Can we finally say CROSBY HAS TO GO?

[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.