By now you have certainly heard about Ndamukong Suh attempting and missing an extra point in the Detroit Lions 23-20 overtime loss versus the New York Jets.You probably also heard about Wes Welker successfully kicking an extra point for the New England Patriots in their lifeless 34-14 loss against the Cleveland Browns.
My question is, where were the punters? Why can't a punter kick an extra point?
Both Jason Hanson of the Lions and Stephen Gostkowski of the Patriots were unable to fulfill extra point duties after suffering various leg injuries
But where were the punters? Why weren't they able to kick some chip shot extra points rather than using a star wide receiver and a rookie defensive tackle?
And in the case of the Lions, Suh's missed extra point practically cost the Lions the game. The New York Jets placekicker, who was perfectly healthy by the way, kicked a 36 yard field goal with zero time remaining in the 4th quarter to tie the game and push it to over time.
If Suh, or a punter who kicks footballs for a living, makes the extra point, a field goal doesn't tie the game and the Lions likely win with the Jets having to score a touchdown!
One would think that Detroit Lions head coach Jim Schwartz would reasonably expect that his punter Nick Harris, his punter, would have a better chance to kick an extra point than a 300 pound rookie defensive line man. Or, maybe going for two in that situation would seem like a scenario with a higher probability of success.
I guess Nick Harris was worn out from punting 9 times in the game. An extra point would be too much work.
Bill Belicheck, likely the smartest man on the face of the globe, also decided to use his star wide receiver rather than his punter Zoltan Mesko.
I guess Zoltan is unable to kick things that are on the ground. With a name like Zoltan, you think he'd be good at kicking all kinds of things.
Good for Wes Welker for making his extra point. But Zoltan should have saved the day and booted the try.
Either way, punters need to man-up a little bit, if that is even possible, and kick some extra points when their wimpy counterpart placekickers are unable to.
Ndamukong Suh should be eating kickers. He shouldn't be a kicker.
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Who do you think does the holding on place kicks? Usually the punter! Good hands, quick spot. If you don't have a good holder, it doesn't matter how good the kicker is.
ReplyDeleteGood point, but don't you think back-up quarterbacks should be able to manage holding for kicks?
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing punter's dad!
ReplyDelete"Good point, but don't you think back-up quarterbacks should be able to manage holding for kicks?"
ReplyDeleteYou would think so, but most haven't done it since college or even high school, if then.
Believe it or not, kickers, long snappers and punters practice many hours each week. Backup QB's are with the other guys. It's a timing and confidence thing.
Most Punters aren't kickers. They are former QBs who couldn't make it as QBs at the college level.
ReplyDeleteI know Jeff Feagles once attempted a FG and it was worse than Suhs...why? In High school he was a stud QB before going to Miami.