Lions to look at Kickers after Akers miss and Martins Kickoffs

[broncosmitty]

I don't think Akers blows, but sure I would rather have Hanson or Kickalicious

He's 24th in FG% of active kickers. (Two spots below Ryan Lindell who we all watched suck to high heaven last Sunday). He's missed two field goals from 30-39 this season. Hanson missed EIGHT in 21 seasons. And his current team reiterated again today that they will be working out kickers. He blows.

 

[broncosmitty]

I didn't realize Martin had messed up a couple of holds. I remember well the shanked punt that basically cost us a game. I think he'll be fine though. But you vastly underestimate the difficulty of the catch, placement & hold required of the holder. It's much harder than kicking an extra point which is what Suh attempted.

Not sure if he ever had holding duties in college. Anybody know?

 

[themuzzer]

Yo Smitty, Eric Fisher came back to the Mt. Pleasant area last month and showed up at my Moms work.....She sat on his lap and got a autograph and photograph......She wants to give it to me, but I have a little kid on my bus that is a huge Cheifs fan, I told mom I would give it to him......

Pretty cool the #2 overall draft pick didn't forget his roots......I'm sure he had better crap to do on his bye week then visit a hospice home 500 miles away in Central Michigan.

 

[broncosmitty]

Hanson has twice as many field goals over 50 in his career as well. Had Akers replaced a poor kicker, not been horrible last year, and missed less than five field goals already on the season I might not think he blows, but, well...

 

[Old Lion]

He's 24th in FG% of active kickers. (Two spots below Ryan Lindell who we all watched suck to high heaven last Sunday). He's missed two field goals from 30-39 this season. Hanson missed EIGHT in 21 seasons. And his current team reiterated again today that they will be working out kickers. He blows.

Again, read the articles. 3 of his 5 misses were do to blocks and botched holds. Take those away and he is a top 10 kicker. Granted missed 2 chips shots is almost unforgiveable. I am not sure anyone other than Hanson would be acceptable as a replacement. Some the kickers in the league are terrible. The only ones I would take over Akers is Huaschka and Prater and Gostkowski. The rest are no better than Akers

 

[broncosmitty]

Yo Smitty, Eric Fisher came back to the Mt. Pleasant area last month and showed up at my Moms work.....She sat on his lap and got a autograph and photograph......She wants to give it to me, but I have a little kid on my bus that is a huge Cheifs fan, I told mom I would give it to him......

Pretty cool the #2 overall draft pick didn't forget his roots......I'm sure he had better crap to do on his bye week then visit a hospice home 500 miles away in Central Michigan.

That's really cool of him. (And your mom. Hospice has unfortunately been in my life a lot the last few years. Absolutely wonderful people.). Not many guys his age would take the time to thank people who help others like your mom and her co-workers. Black Magic went to high school with him I believe, he can probably attest to Fishers character. (That kid better be well behaved if your giving him that signature: )

 

[broncosmitty]

Again, read the articles. 3 of his 5 misses were do to blocks and botched holds. Take those away and he is a top 10 kicker. Granted missed 2 chips shots is almost unforgiveable. I am not sure anyone other than Hanson would be acceptable as a replacement. Some the kickers in the league are terrible. The only ones I would take over Akers is Huaschka and Prater and Gostkowski. The rest are no better than Akers

Read what articles? I watch games. He doesn't do kickoffs, and is 15-20 on field goals. Adios Akers!

 

[themuzzer]

That's really cool of him. (And your mom. Hospice has unfortunately been in my life a lot the last few years. Absolutely wonderful people.). Not many guys his age would take the time to thank people who help others like your mom and her co-workers. Black Magic went to high school with him I believe, he can probably attest to Fishers character. (That kid better be well behaved if your giving him that signature: )

I wear a bunch of CMU garb handed down from the old man.....That little kid is a strait A student and deserves it....

He didn't even know who CMU was until I became his Bus Driver.....He actually roots for them now.

That's the kind of stuff that makes going to work fun......

If you love your job, you will never work a day in your life.

 

[tpaulus_2]

I'm not saying it wasn't a called play. I haven't heard anything one way or the other. But how do you know it was ? Did one of the coaches or Martin say that?
You make a valid point that I don't know that it was, I suppose I'm just assuming based on the way the ball was kicked vs. the way he usually kicks them. We're talking about a 15 yard difference in distance, so I assumed, perhaps incorrectly, that they were intentional.

I have no proof, only what my eyes tell me- when the ball is kicked much higher and shorter than normal I assume a sky kick is called. We've done it a fair amount this year, so it certainly would seem to be the case. I will concede that they simply may have just been crappy kicks, though.

Because it seems as if one of them would have if it was a called play to take the heat off of Martin.

I don't think Martin would throw his coach under the bus, but I'd certainly like to see the coach step up and take some of the blame, but maybe a sky kick wasn't called after all?

If it was a called play it was an unbelievably idiotic and risky one considering the potential downside and the fact he has the ability to kick it through the end zone.. then to call it a second time after it failed ? The longest KR by a Packer this year is 31 yards.

I won't argue that it's stupid given the risk/reward factor involved, but we've still been doing it pretty regularly this season.

 

[tpaulus_2]

Like I said, I probably should not have said sucks. He obviously does not. It irks me too when people do that. They are doing it now with Akers. He missed 2 FGs that were his fault this year that's it. The problem I have with him is both those FGs were less than 40 yards. Its great to have a big leg and make 50+ yarders, but missing 2 gimmes in ideal condtions is not good. Same with making big punts and kickoffs. 6 mistakes or only 5, it is still way too many for 12 games.

Fair enough- we're not too far off from the same viewpoint all-in-all. I totally agree about Akers- he's only had a few true "misses" but they were both easy kicks that he shouldn't have missed. And Martin obviously needs to get his mistakes corrected- no argument there.

 

[tpaulus_2]

I said this already on another thread as well. I will give him a pass this year because he has a lot of talent. Next year this cant still be happening or there will be a serious problem. Shwartz already blasted him during the game Thursday so he is probably on the radar now.

Absolutely- if these problems persist into next year then it's no longer a case of rookie mistakes. I expect him to still have some hiccups next year as a young player, but I'd like to see no more than half as many as he makes this year. Then, by his 3rd year I'd expect him to have it down to no more than 2 or 3 big mistakes (bad shanks, kicks out of bounds, etc...). There's always going to be a few for pretty much any kicker or punter, and if he gets to that level of just a few per year then we should all be happy campers...

 

[tpaulus_2]

Again, read the articles. 3 of his 5 misses were do to blocks and botched holds. Take those away and he is a top 10 kicker. Granted missed 2 chips shots is almost unforgiveable. I am not sure anyone other than Hanson would be acceptable as a replacement. Some the kickers in the league are terrible. The only ones I would take over Akers is Huaschka and Prater and Gostkowski. The rest are no better than Akers

That kid from Baltimore has made 28 kicks in a row. Blair Walsh up in Minnesota might be the best kicker in the league, and St. Louis also has a good young kicker.

I'm with you that Akers is better than he's getting credit for, but there's a lot of really good young kickers in the league right now...

 

[Mebert]

I think tpaul is right on the kickoffs, No way he pops it up like that on kickoffs twice. The coaches tried to get cute and pin on the kickoff. I remember Hanson doing that kick successfully, but they tried it after he lost the leg to boot it out of the endzone.

 

[Mebert]

Next year we should start a new game. Keep a list of every player who someone claims should be traded, cut, or fired through the year. I am curious to see if by the end of the year there is a roster left other then the players who never make it off the bench.

 

[Old Lion]

That kid from Baltimore has made 28 kicks in a row. Blair Walsh up in Minnesota might be the best kicker in the league, and St. Louis also has a good young kicker.

I'm with you that Akers is better than he's getting credit for, but there's a lot of really good young kickers in the league right now...

I forgot about Tucker. He has been awesome this year. Probably better than the other 3 too. He would certainly be included in the top 4. Walsh has had as great a season and he was almost automatic last year too. Legatron certainly has some serious power. Going forward they would be preferable too. You could make an argument for Gould as well. I guess there are a half dozen or so better. Still out of 31 other kickers he is as good as or better than 2/3 of them.

 

[RoboticDreams]

Akers sucks, trust me. I'm glad he's gone.

 

[tpaulus_2]

I forgot about Tucker. He has been awesome this year. Probably better than the other 3 too. He would certainly be included in the top 4. Walsh has had as great a season and he was almost automatic last year too. Legatron certainly has some serious power. Going forward they would be preferable too. You could make an argument for Gould as well. I guess there are a half dozen or so better. Still out of 31 other kickers he is as good as or better than 2/3 of them.

Gould is set to be a free agent after this season, and it sounds like he's not too keen on staying in Chicago- sounds like the new management doesn't see eye-to-eye with him. I'd love to add him to the mix, and I'd imagine he'd love to finish his career in a dome. Plus, if he's pissed at the Bears what better way to show it than to join the enemy?

 

[Microwahevo]

Gould is set to be a free agent after this season, and it sounds like he's not too keen on staying in Chicago- sounds like the new management doesn't see eye-to-eye with him. I'd love to add him to the mix, and I'd imagine he'd love to finish his career in a dome. Plus, if he's pissed at the Bears what better way to show it than to join the enemy?

Gould is money. He's about as automatic as Hanson is. I wouldn't mine seeing him as a Lion.

 

[Old Lion]

Gould is money. He's about as automatic as Hanson is. I wouldn't mine seeing him as a Lion.

I hate to admit it because he is still a Bear, but I agree.

 

[Old Lion]

Akers sucks, trust me. I'm glad he's gone.

I am sure you are thrilled with Phil Dawson.