Boulder weather is much nicer than Green Bay weather.
And definitely better field conditions that Heinz Field's.

It's interesting that in 8 seasons, Reed has attempted only 13 kicks beyond 50 yards. I wonder how many of those were on his home field?

Crosby has tried 16 in just three seasons.

[Noodle]

I saw the slip on the replay, but honestly, it was not enough to cause the miss. It was the kind of movement that you almost expect when you're driving a ball on a grass surface, so that was not the problem.

At the same time, I am firmly in Mason's camp. He'll get through this. His mechanics are sound, he strikes the ball beautifully, the football flies true without weird bends, and I seriously think he's an asset on kick returns due to his tackling/positioning.

So give the kid a little break and let him work through this. You will not get anyone better off the street.

[Maxie the Taxi]

I saw the slip on the replay, but honestly, it was not enough to cause the miss. It was the kind of movement that you almost expect when you're driving a ball on a grass surface, so that was not the problem.

At the same time, I am firmly in Mason's camp. He'll get through this. His mechanics are sound, he strikes the ball beautifully, the football flies true without weird bends, and I seriously think he's an asset on kick returns due to his tackling/positioning.

So give the kid a little break and let him work through this. You will not get anyone better off the street.

I agree. We let him go we'll be kicking ourselves in the butt for the next 10 years.

I was reading an article where Slocum is quoted as telling Crosby: Go out there saying 'I can't wait to kick this field goal,' rather than saying 'I can't miss this one."

Makes me think the problem is all "upstairs."

Kicking is so much like golf. What makes Tiger so good is not necessarily his mechanics. He's changed them a time or two. It's his mental toughness...

[And now all the jokesters in the board can tell me what else makes Tiger so good. :) ]

[Smidgeon]

I was reading an article where Slocum is quoted as telling Crosby: Go out there saying 'I can't wait to kick this field goal,' rather than saying 'I can't miss this one."

I thought he was quoted as saying that's the danger of undermining a kicker's confidence as opposed to talking about Crosby specifically.

[Maxie the Taxi]

I was reading an article where Slocum is quoted as telling Crosby: Go out there saying 'I can't wait to kick this field goal,' rather than saying 'I can't miss this one."

I thought he was quoted as saying that's the danger of undermining a kicker's confidence as opposed to talking about Crosby specifically.

That could be. I was quoting from memory and my memory has already left the building.

But ask me what I had for dinner on my birthday in 1947! :D

[Smidgeon]

I was reading an article where Slocum is quoted as telling Crosby: Go out there saying 'I can't wait to kick this field goal,' rather than saying 'I can't miss this one."

I thought he was quoted as saying that's the danger of undermining a kicker's confidence as opposed to talking about Crosby specifically.

That could be. I was quoting from memory and my memory has already left the building.

But ask me what I had for dinner on my birthday in 1947! :D

What did you have for dinner on your birthday in 1947?

[Maxie the Taxi]

I was reading an article where Slocum is quoted as telling Crosby: Go out there saying 'I can't wait to kick this field goal,' rather than saying 'I can't miss this one."

I thought he was quoted as saying that's the danger of undermining a kicker's confidence as opposed to talking about Crosby specifically.

That could be. I was quoting from memory and my memory has already left the building.

But ask me what I had for dinner on my birthday in 1947! :D

What did you have for dinner on your birthday in 1947?

Damned if I know. :oops:

[Smidgeon]

I was reading an article where Slocum is quoted as telling Crosby: Go out there saying 'I can't wait to kick this field goal,' rather than saying 'I can't miss this one."

I thought he was quoted as saying that's the danger of undermining a kicker's confidence as opposed to talking about Crosby specifically.

That could be. I was quoting from memory and my memory has already left the building.

But ask me what I had for dinner on my birthday in 1947! :D

What did you have for dinner on your birthday in 1947?

Damned if I know. :oops:

Nice! :lol:

[MJZiggy]

I was reading an article where Slocum is quoted as telling Crosby: Go out there saying 'I can't wait to kick this field goal,' rather than saying 'I can't miss this one."

I thought he was quoted as saying that's the danger of undermining a kicker's confidence as opposed to talking about Crosby specifically.

That could be. I was quoting from memory and my memory has already left the building.

But ask me what I had for dinner on my birthday in 1947! :D

What did you have for dinner on your birthday in 1947?

Damned if I know. :oops:

Nice! :lol: This is why I keep coming back here...

[Smidgeon]

I was reading an article where Slocum is quoted as telling Crosby: Go out there saying 'I can't wait to kick this field goal,' rather than saying 'I can't miss this one."

I thought he was quoted as saying that's the danger of undermining a kicker's confidence as opposed to talking about Crosby specifically.

That could be. I was quoting from memory and my memory has already left the building.

But ask me what I had for dinner on my birthday in 1947! :D

What did you have for dinner on your birthday in 1947?

Damned if I know. :oops:

Nice! :lol: This is why I keep coming back here...

I was really curious. Thought it might have been a hell of a meal to remember it 62 years later.

[ThunderDan]

Bump. Here is one Crosby thread that seemed to have the best title.

[PaCkFan_n_MD]

Bump. Here is one Crosby thread that seemed to have the best title.

Not really. I think it has a very fitting title for when it was made. He was never a bad kicker, but he wasn't all that great either. He has sure seemed to turn the corner though. I was very impressed yesterday.

[Scott Campbell]

Bump. Here is one Crosby thread that seemed to have the best title.



:worship:

[ThunderDan]

Not really. I think it has a very fitting title for when it was made. He was never a bad kicker, but he wasn't all that great either. He has sure seemed to turn the corner though. I was very impressed yesterday.

It was the best title for the 10 or 11 Crosby threads out there. I am making no judgement on if the posters were right or wrong at the time of the thread. Right now it has the best AH HA title.

[mmmdk]

What you gonna do when things go wrong?
What you gonna do when it all cracks up?
What you gonna do when the Love burns down?
What you gonna do when the flames go up?
Who is gonna come and turn the tide?
What's it gonna take to make a dream survive?
Who's got the touch to calm the storm inside?
Don't say goodbye
Don't say goodbye
In the final seconds who's gonna save you?

Oh, Alive and Kicking
Stay until your love is, love is, Alive and Kicking
Oh, Mason Crosby is Alive and Kicking

Lyrics by Simple Minds [about a simple kicker finally making his kicks] :lol:

[gbgary]

he's hit like 19 in a row or something like that. having a great year.

[HarveyWallbangers]

I agree with Mike.

Mike Vandermause column: Green Bay Packers shouldn't give up on K Mason Crosby

I still agree with Mike. :)

[HarveyWallbangers]

Not really. I think it has a very fitting title for when it was made. He was never a bad kicker, but he wasn't all that great either. He has sure seemed to turn the corner though. I was very impressed yesterday.

He was never as bad as his stats--or as bad as people made him out to be. He kicked more in terrible conditions than other kickers and McStubby never turned down the opportunity to put him out there in iffy situations (long FGs, FGs in bad conditions). That's the argument I made at the time, and I think the argument was correct. He's gone from being a solid kicker to being a great kicker this year. I never understood why people wanted to run him out of town. His leg on kickoffs has always been above average (when they didn't decide to make him kick directionally), and he's perhaps the best onside kicker I've ever seen. His kicking stats were ordinary, but considering the circumstances they were at least acceptable. I get that he didn't appear to be a clutch kicker, but I never totally bought into that either. Sure, he was like 1 for 4 on game ending, game winning kicks--but he had made plenty of pressure kicks before. Kind of reminds me of the stat that the Packers don't win close games--judged by those games that are within four points or less.

[LEWCWA]

The dude is undoubtedly going to miss a few big kicks this year as the weather turns to shit. Does he finally have a pass on some of those kicks or is it what have you done for me lately!

[PaCkFan_n_MD]

He was never as bad as his stats--or as bad as people made him out to be. He kicked more in terrible conditions than other kickers and McStubby never turned down the opportunity to put him out there in iffy situations (long FGs, FGs in bad conditions). That's the argument I made at the time, and I think the argument was correct. He's gone from being a solid kicker to being a great kicker this year. I never understood why people wanted to run him out of town. His leg on kickoffs has always been above average (when they didn't decide to make him kick directionally), and he's perhaps the best onside kicker I've ever seen. His kicking stats were ordinary, but considering the circumstances they were at least acceptable. I get that he didn't appear to be a clutch kicker, but I never totally bought into that either. Sure, he was like 1 for 4 on game ending, game winning kicks--but he had made plenty of pressure kicks before. Kind of reminds me of the stat that the Packers don't win close games--judged by those games that are within four points or less.

I completely agree with you. But he seems to have put it together around the same time the rest of the team did last year. No one I would rather have right now.

[Cheesehead Craig]

I was wondering when the Crosby threads were going to be resurrected. He's having a hell of a great season so far.

[mission]

Didn't gbpackfan hate Rodgers too? :lol:

[channtheman]

I think that whoever was teaching Crosby to aim at the uprights either died or Crosby just stopped listening to him. Probably died.

[Tony Oday]

I definately have hate for Crosby and still think he will miss everytime he runs out there. That being said he is having a great year.

[Lurker64]

I definately have hate for Crosby and still think he will miss everytime he runs out there. That being said he is having a great year.

Isn't "hating your kicker" both normal and healthy?