The 2008 K thread (1 Viewer)

[BigJim®]

Herman, this thread is great! Thanks so much - I've read every post. Of these three kickers, how do you rank them, in terms of being this years Nick Folk/Mason Crosby (and why)?

Taylor Mehlhaf

Brandon Coutu

Matt Prater

Thanks again!!

Assuming all three end up as their teams kicker in the regular season, I like Mehlhaff the most. Not because he's necessarily a better kicker than the other two, but because I feel the Saints offense has the fewest questions and the most potential to provide kicking scoring opportunities. At the moment however, Mehlhaff has the weakest hold on the starting job of the three. He's been inconsistent at times during camp. Coutu probably secured his job with his 5-of-5 game including the OT winner, despite Mare's expectedly better kickoffs. Denver appears willing to live with some missed 30 yarders from Prater in exchange for his monster leg.

MikeIf Mehlhaff doesn't get the job will NO keep him?

My opinion is that they will not keep both of them.It has been speculated that they may keep both and have Mehlhaff handle just kickoffs, although that is one of the areas in which he has been inconsistent... (unless you subscribe to the theory that the coaches have asked him to intentionally not kick touchbacks so they can practice kick return coverage). The team showed they weren't interested in using two kickers when they dumped Carney before last year.

They could keep both and not even activate Mehlhaff each week, if they think he has the potential to be the next kicking sensation, but just needs a year to develop. That doesn't sound likely though.

They might stash him on the practice squad.

Or he plays equal to or better than Gramatica the next two weeks and they go with Mehlhaff as their kicker.

If he was draftable, he may not make it to a practice squad to begin with. Also, he could be plucked by another team that's willing to roster him at any time, right? That would be a risky move.

 

[Mike Herman]

Herman, this thread is great! Thanks so much - I've read every post. Of these three kickers, how do you rank them, in terms of being this years Nick Folk/Mason Crosby (and why)?

Taylor Mehlhaf

Brandon Coutu

Matt Prater

Thanks again!!

Assuming all three end up as their teams kicker in the regular season, I like Mehlhaff the most. Not because he's necessarily a better kicker than the other two, but because I feel the Saints offense has the fewest questions and the most potential to provide kicking scoring opportunities. At the moment however, Mehlhaff has the weakest hold on the starting job of the three. He's been inconsistent at times during camp. Coutu probably secured his job with his 5-of-5 game including the OT winner, despite Mare's expectedly better kickoffs. Denver appears willing to live with some missed 30 yarders from Prater in exchange for his monster leg.

MikeIf Mehlhaff doesn't get the job will NO keep him?

My opinion is that they will not keep both of them.It has been speculated that they may keep both and have Mehlhaff handle just kickoffs, although that is one of the areas in which he has been inconsistent... (unless you subscribe to the theory that the coaches have asked him to intentionally not kick touchbacks so they can practice kick return coverage). The team showed they weren't interested in using two kickers when they dumped Carney before last year.

They could keep both and not even activate Mehlhaff each week, if they think he has the potential to be the next kicking sensation, but just needs a year to develop. That doesn't sound likely though.

They might stash him on the practice squad.

Or he plays equal to or better than Gramatica the next two weeks and they go with Mehlhaff as their kicker.

If he was draftable, he may not make it to a practice squad to begin with. Also, he could be plucked by another team that's willing to roster him at any time, right? That would be a risky move.

Yes, the practice squad option is definitely a risk that someone else may grab him. Although the odds that some other team would be interested in rostering a rookie kicker that needs some development is not very high.

 

[The Jacket]

Chiefs have signed Jay Feely.

 

[Gr00vus]

Chiefs have signed Jay Feely.

Jeez, I think he had more FF value as a free agent than being on the Chiefs.

 

[Mike Herman]

KANSAS CITY

The Kansas City Chiefs have agreed to terms with kicker Jay Feely on a one-year contract. Feely was released by the Miami Dolphins earlier this month, losing his job to rookie free agent Dan Carpenter. In his lone season with the Dolphins, Feely connected on 21-of-23 field goal tries to set a team record with a 91.3 percent accuracy rate. He also drilled each of his 26 point-after touchdown attempts during Miami's disastrous 1-15 season. Feely signed a three-year deal with Miami in March of 2007 after spending two years with the New York Giants. He played his first four NFL seasons with the Atlanta Falcons. In 112 games, the Michigan product has made 80.8 percent of his field goal attempts and all but two of his 251 point-after tries.

link

 

[Mike Herman]

KANSAS CITY

Q&A with HERM EDWARDS - 8/25

Q: There are still three kickers here including Feely. You’re not going to keep three all week are you?

EDWARDS: “No, we’d like to take two guys into the next game.”

Q: So Feely’s competing?

EDWARDS: “We signed him and we’ve got to make a decision which two guys we keep between now and game time.”

Q: Did you feel after Nick Novak missed (a field goal vs. Miami) that you needed a veteran? He kicked very well last year.

EDWARDS: “He’s been a good kicker in the league. You exhaust all your avenues and this was one that became available and so we decided to bring him in here.”

Q: And you don’t want to go through what you did last year?

EDWARDS: “Just because you get a veteran kicker doesn’t mean you won’t struggle. We’d like to have a kicker opening day who’s our kicker. You’re exactly right. We don’t want to conduct a kicking contest every other week.”

Q: Where this team is right now did you need a guy who’s done it before in this league?

EDWARDS: “I don’t know that so much. We need a guy who’s consistent and you talk about inside the 30-yard line. You get to the 30-yard line that’s about a 43-yard field goal. Some guys are comfortable from there and some guys you need to get a little closer to the 28 or 27. That’s ok, but you’ve got to have a consistent kicker especially when you are putting in a new offense and all points are important.”

Q: So you’re saying he can hit those 40-yarders?

EDWARDS: “Last year I think he missed two and one was blocked. He was pretty consistent for the most part. I think his longest was 53 (yards). He got a 54 (yard) one blocked. He’s been a pretty good kicker and he was up in New York when I was there with the Jets. We’ll see.”

Q: Is he healthy, ready to go?

EDWARDS: “Yeah, he’s ready to go. He’s fine”

Q: He’ll kick against the Rams then?

EDWARDS: ‘Well, we’ll see. We haven’t made a decision who those two guys will be. We’re going to do it again tomorrow and we’ll see if he’s one of them.”

Q: Assuming that he’s one of the two, he will kick for you on Thursday then?

EDWARDS: “We would hope whoever those two guys are we will be in position to kick some field goals. But then again, we’d like to score some touchdowns too. I’m not going to give up the ability to score touchdowns to kick field goals.”

link

 

[dapunisher]

KANSAS CITY

Q&A with HERM EDWARDS - 8/25

Q: There are still three kickers here including Feely. You’re not going to keep three all week are you?

EDWARDS: “No, we’d like to take two guys into the next game.”

Q: So Feely’s competing?

EDWARDS: “We signed him and we’ve got to make a decision which two guys we keep between now and game time.”

Q: Did you feel after Nick Novak missed (a field goal vs. Miami) that you needed a veteran? He kicked very well last year.

EDWARDS: “He’s been a good kicker in the league. You exhaust all your avenues and this was one that became available and so we decided to bring him in here.”

Q: And you don’t want to go through what you did last year?

EDWARDS: “Just because you get a veteran kicker doesn’t mean you won’t struggle. We’d like to have a kicker opening day who’s our kicker. You’re exactly right. We don’t want to conduct a kicking contest every other week.”

Q: Where this team is right now did you need a guy who’s done it before in this league?

EDWARDS: “I don’t know that so much. We need a guy who’s consistent and you talk about inside the 30-yard line. You get to the 30-yard line that’s about a 43-yard field goal. Some guys are comfortable from there and some guys you need to get a little closer to the 28 or 27. That’s ok, but you’ve got to have a consistent kicker especially when you are putting in a new offense and all points are important.”

Q: So you’re saying he can hit those 40-yarders?

EDWARDS: “Last year I think he missed two and one was blocked. He was pretty consistent for the most part. I think his longest was 53 (yards). He got a 54 (yard) one blocked. He’s been a pretty good kicker and he was up in New York when I was there with the Jets. We’ll see.”

Q: Is he healthy, ready to go?

EDWARDS: “Yeah, he’s ready to go. He’s fine”

Q: He’ll kick against the Rams then?

EDWARDS: ‘Well, we’ll see. We haven’t made a decision who those two guys will be. We’re going to do it again tomorrow and we’ll see if he’s one of them.”

Q: Assuming that he’s one of the two, he will kick for you on Thursday then?

EDWARDS: “We would hope whoever those two guys are we will be in position to kick some field goals. But then again, we’d like to score some touchdowns too. I’m not going to give up the ability to score touchdowns to kick field goals.”

link

Herm got tripped up on his ciphering.

 

[Mike Herman]

SEATTLE

Coutu inactive this evening. Mare misses a 50 yarder.

 

[-X-]

What's the status of Mehlhaff? I find it hard to believe that the Saints would actually cut him for Gramatica.

 

[Mike Herman]

What's the status of Mehlhaff? I find it hard to believe that the Saints would actually cut him for Gramatica.

With less than a week remaining before the Saints make their final preseason cuts, Martin Gramatica feels that he is the team's kicker. The 32-year-old veteran, however, admitted that he has heard nothing about job security from his coaches. "This is my 10th year, so I've been around it," Gramatica said. "I've been on the team where I don't get cut. I've been cut. I've dealt with it all before. So I feel like I'm the kicker until they call me and say, 'You're not our guy.' And that's when I leave. But as far as what I feel right now, I feel good, and I feel like I've done what they've asked me to do. So I don't see why I should even doubt anything about that."

Gramatica has split the kicking duties almost evenly through the first three preseason games with Taylor Mehlhaff, a rookie kicker from Wisconsin who was selected in the sixth round of the draft. For the first and third games, Gramatica kicked in the first half and Mehlhaff in the second half. In the second game, Mehlhaff handled kickoffs, and Gramatica was assigned field-goal attempts. Mehlhaff has made both of his field-goals attempts and has kicked off 12 times for an average of 65.3 yards during the preseason; Gramatica has made all three of his field-goal attempts and kicked off three times for an average of 68 yards.

The easiest solution to the two-kicker question would have been for one to stand out. But Saints Coach Sean Payton made it clear after the team's win in Cincinnati on Saturday that the kicking competition will continue, with each player still trying to establish a significant edge. "Both of them have done some things well," Payton said after the game against the Bengals. "I think Taylor's kicked off pretty well, and then all of a sudden he hits an 8-iron that lands on the 20-yard line or the 28-yard line. But I was pleased to see the way he kicked the field goals tonight. Martin's been consistent as well, so we just keep looking. One thing about that position is you could really pull up some statistics where we've charted every kick any time they've kicked the ball between the uprights and look at what the percentages are, and you've got to also go with a little bit of gut."

At this point in the competition, Gramatica and Mehlhaff seem to have different perspectives, probably because of the difference in age and experience. On Monday, Gramatica seemed confident that the job is his and said he is used to the cutting process. He also said he realized that experience, including a Super Bowl win and a Pro Bowl appearance, is his strength. When Mehlhaff was asked Monday whether the kicking job would be his, he said: "I have no idea. That's not for me to say." He has looked like a rookie at times, including with a 54-yard, third-quarter kickoff Saturday night, after he already had made a 45-yard field goal and knocked a kickoff 75 yards. "I've gotten some chances on kickoffs, and I've been happy on some of the things I've done, and I've been not as happy," Mehlhaff said. "I'm the kind of guy that I'm just never satisfied with where I'm at. I'm always trying to improve, always trying to do better. I'm kind of my own biggest critic. I expect a lot out of myself, and my goal is to go out there and put the ball deep in the end zone and get touchbacks for our team with good hang time."

The Saints have been mum on whether they might keep two kickers when the roster is trimmed to 53 players by the Saturday deadline. Payton gave little indication Monday about the Saints' plans, except to say that he thinks Mehlhaff "needs to be a little bit more consistent on the kickoffs." "It's been boom and bust," Payton said about Mehlhaff's kickoffs. "He's hit some real good ones, and then in the game last weekend he hit one short, and he hit a line drive a couple of times against Arizona. But that's a decision coming soon."

link

 

[Mike Herman]

NEW ORLEANS

Q: What is your thinking on the kicker situation? Are you still debating between keeping one or two?

Sean Payton: "We’re weighing both options. When you get down to 53, that’s one of the discussions in terms of the direction we go. We haven’t decided yet."

link

 

[AnonymousBob]

C'mon Payton, you're killing me!

 

[-X-]

C'mon Payton, you're killing me!

Mike, thanks for the updates.

 

[Gr00vus]

KANSAS CITY

Q&A with HERM EDWARDS - 8/25

Q: There are still three kickers here including Feely. You’re not going to keep three all week are you?

EDWARDS: “No, we’d like to take two guys into the next game.”

Q: So Feely’s competing?

EDWARDS: “We signed him and we’ve got to make a decision which two guys we keep between now and game time.”

Q: Did you feel after Nick Novak missed (a field goal vs. Miami) that you needed a veteran? He kicked very well last year.

EDWARDS: “He’s been a good kicker in the league. You exhaust all your avenues and this was one that became available and so we decided to bring him in here.”

Q: And you don’t want to go through what you did last year?

EDWARDS: “Just because you get a veteran kicker doesn’t mean you won’t struggle. We’d like to have a kicker opening day who’s our kicker. You’re exactly right. We don’t want to conduct a kicking contest every other week.”

Q: Where this team is right now did you need a guy who’s done it before in this league?

EDWARDS: “I don’t know that so much. We need a guy who’s consistent and you talk about inside the 30-yard line. You get to the 30-yard line that’s about a 43-yard field goal. Some guys are comfortable from there and some guys you need to get a little closer to the 28 or 27. That’s ok, but you’ve got to have a consistent kicker especially when you are putting in a new offense and all points are important.”

Q: So you’re saying he can hit those 40-yarders?

EDWARDS: “Last year I think he missed two and one was blocked. He was pretty consistent for the most part. I think his longest was 53 (yards). He got a 54 (yard) one blocked. He’s been a pretty good kicker and he was up in New York when I was there with the Jets. We’ll see.”

Q: Is he healthy, ready to go?

EDWARDS: “Yeah, he’s ready to go. He’s fine”

Q: He’ll kick against the Rams then?

EDWARDS: ‘Well, we’ll see. We haven’t made a decision who those two guys will be. We’re going to do it again tomorrow and we’ll see if he’s one of them.”

Q: Assuming that he’s one of the two, he will kick for you on Thursday then?

EDWARDS: “We would hope whoever those two guys are we will be in position to kick some field goals. But then again, we’d like to score some touchdowns too. I’m not going to give up the ability to score touchdowns to kick field goals.”

link

Yet another example that Herm == Jackie Childs.

 

[Mike Herman]

DETROIT

Jason Hanson healthy... Dave Rayner released

ST. LOUIS

Released Justin Medlock

 

[The Jacket]

Chiefs released Jay Feely.

 

[AnonymousBob]

Chiefs have signed Jay Feely.

Jeez, I think he had more FF value as a free agent than being on the Chiefs.

You spoke and Herm Edwards appeared to have listened.

 

[Boulder Toads]

Anyone have any info updating the status of Bironas for the season opener? I know he's still listed as Questionable, and that they're resting him as much as possible now ... I'm wondering how comfortable I should be with relying on him for week 1 vs. going ahead and picking up a FA K now ... TIA

Thanks for all the K updates Mike!

 

[Mike Herman]

Anyone have any info updating the status of Bironas for the season opener? I know he's still listed as Questionable, and that they're resting him as much as possible now ... I'm wondering how comfortable I should be with relying on him for week 1 vs. going ahead and picking up a FA K now ... TIAThanks for all the K updates Mike!

“He’s kicking, but the last thing we can afford to do right now is have him go out there and have a setback. So what we’re focusing on right now is having him ready for the opener. If that means he can kick this week, fine. If not, we’ll direct our attention to Jacksonville.”- HC Jeff Fisher

 

[Mike Herman]

KANSAS CITY

The Kansas City Chiefs released veteran place-kicker Jay Feely on Tuesday. Nick Novak and Connor Barth will be the Chiefs’ kickers in Thursday’s final preseason game against St. Louis at Arrowhead Stadium. The Chiefs will have to make a final decision between the two by Saturday, when they must trim their roster to 53 players. Feely lagged behind Barth and Novak in two days of direct practice competition. Feely made 23 of his 30 field-goal attempts, while Barth made 28 of 30 and Novak 27 of 30. On signing Feely, the Chiefs told Novak and Barth that the two best kickers from the two days of competition would survive until Thursday’s game.

linkOAKLAND

Sebastian Janikowski healthy. Aaron Elling released.

 

[Mike Herman]

KANSAS CITY

From interview with Nick Novak...

Didn't it look like Feely would be the kicker when the Chiefs signed him 48 hours ago?

"I couldn’t overthink the situation. That might be a scenario for him to play in the game to see how he would do. But in my mind, it was just go out there and beat him and not make it a question of whether he was going home or I was going home or whatever. The only thing I was focused on was out-performing him, and that was it. Not thinking about whether I was going to be leaving or not. That's not crossing my mind. Once I saw him kick and once I sized him up, so to speak, I was like, 'I can do this. I'm going to go out and kick the best I can and let the chips fall where they may.' It's nothing I can control; all the outside distractions, I can't control that. All I can control is going out there and worrying about myself, and that's what I did. I took care of business, and now it's one more test before the regular season. The only thing I'm focused on is Nick, so I'm going to go out there and make the most of my opportunities.

Were you angry or upset that coaches would bring in another kicker during the final week of preseason?

"It fired me up just to see that, but then when I thought about it, and I was like, 'Well, this is just another test for us.' Jay still has to come in and perform, and obviously he didn't. The fact is that, I can’t think about, OK, he’s here now; are they just going to hand him the job now? I need to go out and beat him and make that clear. If you would have seen me out there, I was very focused. I didn't look at his kicks or Connor's kicks. It was just kind of the eye of the tiger, and I went out there and did the best I could."

Do you think the decision between you and Barth will be based only on tomorrow or the entire body of work?

"I don't know, I think this game is -- hopefully there are a lot of opportunities, a lot of field goal opportunities instead of just one like last week. We can prove ourselves again and show that we can -- that I can -- go out there and be the kicker for the entire season and be here for a long time."

Did you believe coaches when they said you'd get a fair competition?

"I believed it. I believed what they said they were going to do. If Jay came in here, was perfect both days, only missed one kick, then they would take the top two guys. I don't know. He was here for three days. Normally, when you go to a workout as a free agent, which I've experienced, it's that you go in there and you adapt to the snapper and holder and you perform. And you only have one day to do it. He had three days. However you want to interpret it, you come in and you perform and you make no excuse for whatever happens. That's my mentality. I had two good days, and I'm proud of myself and Connor for how we performed. I have lots of respect for Jay Feely. He has had a great career, and he's going to continue to have a great career in the NFL. But it just comes down to performing on one day, 15 kicks, or 30 kicks is what we kicked, and that's about it."

link

 

[Gr00vus]

Chiefs have signed Jay Feely.

Jeez, I think he had more FF value as a free agent than being on the Chiefs.

You spoke and Herm Edwards appeared to have listened.

I guess he couldn't be a kicker who was his kicker.

 

[Mike Herman]

KANSAS CITY

Chiefs coach Herm Edwards said the decision to cut Feely and stick with Barth, a rookie, and Novak, who has only a smattering of NFL experience, also had to do with being honest with his team. He has told the rookie-laden squad that all positions are open to competition, regardless of how good anyone's resume may look. He did not want to appear to go back on his word. "There are a lot of guys who have been starters before who might not be starting right now because the other guy is performing better," Edwards said. Going with the more experienced Feely would have been the easy route to take, a route the Chiefs would have taken in the past, Edwards said. "When you're in our situation, a young football team, sometimes the easy thing to do when guys are in a position where there's not a clear-cut favorite, the easy thing to do in the past was, `Let's go get a veteran.' "We're not doing that. We're trying to build a football team. If it's a good veteran and he fits in our system and he does what we want him to do, then that's fine. But we don't just go out and get a veteran to say we got a veteran. We did that a little bit last year. It didn't work out too well in certain positions."

link

 

[LionsFan78]

Mike, great work as always.

I noticed you haven't updated your dynasty kicker rankings since 5/25. Any important changes in your dynasty outlook for some of these guys? Mainly guys like Prater, the rookies, Nugent? Understand if you can't discuss much on the forums. Thanks.

 

[Mike Herman]

Mike, great work as always.I noticed you haven't updated your dynasty kicker rankings since 5/25. Any important changes in your dynasty outlook for some of these guys? Mainly guys like Prater, the rookies, Nugent? Understand if you can't discuss much on the forums. Thanks.

Oh yea... kinda forgot about those. I'll get those updated, although it will probably be a week or two until it works its way up my to-do-list. I'm pretty sure I didn't have Dan Carpenter listed back then.

 

[Raider Nation]

Draft is in a few hours. Okay, anyone want to offer an educated guess as to who wins out between Mehlhaff and Gramatica? The kicker in that offense figures to get a ton of scoring opportunities.

 

[gbill2004]

Draft is in a few hours. Okay, anyone want to offer an educated guess as to who wins out between Mehlhaff and Gramatica? The kicker in that offense figures to get a ton of scoring opportunities.

My money is on Mehlhaff. You should be able to get both late rounds, and both may also be undrafted so you will likely be able to wait until the decision is final.

 

[gbill2004]

Tonight Gramatica is 1/1 on a 40 yard FG, and Mehlhaff missed his only FG try of 40 yards. I'm thinking that Gramatica may end up winning this competition, and Melhalff could get cut.

Thoughts??

 

[-X-]

Tonight Gramatica is 1/1 on a 40 yard FG, and Mehlhaff missed his only FG try of 40 yards. I'm thinking that Gramatica may end up winning this competition, and Melhalff could get cut.Thoughts??

Yeah, I hope this is not Justin Medlock, part deux. Last time I waste a late draft pick on a kicker in my dynasty league. I took him one pick before the Seattle homer picked Coutu and that kid is on fire.Translation: F me

 

[gbill2004]

Tonight Gramatica is 1/1 on a 40 yard FG, and Mehlhaff missed his only FG try of 40 yards. I'm thinking that Gramatica may end up winning this competition, and Melhalff could get cut.Thoughts??

Yeah, I hope this is not Justin Medlock, part deux. Last time I waste a late draft pick on a kicker in my dynasty league. I took him one pick before the Seattle homer picked Coutu and that kid is on fire.Translation: F me

So you think Coutu will win the job over Mare?And if Mehlhaff is cut, you can always pickup Gramatica - whichever kicker win's NO's kicking job will put up good numbers in that potent offense.

 

[gbill2004]

Was just on a Saints message board and the concensus over there is that Gramatica has won the job. However, speculating that the Saints may try to keep Taylor Mehlhaff either on the active roster, try to place him on the PR, or come up with a fake injury and try to IR him as they don't want to waste a draft pick by simply releasing him.

So now I need to decide between Gramatica, Prater and Coutu (assuming Coutu wins the job from Mare in Seattle).

 

[Anthony Borbely]

Link

Chiefs choose Novak as kicker, plan to waive Barth

By ADAM TEICHER

The Kansas City Star

Nick Novak will be the Chiefs kicker when they open the regular season Sept. 7 at New England.

The Chiefs told rookie Connor Barth today that they would be placing him on waivers, ending the camp-long battle between the two players.

Both kickers made 86 percent of their field goals during training camp and were two of three in the preseason. The Chiefs apparently decided to go with the more experience Novak, who has kicked in 16 NFL games, making 65 percent of his field goals for Washington and Arizona.

 

[-X-]

And if Mehlhaff is cut, you can always pickup Gramatica - whichever kicker win's NO's kicking job will put up good numbers in that potent offense.

Nope, another owner already has Gramatica but I wouldn't touch him anyway, not for dynasty.Why the need to start another thread, when we have the original and best K thread right here?

 

[gbill2004]

Saints waived K Tyler Mehlhaff.Mehlhaff was the highest kicker drafted in April and could draw interest, but he's not outstanding on kickoffs. Martin Gramatica won't have ideal job security, but is a decent fantasy option kicking in a dome on a good offense. Source: New Orleans Times-Picayune

 

[-X-]

Oh, FFS! Good thing I was able to pick up Prater while Gramatica/Mehlhaff was brewing...

 

[Buffaloes]

Why the need to start another thread, when we have the original and best K thread right here?

 

[gbill2004]

Oh, FFS! Good thing I was able to pick up Prater while Gramatica/Mehlhaff was brewing...

Good thing!I just picked up Gramatica, and am waiting on the results of Coutu/Mare in Seattle.I may drop Gramatica or Brown for Coutu if he wins the job. No interest in Mare though...

 

[stingy]

Seattle is going with Mare, at least for Week 1 vs. Buffalo, partly because of his experience playing there when he was with the Dolphins. Link: http://canadianpress.google.com/article/AL...BetGlk1A2litBug

I had drafted Coutu but I guess now I'm going to drop him for Gramatica, although I'm not that high on him really.

 

[supermark_28]

Any new information on Bironas?

 

[Mike Herman]

NY JETS

The Jets have signed K Jay Feely, according to a person with knowledge of the situation. That person spoke on the condition of anonymity because he's not authorized to speak for the Jets. K Mike Nugent is expected to be sidelined at least a week with a strained right thigh or quad. He was injured on his second kickoff against the Dolphins. The club auditioned three players Monday afternoon, Dave Rayner, Aaron Elling and Feely and decided on Feely.

link

 

[HoTnickZ]

I dropped Crosby for Prater, which I wasn't going to do but thought ah what the heck.

While I don't think Crosby is going to bust or anything, with the uncertainty with the new holders and with Prater's (not to mention the Denver O's) impressive performance I thought if any position to have a little fun with, why not the kicker. Plus he can boom some from real long distance in the high altitude, and with the accuracy he's shown this year, what was not to like?

 

[Tecumseh]

Mike- Heard anything new on Tynes?

 

[Breesisdaman]

What's the status of Mehlhaff? I find it hard to believe that the Saints would actually cut him for Gramatica.

Why? Gramatica hasn't missed a kick. Has already established a relationship with the players on the team and with the coaches. Mehlhaff failed to out shine Gramatica in pre-season so he got cut. age is not as big a factor with kickers as it is with real football players. See Morton Anderson's career for that example.

 

[Mike Herman]

Mike- Heard anything new on Tynes?

Prevailing speculation is that he'll return in week 5. Giants have a bye week 4.

 

[Tecumseh]

Mike- Heard anything new on Tynes?

Prevailing speculation is that he'll return in week 5. Giants have a bye week 4.

Thank you.

 

[mr. furley]

Mike- Heard anything new on Tynes?

Prevailing speculation is that he'll return in week 5. Giants have a bye week 4.

exactly what i came to find out

 

[Toll Booth Willie]

Mike- Heard anything new on Tynes?

Prevailing speculation is that he'll return in week 5. Giants have a bye week 4.

exactly what i came to find out

Kicker-By-Committee when he returns?

 

[Mike Herman]

ARIZONA

Ken Whisenhunt didn't hide his irritation this week that Neil Rackers booted the opening kickoff out of bounds against the Dolphins. But the coach said he has considerable faith in Rackers, who missed a 35-yard field goal in the season opener. He also missed a 47-yarder last week, but it was nullified by a Dolphins penalty. "Neil brings a lot of things to the table for our team, besides just field goals and extra points," Whisenhunt said. "He had a huge kick against San Francisco, which essentially won the game for us. He's a versatile guy. He can directional kick off. He does a lot of things that make up for kicking that ball out of bounds." Many of Rackers' miscues come because he becomes over-anxious in the heat of the game and speeds up his mechanics, Whisenhunt said. "If we have a big field goal at the end of the game this year, I believe Neil will make it," Whisenhunt said.

link

 

[-X-]

What's the status of Mehlhaff? I find it hard to believe that the Saints would actually cut him for Gramatica.

Why? Gramatica hasn't missed a kick. Has already established a relationship with the players on the team and with the coaches. Mehlhaff failed to out shine Gramatica in pre-season so he got cut. age is not as big a factor with kickers as it is with real football players. See Morton Anderson's career for that example.

Thanks for the history refresher, but that would be Morten Andersen. There's a reason why Gramatica has been mostly out of the league these last few years and today you saw why; he chokes under pressure and it gets worse as the season goes along. Mehlhaff should've stayed; pooching a kickoff here and there is no big deal and it's not like he couldn't have improved on that aspect of his game over the course of the season.

 

[CrossEyed]

Mike- Heard anything new on Tynes?

Prevailing speculation is that he'll return in week 5. Giants have a bye week 4.

exactly what i came to find out

Kicker-By-Committee when he returns?

I'm interested in how folks think this might shake out. With limited rosters, I usually like to grab a K off waivers after an early bye. Carney is the #1 K in our league and is actually still available, as is Tynes obviously. Which guy will be in the lineup for the G-men after the bye?