Crosby displeased with 2008 performance

[SnakeLH2006]

Crosby has a nice stroke and powerful leg. Surprised by Crosby's misses in crunch time. Expect Crosby to have a monster year and a Jason Elam type career.

Was gonna post the same thing. Crosby has a good work ethic and major power. Those are 2 things you can't coach. Crosby is fine....Just hope he likes Applebee's?..

[Scott Campbell]

He's the surest tackler I've ever seen at that position. He's got a huge leg. And he made some great kicks his first year. I hope last years struggles were a fluke, because he sure looks the part of a All Pro.

[mraynrand]

Re: KIcker

[
I wonder if you hated Ron Wolf when he cut a very reliable veteran kicker, drafted his replacement in the third round and then cut him for a street free agent named Longwell. .

That's crazy. Ron Wolf was a great GM - he'd never blow a third-rounder on a kicker. That's bush league stuff.

Brett Conway can still kick in this league. But you need a note from his Doctor for a weekend pass to leave the facility.

Just put me in the game, coach!

[Fritz]

Re: KIcker

Ryan Longwell is still making a good show of his kicking in Minnesota in case anyone hasn't checked out his performance lately. He's back to form.

Longwell is ideal for an indoor field. He gets good distance on FGs, but lacks "power". He kicks long floaters. That means his distance drops dramatically in cold weather and harsh elements. It's why he routinely declined 40-45 yarders in bad weather.

He could enjoy a long career in Minnesota, and will do well.

This phrase got me thinking about yet another way kickers are "different" than other players. How many players get asked by the coach if they think they can make a certain play, and decline the opportunity.

Interesting.

MM: "Hey, Grant, do you think you can make this third-and-three?"

Grant: "Nah, coach, with that d-line of theirs I think I can probably only get two yards. Better skip it."

I never really thought about this before, but kickers do get asked if they can convert certain kicks - which would add to the pressure, I think. On the one hand, you don't want to tell the coach you're incapable. On the other hand, you don't want to tell the coach you can make that 53 yarder, and have it fall eight yards short.

Weird.

[Scott Campbell]

Re: KIcker

Ryan Longwell is still making a good show of his kicking in Minnesota in case anyone hasn't checked out his performance lately. He's back to form.

Longwell is ideal for an indoor field. He gets good distance on FGs, but lacks "power". He kicks long floaters. That means his distance drops dramatically in cold weather and harsh elements. It's why he routinely declined 40-45 yarders in bad weather.

He could enjoy a long career in Minnesota, and will do well.

This phrase got me thinking about yet another way kickers are "different" than other players. How many players get asked by the coach if they think they can make a certain play, and decline the opportunity.

Interesting.

MM: "Hey, Grant, do you think you can make this third-and-three?"

Grant: "Nah, coach, with that d-line of theirs I think I can probably only get two yards. Better skip it."

I never really thought about this before, but kickers do get asked if they can convert certain kicks - which would add to the pressure, I think. On the one hand, you don't want to tell the coach you're incapable. On the other hand, you don't want to tell the coach you can make that 53 yarder, and have it fall eight yards short.

Weird.

If they decline too many that they really shouldn't, they'll get replaced. Ideally the ST coach knows the kicker well enough to be able to speak for him.

[Fritz]

Good point, SC. I don't think a coach should put a player in that position very often. Once in a while, sure. Especially in a bad sports movie.

"Well, Guffy, I know that linebacker just broke your fibula, and I know that you're trying a comeback at the age of 44 after a heart transplant and after losing both eyes trying to save a little girl from a raging tiger - and I'm sorry she died, by the way - and I know you just found out your baby sister has cancer, but do ya think you can get us those two yards?"

[hoosier]

Re: KIcker

Ryan Longwell is still making a good show of his kicking in Minnesota in case anyone hasn't checked out his performance lately. He's back to form.

Longwell is ideal for an indoor field. He gets good distance on FGs, but lacks "power". He kicks long floaters. That means his distance drops dramatically in cold weather and harsh elements. It's why he routinely declined 40-45 yarders in bad weather.

He could enjoy a long career in Minnesota, and will do well.

This phrase got me thinking about yet another way kickers are "different" than other players. How many players get asked by the coach if they think they can make a certain play, and decline the opportunity.

Interesting.

MM: "Hey, Grant, do you think you can make this third-and-three?"

Grant: "Nah, coach, with that d-line of theirs I think I can probably only get two yards. Better skip it."

I never really thought about this before, but kickers do get asked if they can convert certain kicks - which would add to the pressure, I think. On the one hand, you don't want to tell the coach you're incapable. On the other hand, you don't want to tell the coach you can make that 53 yarder, and have it fall eight yards short.

Weird.

If they decline too many that they really shouldn't, they'll get replaced. Ideally the ST coach knows the kicker well enough to be able to speak for him.

The only thing I would add to this is that the kicker himself presumably has a better sense for how field and weather conditions are likely to affect the kick. Plently of times we saw Holmgren pass up a chance to try a field goal when the Packers were just within normal field range (say, in between the opponent's 25 and 35). Presumably he wasn't just going his own gut feeling about Longwell's true range. If Longwell had been hitting from from 45+ in pregame warmups he would say so and the FG attempt would be made. If not, punt or try for the first down.

[CaptainKickass]

My gut feeling is that there isn't really any kicker with more future "upside" than Mason. Even if they brought in some rookie/FA for competition I get the feeling it would be just for show. The only way Crosby gets replaced is by an established veteran kicker with the word "clutch" closely associated with his name.

We know that outside of an attempt at landing Vinatieri - that TT doesn't really play that way. Crosby is safe, coaches are confident in him, and I think he's actually more of a well rounded football player than most kickers, based on the aforementioned tackling ability we've seen.

I wonder if he can throw? Might make for a nice surprise deception play on special teams.

[Fritz]

That'd be fun, once in a while. Especially if it's a doable kick - make it more surprising when Johnson or Hall or whoever floats out of the backfield for a pass from the Mason-meister.

[hoosier]

The Packers already missed their chance at gimmick fame: running the wildcat with Jon Ryan.

[Merlin]

I have to give our recent Kickers and well, at least 1 previous punter credit, they aren't afraid to tackle, AND they are pretty good at it. They are fast lil buggers too...