Mike Freeman's 10-Point Stance: NFL Head Games Taking Toll on Kicking Corps
Some smart and honest words on kickers, 49ers fans rock and Tony Dungy sums up Dak Prescott perfectly.
1. Kicker Head Games
Lawrence Tynes was one of the great clutch kickers of his generation. He kicked the game-winner in the 2007 NFC title game at Green Bay to put the Giants in the Super Bowl. Four years later, he again kicked a field goal in overtime to put the Giants in the Super Bowl, that time against the 49ers.
Tynes was a picture of consistency and poise, which gives him great credence to discuss the remarkable, unbelievable, unfathomable, almost too-wild-to-be-true rash of missed extra points (12) last weekend.
"Couple of things are in play here, both externally and internally," Tynes told Bleacher Report in an email when asked about the missed extra points. "The media, fans, etc., are making a big deal out of extra points and kickers are hearing the noise, adding pressure."
In other words, kickers hear the talk on the outside and it's getting to them.
That's not totally shocking, but...wait, sorry, it kind of is totally shocking.
Aren't kickers almost superhuman in their ability to block out noise and distractions?
"Internally, kickers have been trained in their minds that [extra-point attempts] are automatic, adding pressure," Tynes said. "Today's NFL [extra-point attempt] has become mental gymnastics for every kicker out there. Kickers are kicking not to miss instead of kicking to make it. Not a good place to be mentally."
There's proof to what Tynes is saying. According to former Tampa Bay general manager and current ESPN analyst Mark Dominik, NFL kickers are 44-of-45 on field goals from 32 or 33 yards this season. But they have missed 48 extra points—including a record 12 from this past weekend alone—from that same distance, per Dominik.
It appears Tynes is right. When kickers are missing extra points from the same distance they're making field goals, there's a good chance the issue is in their heads, not their feet.
Tynes, however, also believes the elements play a role.
"Weather is, and was a factor, in some of the misses [from] this weekend," he said. "Typically, when the weather changes this time of year, players start to see the numbers go down or percentages drop. As winter hits, grass fields become more difficult to kick on as they get chewed up, but we can throw that out the window for this weekend because nine of the 12 missed [extra-point attempts] this weekend were on turf. This tells me what I already know: Guys are having a tough time mentally."
Tynes thinks some of the problems could be solved with a little more preparation and positioning.
"Interestingly enough, nine of the 12 misses were from the middle of the field and three from the hashes," he said. "If I was still playing today, I would certainly be on a hash mark. The middle of the field is 'no man's land...there are no 'visual aids,' so to speak, when you line up in the middle of the field that let you know you have lined up properly. Complicated, I know, but I relied on the hash marks as visual markers ... so I could do the exact same thing every time."
What's difficult to tell is what the NFL (specifically the league office) thinks of these missed kicks. I've heard the league loves the extra-point chaos, and moving the kicks back created the kind of challenge it had desired.
But I've also heard league officials hate it because it makes kickers look bad.
So, are further changes to the kicking game imminent after the debacle that was Sunday?
"I don't think it will lead to more changes," said Tynes, "but I think the league can take what has happened over the last year and half and say, 'Mission complete.' [But] who knows, you may even see a windmill in front of the uprights in 2017."
Laughable as that may be, Tynes has seen enough to know nothing is completely off the table when it comes to the kicking game.
"Whether it was the K balls in 2000, the 33-yard [extra-point attempt] or talk of narrowing the uprights, they are penalizing guys for being really good at what they do," Tynes said. "Name me another profession in the entire world that penalizes individuals for excelling at their job? There's only one—NFL kicker!"
2. Raiders' Rapid Rise
As we watch the Raiders becoming a legitimate Super Bowl threat, it's important to remember where they were two years ago.
Back then, the Raiders were stuck in a 16-game losing streak that lasted through two different seasons. Derek Carr was sacked 55 times over his first two seasons. Many thought the Raiders had no talent and no hope.
Now, Carr is 11-5 in his last 16 starts. The Raiders are 8-2 for the first time since 2001. Oakland has won four straight games for the first time since 2002, and there is understandable optimism about the Raiders' future (except for their potential move to Las Vegas).
One of the marks of a good team is winning despite not playing well. That's what Oakland did in Mexico against the Texans on Monday night. A few years ago, the Raiders would have lost that game.
We talk a lot about the teams that remain stuck in the mud. The Raiders are one of the franchises that found a way out.
3. About Those Texans …
Multiple ESPN personalities said on air that in ESPN production meetings prior to the Monday night game, Texans coach Bill O'Brien complained about the lack of respect his team was receiving. O'Brien was angry at fans and media referring to them as the worst (then 6-3) team in football.
Well, they had the chance to prove people wrong against the Raiders, and they didn't. It was close, but they didn't win.
Spare me the talk about bad calls. The officiating this season has been putrid, to be sure. But every team gets bad calls. Every team gets really bad calls. That's the nature of football now.
O'Brien is likely to find people still saying the Texans are the least-impressive winning team in football (and carrying the AFC's fourth-worst point differential buttresses their point). That won't change until they prove they are not and produce a statement win that opens some eyes.
4. Back Up the Brinks Truck to Kirk Cousins' House
Washington's starting quarterback is the biggest name on a list of free-agent signal-callers that isn't very impressive. Though Washington had a chance to lock up Cousins long-term, it decided to be cautious and wait. It needed to see more.
Well, Washington has seen more. And it's pretty damn impressive.
But now that Cousins has demonstrated just how good he is, the team will have to pay big time to keep him.
Eye-opening as it may seem, Cousins will likely become the highest-paid quarterback in football after the season. On average, he should surpass $24 million a year.
It will be worth it.
Cousins has underrated accuracy and leadership skills. Though he looks like a middle school teacher, he's ferocious. He's a nasty competitor, as he showed in his exchange after the game with general manager Scot McCloughan. At the beginning of the season, McCloughan and Washington's front office didn't think Cousins was worth a long-term deal.
Whoever gets Cousins (and it likely will be Washington) will see a lot more of that emotion. They're also going to see an emerging superstar at the position.
5. What I Learned On My Trip Out West, Part I
Covering the Niners-Patriots game Sunday led me to some observations about this once-great San Francisco franchise.
First, the fans. This is probably nothing new for 49ers fans or media members who go to the games, but I was amazed at the amount of enthusiasm I witnessed for a one-win team. Three hours before the game, the parking lot was lively and crowded, despite miserable weather and the prospect of watching a miserable team.
It reminded me a little of the fans in Cleveland, and that is probably one of the greatest compliments you can give a fanbase.
You only wish organizations did better by their fans. What about reducing ticket prices 10 percent for every game below .500? What if teams that stink offered free concessions for a game?
In other words, do something for fans who loyally attend despite their teams resembling dumpster fires more than NFL franchises.
6. What I Learned On My Trip Out West, Part II
There's little doubt change is needed in the San Francisco front office. There are many reasons why the 49ers have won just one game all season, and coaching is a part of it. But the larger issue is the lack of talent on the roster, which stems from a combination of questionable front office moves and a handful of surprisingly early retirements.
Normally, when a team is bereft of quality players, front-office changes are made. That remains likely. But 49ers ownership is mercurial. And around the league, no one knows for certain what owner Jed York will do.
Whatever the decision, York's next move is one of the most important in recent 49ers franchise history. The departure of Jim Harbaugh and his success at Michigan, followed by the ensuing awfulness of the 49ers, makes whatever York does next to fix the problem in San Francisco all that much more urgent.
It's time for this franchise to show it has a plan to fix this mess—a plan that will work.
7. What I Learned On My Trip Out West, Part III
Lastly, I am amazed at what I believe is the solid—and sometimes even really good—play of quarterback Colin Kaepernick.
Kaepernick wasn't perfect against the Patriots. He missed throws, but considering the game was played in a monsoon, he was going against maybe the best defensive coach of all time in Bill Belichick, he has few weapons and was going against Tom Brady, he did well.
Kaepernick is one of the most improved players I've ever covered. In many ways, he's better now than he was at the height of his success. Don't laugh. When Kaepernick was good, he had talent around him. Now, he's practically carrying the offense by himself.
After a rough start to the season, Kaepernick's future looks far more promising than many thought it would be.
8. Dak Prescott Impresses Another Sage Voice
Perhaps the most startling part of watching the Cowboys' rookie quarterback has been the calmness with which he operates. The Eagles threw all kinds of mixed coverages and blitzes at Prescott. The Ravens, among the best defenses in football, did the same, and the Dallas offense still put up over 400 yards of offense.
It was enough to prompt Hall of Fame coach Tony Dungy to note Prescott's presence after Dallas' win over the Ravens: "He did this all day—just took the checkdowns, took what was available. Prescott played a great game…I'm just more and more impressed with this guy the more we see him. Nothing fazes him…That's what impresses me. He reads the defense and he goes to the weakness of the defense."
The NFL says Prescott is the first rookie quarterback in league history to pass for at least 300 yards and multiple touchdowns with no interceptions in consecutive games. Also, he is just the third rookie since the 1970 merger to have multiple touchdown passes in five straight games. The other two: Dan Marino in 1983 and Russell Wilson in 2012.
All season long, I've been waiting for Prescott to take a step back—to be a rookie. It hasn't happened. Perhaps it's time to consider that it may never happen this season. Perhaps the Prescott we see is the one we're going to see for a long, long time.
9. Success Can Be Habit-Forming
The Patriots are 8-2, assuring they will yet again have at least a .500 season. On the surface, getting to at least an even record sounds easy, but consider the Jets, Bears, 49ers or Browns. Or other longtime losers who struggle to get to four or five wins.
The Patriots now have recorded 16 consecutive seasons of .500 or better. To put that into perspective, the Patriots are just the fifth team in NFL history to accomplish the feat, according to the league. Just the fifth. And they are the first since the 1983-98 San Francisco 49ers.
Hate the Patriots all you want, but it's hard to ignore their greatness.
10. The Hall of Fame Beckons
Veteran receiver Steve Smith should be in Canton—now. Don't pass go. Don't make him wait. Fit him for his jacket immediately.
Smith surpassed 1,000 career catches this past week, becoming the 14th player in league history to do so. That in itself is impressive.
Even more impressive, the NFL says that Smith is the only player in league history with at least 1,000 receptions, 1,000 punt-return yards (1,684) and 2,000 kickoff-return yards (2,371).
The only player among all of the greats who have played before. It's been a pretty remarkable career.
Mike Freeman covers the NFL for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter: @mikefreemanNFL.
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