Mason Crosby

[pbmax]

So the Packers have a kicker with all the talent in the world and who seems to be level headed and mentally strong. He is inconsistent, however and has definite problems from the right hash mark.

The Packers answer to the problem appears to be to give him two new holders to work with. Because that will make everything better. Of the many questionable things this team does, many of which we may not get the whole story on, this seems to be inexcusable since Flynn has done this well before. Now if the Australian is going to be the punter, I can see needing to get him some work. But not two new guys round the clock. How is he supposed to improve when he spends his time correcting the holders?

I mean its not like dysfunction in this unit has ever cost the team a game.

[PaCkFan_n_MD]

Crosby is just not accurate IMO. Can keep blaming holders, but could it be that he is just not that good?

[pbmax]

Crosby is just not accurate IMO. Can keep blaming holders, but could it be that he is just not that good?

Perhaps, but since they brought in no competition and are counting on him, the Packers seem to think its correctable. What is amazing is that they seem content to keep interfering with that correction.

According to many Twitterers and bloggers, McCarthy has been coming down harder in camp on penalties. Maybe he has finally learned that lesson. But he doesn't seem to have learned how to overcome the obstacles in his kicking game.

[packerbacker1234]

IT is a serious problem, especially from the right hash mark. Sure, some of that is on the holder at times because it has to be just right, but at some point the packers need to realize that crosby may have to alter the way he strikes the ball to gain more accuracy. IF that means he loses a tad of distance to do that, fine. He still has his old stroke for those 50+'s, but he should learn a new way to hit the ball for accuracy so those 45 and in become almost atomatic.

Thing is, the packers seem convinced Crosby isn't the problem. It's been interesting.

[Tony Oday]

They need to bring in competition and have the new kid beat Crosby out. He is a liability.

[imscott72]

I'm very worried about Mason. I was hoping he would come to camp and have shaken off last year's problems, but they're there again. I think we need to bring somebody in.

[PaCkFan_n_MD]

They need to bring in competition and have the new kid beat Crosby out. He is a liability.

I agree with this. A kicker is paid to make kicks. If he doesn't he is not good enough. I didn't care that Longwell left years back, but I actually have missed him kicking field goals for us. If it is under 45 yards you could count on the guy.

Crosby makes me nervous from 35 yards. I just don't think he is good enough.

[Fritz]

I'm willing to give him this training camp and a few games. He keeps missing right, I'd start cutting a finger of his right hand off with each miss.

[Tony Oday]

I cant believe this guy gets a freaking pass! I mean if this was another position we would be ALL up in arms to replace Mason.

[PaCkFan_n_MD]

I'm willing to give him this training camp and a few games. He keeps missing right, I'd start cutting a finger of his right hand off with each miss.

Fans should be coaches I swear

[Patler]

Crosby has kicked in 48 regular season games, 12 preseason games and 1 playoff game. In those 61 games he has had 3 long snappers and 6 different holders. Now he is working with two more new ones. In previous TCs he has worked with at least two others that I can think of on a regular basis. At least 10 different holders in 3 years. Not one of his holders had significant NFL experience as a holder, and I think only Flynn and Frost had significant experience in college. After Davis, his long snappers were rookies when they came on board. That borders on the ridiculous when you factor in that Crosby himself is just learning the NFL game.

Crosby has as many 50+ yard attempts in 3 seasons as Longwell had in his first 8 seasons. That has impacted his overall percentage, going 8/17 (including the 66 yarder, or whatever it was, a couple years ago). Longwell was 9/17, but rarely tried anything even as long as 55.

Even with his struggles last year, and the "short" misses, Crosby is over 80% on kicks under 50 yards. His statistical problem is that every sixth kick he tries is one that he has no better than about a 50/50 chance of making. Crosby has 109 attempts, with 17 from 50+. Longwell had 250 attempts in the 8 seasons it took him to have 17 attempts at 50+. If Crosby was 4/8 on 50-59 yarders instead of 8/16 and 0/1 on 60+ yarders, his career percentage would be above the magic number of 80% and no one would be talking about it.

Yes, Crosby missed a couple last year that he should have made, and we all remember those vividly. Every kicker misses some he shouldn't from time to time. Crosby has also made a few big ones in his short career already. Longwell didn't make a game winning kick for a quite a few years early in his career. Not a single one. It was a constant knock on him. But he became automatic after a while.

Crosby needs experience and consistency to develop a comfort zone. He has had no opportunity for that so far. Kinda makes you wish they had kept Jon Ryan, who seemed to be getting pretty good at holding, pulling in some bad snaps his last season in GB. Crosby, Ryan and Goode could have developed a close working relationship by now.

[Tony Oday]

Crosby has kicked in 48 regular season games, 12 preseason games and 1 playoff game. In those 61 games he has had 3 long snappers and 6 different holders. Now he is working with two more new ones. In previous TCs he has worked with at least two others that I can think of on a regular basis. At least 10 different holders in 3 years. Not one of his holders had significant NFL experience as a holder, and I think only Flynn and Frost had significant experience in college. After Davis, his long snappers were rookies when they came on board. That borders on the ridiculous when you factor in that Crosby himself is just learning the NFL game.

Crosby has as many 50+ yard attempts in 3 seasons as Longwell had in his first 8 seasons. That has impacted his overall percentage, going 8/17 (including the 66 yarder, or whatever it was, a couple years ago). Longwell was 9/17, but rarely tried anything even as long as 55.

Even with his struggles last year, and the "short" misses, Crosby is over 80% on kicks under 50 yards. His statistical problem is that every sixth kick he tries is one that he has no better than about a 50/50 chance of making. Crosby has 109 attempts, with 17 from 50+. Longwell had 250 attempts in the 8 seasons it took him to have 17 attempts at 50+. If Crosby was 4/8 on 51-60 yarders instead of 8/16 and 0/1 on 60-70 yarders, his career percentage would be above the magic number of 80% and no one would be talking about it.

Yes, Crosby missed a couple last year that he should have made, and we all remember those vividly. Every kicker misses some he shouldn't from time to time. Crosby has also made a few big ones in his short career already. Longwell didn't make a game winning kick for a quite a few years early in his career. Not a single one. It was a constant knock on him. But he became automatic after a while.

Crosby needs experience and consistency to develop a comfort zone. He has had no opportunity for that so far. Kinda makes you wish they had kept Jon Ryan, who seemed to be getting pretty good at holding, pulling in some bad snaps his last season in GB. Crosby, Ryan and Goode could have developed a close working relationship by now.

AT the risk of being Patlerized how many other kickers have this same thing happen to them but don't fold?

[Fritz]

But if you start cutting off fingers on his right hand you'll lighten him up over on that side and his leg will swing better and truer and he won't miss right.

[Tony Oday]

But if you start cutting off fingers on his right hand you'll lighten him up over on that side and his leg will swing better and truer and he won't miss right.

I never said that was a bad idea

[Patler]

AT the risk of being Patlerized how many other kickers have this same thing happen to them but don't fold?

I doubt very many worked with 10 different holders (5 in games that count) and 3 different snappers in 3 years and 1 week, especially in their first three years of their careers as they try to learn the game as well.

I don't think Crosby has folded at all. As I mentioned, even with all the change, he is above 80% on kicks less than 50 yards (77/92 - 83.70%). With so few career attempts, a couple bobbled snaps or poor placements make a huge difference even in that percentage.

All in all, if they would quit running him out there for so many attempts beyond 50 yards, no one wold be talking about his low percentage.

Can you imagine what Longwell would have had to say if he was given 10 different holders to work with in basically 3 seasons?