Give Credit Where Credit is Due! (Mason Crosby)

[Bensalama21]

You guessed it! Up only 7 with 4 minutes left, Crosby hit a 41 yard field goal. We have had multiple threads on how he has blown games and kicks, which is true. He could have easily blown that kick, like many other earlier in the season especially in the snow.

If he had missed, the Lions would have most likely tied up the game with little time left in the 4th. Instead, Crosby sealed the deal. This was the turning point for Crosby moving forward.

What were you thinking during the kick?

 

[HyponGrey]

He just missed that 50, will he brush it off and nail this thing?

 

[tynimiller]

Even the one he missed looked solid off his foot and in that weather that was a tough kick. Was happy with his play and hope it is a sign of Crosby slowly returning to form. He could be perfect the rest of the season and it will still be a bad season for him...but would be strong when it counted...still got faith for now from me.

 

[13 Times Champs]

I felt that when he made the kick against the Vikings he had changed things around. Let's all hope he has worked out the problems he was having.

 

[SpartaChris]

I'll give credit and a vote of confidence when he's kicking with 80% accuracy. Until then I'm going to pucker every time he lines up to make his kick.

 

[packerfan4ever]

I think his confidence is back and feel that 50 some yard is going to score,when we need it just a feeling I have

 

[BorderRivals.com]

I agree. He's been nailing the kicks in recent weeks. They've been bullets. And the one's he's missed - think the 50+ at NYG and this past week - were both kicked solidly and just drifted outside the uprights. Both misses were far better than the shanks from earlier this season. I think he's got his mojo back and gotten some confidence. I give him and MM credit for getting through the funk and regaining that confidence.

 

[LZ13]

Last two games. Vikings kicker that got Longwell fired missed a chip shot that very well could have cost them the game. Detroit veteran kicker can't even make it to the crossbar on a 50 yd kick. Meanwhile Crosby comes through when it matters in these last two games. No, he did not look flawless, but he kicked well enough to help get us a win each time. And he looked better that the opposing kicker in these last two contests.

 

[The Rivalry]

You guessed it! Up only 7 with 4 minutes left, Crosby hit a 41 yard field goal. We have had multiple threads on how he has blown games and kicks, which is true. He could have easily blown that kick, like many other earlier in the season especially in the snow.

If he had missed, the Lions would have most likely tied up the game with little time left in the 4th. Instead, Crosby sealed the deal. This was the turning point for Crosby moving forward.

What were you thinking during the kick?

"If he makes it, it's a 2 score lead. Considering how this game started, I can't believe we've got a chance to go up 2 scores in the 4th qtr. But then again, it is the Lions. We should be walking all over their ***** at home." Something along those lines. As as Crosby goes this is the pros and all his job entails is being consistent from 40 yrds(extreme weather conditions not withstanding), assuming the snap,hold, and footing is routine. He's failed to deliver too many times this year and I'm really not interested in hearing his excuses. I'm glad he seems to be turning the corner, but OMG I'm going to be a psychotic mess if it comes down to a FG to win the game in the playoffs.

 

[El Guapo]

I felt that when he made the kick against the Vikings he had changed things around. Let's all hope he has worked out the problems he was having.

We were debating Crosby as he lined up for that kick against Minnesota. A few of us clinked beers and said, hopefully this is the end of the slump. Like a recession, you don't necessarily pop right out of a slump. You hope so, but a gradual recovery is more often the case.

I don't think that you'll find a post where I got down on Crosby. There are too many folks watching Packer games like it's a fantasy football roster. Mess up for a few weeks and you get traded. That isn't and shouldn't be how you run a team for the long term.

 

[Bensalama21]

Did anybody see the sign that said that if Mason made a field goal over 40 yards, they would name their son Mason?

 

[HyponGrey]

Did anybody see the sign that said that if Mason made a field goal over 40 yards, they would name their son Mason?

followed immediately by a MADE 49 yarder. Ever closer to our 50 game mwa ha ha

 

[JBlood]

As MM says: He's our kicker.

 

[HardRightEdge]

As MM says: He's our kicker.

That he is. And like all players on the roster he should be supported by his coaches 100%...until he isn't (on the roster, that is).

The fact remains he's at best an average NFL kicker, and the more you look at his career the harder it becomes to support that "average" designation.

I'm still scratching my head over that 52 yarder. Under the best of conditions, Crosby's career record from that distance is inauspicious. Combine that with iffy field conditions, snow flurries, some cross wind, and a cold ball and you end up with a prohibitive proposition.

I guess MM figured making the 49 yarder in the same direction qualified Crosby for a "hot hand"...err, "hot toe"... designation. Or maybe he's just stubborn.

Just because you hit 15 and didn't bust doesn't improve the odds of hitting 16 in the next hand.

I've not been one to advocate replacing him mid-season. However, given that even the top college kickers come awfully cheap, it should stand to reason we should have one in camp. One would have liked to think that Crosby's career year last season would be the start of trend...sadly, it has proven not to be the case.

 

[JBlood]

For the most part, I hate kickers and the emphasis kicking has in today's game. Why, if the aim of the game is to get the ball across the goaline, should you get 1/2 the value of a TD for kicking from 50 yds away from the goal line? Doesn't make sense to me. Anyway, It wouldn't bother me if he stays or he goes. I'd rather see us go for it on 4th down outside the 20, and score TDs. I thought that on the ones he made, and on the one he missed.

 

[Bensalama21]

That he is. And like all players on the roster he should be supported by his coaches 100%...until he isn't (on the roster, that is).

The fact remains he's at best an average NFL kicker, and the more you look at his career the harder it becomes to support that "average" designation.

I'm still scratching my head over that 52 yarder. Under the best of conditions, Crosby's career record from that distance is inauspicious. Combine that with iffy field conditions, snow flurries, some cross wind, and a cold ball and you end up with a prohibitive proposition.

I guess MM figured making the 49 yarder in the same direction qualified Crosby for a "hot hand"...err, "hot toe"... designation. Or maybe he's just stubborn.

Just because you hit 15 and didn't bust doesn't improve the odds of hitting 16 in the next hand.

I've not been one to advocate replacing him mid-season. However, given that even the top college kickers come awfully cheap, it should stand to reason we should have one in camp. One would have liked to think that Crosby's career year last season would be the start of trend...sadly, it has proven not to be the case.

His rookie season was his most amazing in my opinion... Led the league in points and had 2 or 3 game winning field goals.

 

[HardRightEdge]

His rookie season was his most amazing in my opinion... Led the league in points and had 2 or 3 game winning field goals.

In his rookie year, Crosby was 19 of 25 in the 30-49 range, where kickers make their money.

This season, he's 12 of 15 from that distance, actually a better percentage. I'm sure some will find that surprising.

In 2011, he had his best year from the money distances, 17 of 19.

This season, he's 7 of 8 from 40-49, actually the best percentage of his career from that distance which I'm sure also might seem surprising; in his rookie season he was 9 of 14 from that distance, which was not good.

Crosby's big drop off this season is his 1 for 8 from 50+. Most fans underestimate the difficulty of these kicks, especially after watching some rookie bomb a couple through on turf in September, but a good kicker will make around 50% from that distance over a career. Crosby was right at 50% before this year...12 for 24. His dreadful long distance kicking this season is of particular concern going forward.

Over his career, Crosby has missed at least as many important kicks as he's made.

Given the current state of the art in the kicking game, with the bar raised substantially in the last decade, I think taking a look at inexpensive alternatives is not out of line.

 

[P-E-Z]

We were debating Crosby as he lined up for that kick against Minnesota. A few of us clinked beers and said, hopefully this is the end of the slump. Like a recession, you don't necessarily pop right out of a slump. You hope so, but a gradual recovery is more often the case.

I don't think that you'll find a post where I got down on Crosby. There are too many folks watching Packer games like it's a fantasy football roster. Mess up for a few weeks and you get traded. That isn't and shouldn't be how you run a team for the long term.

yes 63% is really the bottom of league most well over 80%. They only one with a lower percent was Cundiff at 58%.. In all fairness to Crosby he been asked to make some that were beyond his range. If it was my call I would signed an other kicker.

 

[The Rivalry]

That he is. And like all players on the roster he should be supported by his coaches 100%...until he isn't (on the roster, that is).

The fact remains he's at best an average NFL kicker, and the more you look at his career the harder it becomes to support that "average" designation.

I'm still scratching my head over that 52 yarder. Under the best of conditions, Crosby's career record from that distance is inauspicious. Combine that with iffy field conditions, snow flurries, some cross wind, and a cold ball and you end up with a prohibitive proposition.

I guess MM figured making the 49 yarder in the same direction qualified Crosby for a "hot hand"...err, "hot toe"... designation. Or maybe he's just stubborn.

Just because you hit 15 and didn't bust doesn't improve the odds of hitting 16 in the next hand.

I've not been one to advocate replacing him mid-season. However, given that even the top college kickers come awfully cheap, it should stand to reason we should have one in camp. One would have liked to think that Crosby's career year last season would be the start of trend...sadly, it has proven not to be the case.

Agree, and it's not like we need a Legatron. Just a guy that can drill the 35 yarder with regularity. Our O can get the ball to the opponents 20 pretty consistently when healthy. You just can't get anywhere in the playoffs without the piece of mind that comes with a Gould or Vinateri. That uncertainty just throws everyone's mojo off and can kill momentum.

 

[13 Times Champs]

I wanted to kick him in the *** a few weeks ago, no pun intended but as I have posted I think he is back on track. Fingers crossed of course but it looks like Mike(and not us arm chair guys) knew what he was doing.

 

[HardRightEdge]

yes 63% is really the bottom of league most well over 80%. They only one with a lower percent was Cundiff at 58%.. In all fairness to Crosby he been asked to make some that were beyond his range. If it was my call I would signed an other kicker.

Actually, if you take out the 1 for 8 from 50+, he's 16 of 19 for 84%. Nearly ever kicker shanks or hooks a couple inside 50 every year. I think people see him miss all those long ones, which makes them recall a couple of bad short misses, which leads them to conflate how badly he's kicked inside 50.

Stubborn MM keeps sending him out there for long ones under prohibitive conditions or at prohibitive distances to prove some kind of point at the expense of field position or a 4th. down go-for-it opportunity. Let the guy build confidence at shorter distances, so when you REALLY need the guy to try a long one...the clock ticking down at the half, at the end of a close game, or in overtime...then his "swing thoughts" are about makes, not a sting of long misses.

 

[12theTruth]

Mason Crosby has definitely improved but there is NO way the Pack should be letting him attempt 50+ yard FG's.

Especially if 4th down distance is 5 yards and under. Either try for 4th down conversion or punt the ball. Those choices seems to be a MUCH higher liklihood of success than his 12.5 percent success rate of such FG's. That isn't even taking into account the 2nd FG over 50 yards at Ford Field that Crosby also missed yet Schwartz so graciously gave him a 2nd chance which he still missed.

Once again, look at the entire rest of the NFL and the kickers success at 50 + yards. Not one kicker is even CLOSE to that horrible on long distance attempts (with a minimum of 4 attempts). A few kickers are 0-1 but that isn't enough of a sample size to gauge performance.

We need to draft a kicker in next years draft. No question about it. I'm hoping a leg goes to the Pack in one of the later rounds.

 

[HardRightEdge]

A few kickers are 0-1 but that isn't enough of a sample size to gauge performance.

Some coaches understand their kicker's limitations. Others are stubborn.

 

[The Rivalry]

Actually, if you take out the 1 for 8 from 50+, he's 16 of 19 for 84%. Nearly ever kicker shanks or hooks a couple inside 50 every year. I think people see him miss all those long ones, which makes them recall a couple of bad short misses, which leads them to conflate how badly he's kicked inside 50.

Stubborn MM keeps sending him out there for long ones under prohibitive conditions or at prohibitive distances to prove some kind of point at the expense of field position or a 4th. down go-for-it opportunity. Let the guy build confidence at shorter distances, so when you REALLY need the guy to try a long one...the clock ticking down at the half, at the end of a close game, or in overtime...his "swing thoughts" are about makes, not a sting of long misses.

It's almost disturbing how similar this is to my opinion on the whole subject of Crosby. Word for word. Like MM is trotting him out there, attempting FG's over 40 yrds with the idea that if he makes one...just one... he'll be cured. Yet everything we've ever heard about developing consistency in the kicking game is repetition, not the fleeting thrill of drilling one from 50+.

 

[HyponGrey]

In all fairness to Crosby he been asked to make some that were beyond his range. .

Crosby has a killer leg, Youtube has a video of him just missing a 69 yarder IN GAME. Range is not a problem.

We need to draft a kicker in next years draft. No question about it. I'm hoping a leg goes to the Pack in one of the later rounds.

Quality K can be found in UDFA. Robbie Gould, the kid tearing it up in Baltimore, both UDFA. We don't NEED to waste a draft pick on a K we can likely sign for free. Especially considering if he loses the K battle we cut him.