He's not kicking himself: 
Packers' Crosby confident despite recent field-goal misses

December 11, 2009

 

Green Bay Packers kicker Mason Crosby (2), in front of holder Matt Flynn (10), reacts after missing a field goal during the first quarter of an NFL football game against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field in Detroit on Nov. 26.


GREEN BAY - Mason Crosby said in training camp that this was the season for him to become an elite kicker in the National Football League.

While there is still a quarter of the regular season remaining, that certainly hasn't happened yet.

After his miss on Monday night against the Baltimore Ravens, Crosby ranks 24th in field-goal percentage (76 percent) among kickers with at least 10 field-goal attempts.

Instead of improving his season, Crosby has taken a step back from his solid averages of 79.5 percent and 79.4 percent in his first two seasons.

"Yeah, percentage-wise I'm not super happy but I wouldn't say I'm disappointed," Crosby said Thursday. "I'm more frustrated with some of the situations where things are happening differently every time. It doesn't seem like the same things are going wrong. We fix one thing and then one other little thing goes wrong."

The 38-yard miss against the Ravens was an example of that. Holder Matt Flynn double-clutched the snap and said the miss was his fault.

"I'll take full responsibility for that one," Flynn said. "I've got to do better than that."

Special teams coach Shawn Slocum said Flynn's placement was "several inches in front of what the intended spot was supposed to be."

But on television replays, it appeared that Flynn's spot was solid, even though Crosby's timing was obviously thrown off a tad.

Still, the fact remains that Crosby, who is counting on a rebound, has been on a slide of late. He has now missed a kick in four of the past five games in which he has attempted a field goal.

Crosby is in no danger of being cut by the Packers, but that wouldn't be the case in other places. The decision of the Washington Redskins to release kicker Shaun Suisham this week reverberated around the close-knit community of kickers. At the time of his release, Suisham ranked 10th with an 86 percent success rate (18 of 21). He also didn't miss in the first nine games of the season.

But three misses that cost the Redskins victories in two of the past three games earned Suisham a pink slip.

Redskins coach Jim Zorn said a "large part" of the decision was that Suisham failed to deliver in the clutch.

Some are asking whether Crosby is delivering in that aspect himself.

So far this season, Crosby has had to kick in six "gotta-have-it" situations where either the Packers needed to cut into or extend the lead or take the lead outright. He has made four of those kicks (66.7 percent). But he has missed two of his last three opportunities in those situations. Crosby was 1 of 2 against the Ravens, and missed against the Minnesota Vikings on Nov. 1.

Dating back to last season, five of Crosby's 11 legitimate misses (two others were blocked and another was a free kick) have been in "gotta-have-it" moments.

For his part, Crosby doesn't buy that he's failing to deliver in the clutch.

"I don't think that's fair at all," Crosby said. "For the whole year, I've hit some kicks that have been important and I've done some good things. I think every kick and every situation is one that you need to get yourself started. So I don't think that's the situation at all. I know that when we get put into a situation coming into these last four games with the weather getting how it is, we're going to have some tough games where every kick is going to matter, no matter if it's first quarter or fourth. I'm preparing for that."

Slocum backed up his kicker.

"I don't foresee a miss (coming in big spots)," Slocum said. "I mean, I've got all the confidence that he's going to make every kick.

"I don't think he's struggling with his confidence and I can objectively say that because I deal with him day to day and we talk in depth about everything that goes on."

In the final four games, though, the Packers might want to factor in the spot of the ball. Crosby has been far better from the left hash mark (81.8 percent) than the right (68.8 percent). On the 11 misses the past two years, seven (63.6 percent) have come from the right hash mark. And five of his past six misses this season have come from there as well.

"The stats this year are a pattern that you can say the right hash has been an issue," Slocum said. "In terms of me watching him objectively, in terms of his set-up, alignment and execution, I don't think there's an issue of whether it's right, middle or left."

Crosby was not aware of the stats, but didn't put much stock in them.

"If that's the situation, then it is just a coincidence thing," Crosby said. "I feel confident every time I go out there."

Critics wish they could say the same.

"Perception is a big thing," Crosby said. "If we end up winning two of these final four games by a field goal, then that whole perception may change."

Associated Press