Jetsfan80 Posted August 25, 2011 Share Posted August 25, 2011 http://www.chron.com/sports/article/Cowboys-keep-trying-to-solve-FG-kicking-problem-2139904.php Cowboys keep trying to solve FG kicking problem JAIME ARON, AP Pro Football Writer Published 07:15 p.m., Wednesday, August 24, 2011 ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Shayne Graham was playing catch with the rest of the Dallas Cowboys' kickers on the sideline when he heard a whistle blow. Thinking it was his cue, Graham trotted out onto the field. Only it wasn't his cue. He figured that out pretty quickly and sheepishly returned to the sideline. "Way to go, Shayne," teased fellow kicker David Buehler. "Way to be ready!" It was a simple mistake, especially for someone on his second day with the club. Yet that scene during a walkthrough Wednesday also summed up the recent plight of Dallas kickers — a bunch of guys who know what to do and are eager to do it, but don't always do it right. The Cowboys finished third-worst in the NFL in field goal accuracy each of the last two seasons, and are tied for worst over the last five seasons combined. So this preseason they're rounding up all the candidates they can find. Graham becomes the fourth kicker on the roster, joining incumbent Buehler and a pair of rookies, Dan Bailey and Kai Forbath. On the surface, Dallas has a strong crop. Graham is the third-most accurate kicker in NFL history and went 12 for 12 for New England last season. Forbath was crowned the top kicker in college football in 2009, and Bailey won the award in 2010. The reality, however, isn't so grand. Two teams gave up on Graham last year and another dumped him this preseason. That team was Washington, which tied Dallas for that worst accuracy rate over the last five seasons. The Redskins dropped Graham after he missed kicks of 29 and 49 yards in their preseason opener. Bailey and Forbath signed as undrafted free agents. Dallas probably wouldn't have signed Forbath had coaches been wowed by Bailey, who has been around since the start of training camp. (He was added after another candidate, veteran Kris Brown, was cut for salary cap purposes.) Then there's Buehler, the fun-loving California kid whose ability to thump a ball has never been in doubt. Buehler has the highest rate of touchbacks on kickoffs in the NFL over the last two seasons, but booting the ball into the end zone and booting it through the uprights require different skill sets. The Cowboys limited him to kickoffs his rookie year, then asked him to try field goals last season. He made only 24 of 32, and was more accurate from 40-49 yards and even from 50-plus than he was from 30-39. He also missed two extra points. Buehler is dealing with a hip injury, so he's not even able to fight for his job right now. Worse still for him, new rules moving up the kickoff make it easier for anyone to reach the end zone, neutralizing the need for what he does best. Buehler kicked in the preseason opener and made his only try, a 42-yarder. It barely made it inside the left upright, practically grazing the pole. Bailey was the only healthy kicker on the roster in the last preseason game. It was a great chance to prove himself, only the Cowboys never got in position to try a field goal. They could've gone for a short one in the final minutes, but coach Jason Garrett decided it was too short to prove anything so he let the offense go for it. Two days later, Graham was here. Graham and Bailey are expected to kick in the next preseason game, Saturday night at Minnesota. "It's a battle," kicking coach Chris Boniol said Thursday. "We're working every day, trying to put them in as many situations as we can and how it plays out. But we'd love to get more attempts in the game. That would be nice." The best coaches can do is create as many tense moments in practice as possible. There are kicks during team drills and in situational work, like the 2-minute offense. And don't discount routine kicking practice. When there are several other guys standing there trying to take your job, that's pressure, too. Still, Boniol said, "there's something about those games. It's more realistic. And it counts. Even though it's preseason, it still counts." Garrett needs someone he can trust because he needs to get all the points he can out of his offense. That's always true, of course, but with added importance this season with a defense likely to give up a lot of points. Dallas allowed the most points in franchise history last season and returns most of the same players, albeit with a new coordinator. Rob Ryan is likely to shore things up, but the early indications — and his history at his last two stops — is that there are some growing pains. Graham knows all about a team with a low margin for error. The majority of his career was spent with the Bengals. In Dallas, he's already embraced the club's tradition and perhaps scouted the wide-open competition for this job when he said, "There just not a better place to be." Garrett said it only made sense to give Graham a look. He did well in a tryout Monday and there was a roster spot available. "We feel good about Shayne and what he's done in this league," Garrett said. "We just want to see him go through a practice week with us and see how he responds being on our football team." Notes: On Wednesday morning, WR Miles Austin aggravated the hamstring injury that kept him out of the San Diego game. "He came back and really was practicing fairly well and I think his hamstring just tightened up on him toward the end of practice," Garrett said. Austin is considered day-to-day and could miss the next preseason game. ... LB Kenwin Cummings is dealing with a thumb problem. He's expected to miss a few days of practice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morrissey Posted August 25, 2011 Share Posted August 25, 2011 They released him because he was horrible... and he hasn't gotten much better Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jetsfan80 Posted August 25, 2011 Author Share Posted August 25, 2011 They released him because he was horrible... and he hasn't gotten much better I thought he had a pretty good year last season, he was a SIGNIFICANT improvement over Feely on kickoffs, and while I never trusted Feely OR Folk on big kicks, Folk did knock through the FG that sent us to the Divisional Round. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TNJet Posted August 25, 2011 Share Posted August 25, 2011 I always thought Nugent was a really good kicker. Its a shame he lost out due to injuries. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
faba Posted August 25, 2011 Share Posted August 25, 2011 Kickers are so unpredictable one year to the next- Folk had a respectable year for us last year though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
serphnx Posted August 25, 2011 Share Posted August 25, 2011 You guys really trust Folk? I think the Cowboys will have the chance at re-signing him very soon actually, as I don't think we will keep him. Don't we have another guy competing with him right now? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bleedin Green Posted August 25, 2011 Share Posted August 25, 2011 You guys really trust Folk? I think the Cowboys will have the chance at re-signing him very soon actually, as I don't think we will keep him. Don't we have another guy competing with him right now? Yes there is a competition, unfortunately based on camp reports Novak sucks even more than Folk. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JetsFanInDenver Posted August 25, 2011 Share Posted August 25, 2011 Folk them! ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghost Posted August 26, 2011 Share Posted August 26, 2011 I hate Folk. Ever since that game in Cleveland. **** HIM. I hope Novak ends up winning the kicking gig. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
serphnx Posted August 26, 2011 Share Posted August 26, 2011 I still think it's his fault we lost in GB, but everyone always gives him a pass. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ryno the Jet Posted August 26, 2011 Share Posted August 26, 2011 Yea! A thread about kickers! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barcs Posted August 26, 2011 Share Posted August 26, 2011 Folk isn't that good. I'd be happy if we sent him back to the Cowboys. If they really think they are missing him, they are delusional. There's some 30+ kickers in the league that had better stats than him last season. I still think it's his fault we lost in GB, but everyone always gives him a pass. The green bay game was way more than just that, plus it was one of the windiest days of the year. I can accept him missing in that weather.. but there were plenty of other games where he completely bricked a 20 yard chip in or a 30 yard easy one. If he was just missing 45+ yarders I wouldn't be concerned but he misses extra points as well. In GB we had a dropped endzone pass by Cotch that was dead on target, plus those 2 BS picks that should have been dual possession or were taken away after the man was down. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
serphnx Posted August 26, 2011 Share Posted August 26, 2011 Those INTs and drops are probably why 2 of those WRs are gone. I don't remember if it happened to Holmes, but I can't imagine Plax or Mason just handing the ball over like that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barcs Posted August 30, 2011 Share Posted August 30, 2011 One of them was Dustin Keller. I can't remember who the other "interception" was to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bleedin Green Posted August 31, 2011 Share Posted August 31, 2011 One of them was Dustin Keller. I can't remember who the other "interception" was to. The other was to Cotchery. That was the even better one, as he made the catch by himself, was tackled and after being down, had the ball pulled out of his hands and it was ruled an INT. One of the worst officiated games I've ever seen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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