TJJackson Posted October 10, 2007 Report Posted October 10, 2007 see: http://www.bengals.com/news/news.asp?story_id=6341I understand John Busing's promotion to the active squad (which will likely last a week, ie until JJoe is reinstated) as he can help on special teams and (tho listed as a safety) in a pinch at linebacker, but Huston?Is this sorta a one-week tryout? ie Busing will (assuming he passes waivers, which he should) reclaim his practice squad spot next week, and that'll man Huston is gone. But why a kicker?I had thought that Opie's injury issues were over and done with....... Quote
Jet23 Posted October 10, 2007 Report Posted October 10, 2007 Wow, could they be thinking of IR-ing Opie? I think the injury has been lingering, because his kickoffs have been pretty bad. Not that they were ever great. I would still love for the Bengals to find a punter / kickoff specialist. Quote
HoosierCat Posted October 10, 2007 Report Posted October 10, 2007 Why a kicker? Why not? I assume Opie is still tender, now they have a guy to kick in practice all week and he can take it easy. Save Graham for gameday. Quote
DC_Bengals_Fan Posted October 10, 2007 Report Posted October 10, 2007 If he can boom kickoffs into the endzone, I'm all for it. Take the heat off our special teams. Quote
Spor_tees Posted October 10, 2007 Report Posted October 10, 2007 A lot of teams carry two kickers...one that just does kickoffs and long FG's in a pinch. Since Graham hasn't been able to build up any leg strength, I am all for this as long as Huston can boom them into the endzone. Graham's kicks to the 10 yard line are getting old. Quote
DC_Bengals_Fan Posted October 10, 2007 Report Posted October 10, 2007 A lot of teams carry two kickers...one that just does kickoffs and long FG's in a pinch. Since Graham hasn't been able to build up any leg strength, I am all for this as long as Huston can boom them into the endzone. Graham's kicks to the 10 yard line are getting old.Worse yet - low kicks with little hangtime that get to the 5 are making our kickoff coverage look a lot worse than it is. Give a returner chance to get the kick, orient himself, and get up to speed before he has to dodge and you're screwed. Quote
mgilgris Posted October 10, 2007 Report Posted October 10, 2007 Agreed, our kickers (including larson) have not been helping out the coverage with low line drivers that enable the returning some immediate daylight. Quote
Jet23 Posted October 10, 2007 Report Posted October 10, 2007 A lot of teams carry two kickers...one that just does kickoffs and long FG's in a pinch. Since Graham hasn't been able to build up any leg strength, I am all for this as long as Huston can boom them into the endzone. Graham's kicks to the 10 yard line are getting old.Worse yet - low kicks with little hangtime that get to the 5 are making our kickoff coverage look a lot worse than it is. Give a returner chance to get the kick, orient himself, and get up to speed before he has to dodge and you're screwed.I agree 100%. This has always been a problem for Opie, but to his credit, he really worked on his distance and was improving. Unfortunately, however, the suckiness of the Special Teams was his undoing, as he was forced to make several tackles early on. Now he is injured and back to the weak kickoffs.Give me a Jim Breech who is money inside of 46 yards and a kickoff specialist that can double as a long distance guy. If you can't find a punter that can kickoff, I believe a kickoff specialist is worth a roster spot. Heck, look at the roster spots we are currently wasting on the chronically injured. Quote
Spor_tees Posted October 10, 2007 Report Posted October 10, 2007 Man I miss the days of Lee Johnson...a guy that could punt and boom kick offs Quote
damiancasey Posted October 10, 2007 Report Posted October 10, 2007 Huston was much-loved when he was at OSU - plus he was money on those long field goals. I'll take him. Quote
damiancasey Posted October 10, 2007 Report Posted October 10, 2007 Man I miss the days of Lee Johnson...a guy that could punt and boom kick offsHe had big brass balls too didn't he?I'm seem to remember him essentially saying, "this team is f-d up from top to bottom" and smiling as he got shown the door. Quote
JoePong Posted October 10, 2007 Report Posted October 10, 2007 Because we are last in the NFL in touchbacks. Pretty simple. Being last is not good. Quote
CJBestInAFC Posted October 10, 2007 Report Posted October 10, 2007 Any chance they use Busing at LB? I think it might be good idea since Brooks, and Jeanty are done for another game. Quote
Sportsdoc Posted October 11, 2007 Report Posted October 11, 2007 It seems to make sense to save Golden's leg for FG. Lots of morons can kick off....... If you notice, when we signed Golden, we started winning more games..... a few field goals here and there can take you from 5-11 to 8-8 pretty fast............. Quote
TJJackson Posted October 11, 2007 Author Report Posted October 11, 2007 Hobson and Curnutte didn't get it, but Chick Ludwig from Dayton did....."(The coaches) told me, 'All you're here to do is kickoff — not field goals or anything,' " Huston said. Quote
HairOnFire Posted October 11, 2007 Report Posted October 11, 2007 I remember two things about Lee Johnson. First, repeatedly punting the ball 30 rows deep into the stands instead of trying to drop it softly within the 20 yard line. Second, being shocked that he was cut after saying Mike Brown threw nickles around like they were manhole covers. Quote
Spor_tees Posted October 12, 2007 Report Posted October 12, 2007 I remember two things about Lee Johnson. First, repeatedly punting the ball 30 rows deep into the stands instead of trying to drop it softly within the 20 yard line. Second, being shocked that he was cut after saying Mike Brown through nickles around like they were manhole covers.Welp that was what I loved about him most...he told it like it was. The guy couldn't have been too bad, he played in the league for 18 years in the NFL Quote
BengalSIS Posted October 12, 2007 Report Posted October 12, 2007 I think a few of you need to go back and look at game film. Shayne's kicks have NOT been to the 10. And many this year have been in endzone, some as far as 8 deep and they still run it back. The hangtime isn't the issue either. The squib kicks were not accidental, they were requested by coaches becuase our cover team was full of rookies and we weren't stopping the primary runner.Shayne was 5th.....5th in the league with touchbacks last year, and most of his NORMAL kickoffs this year have been inside the 5 or in the endzone with the exception of one kick to the 12 after reaggravating the hip pointer in the second or third game.Having someone who can kill kickoffs is definitely a bonus, but for Pete's sake people, get the freakin facts straight. Quote
smith288 Posted October 12, 2007 Report Posted October 12, 2007 Huston was excellent at OSU. How that converts to NFL kickoffs is beyond me since the line is farther back (compared to when Huston was kicking).I hope the dude sticks. I love seeing former OSU talent succeed. Quote
Jet23 Posted October 12, 2007 Report Posted October 12, 2007 I think a few of you need to go back and look at game film. Shayne's kicks have NOT been to the 10. And many this year have been in endzone, some as far as 8 deep and they still run it back. The hangtime isn't the issue either. The squib kicks were not accidental, they were requested by coaches becuase our cover team was full of rookies and we weren't stopping the primary runner.Shayne was 5th.....5th in the league with touchbacks last year, and most of his NORMAL kickoffs this year have been inside the 5 or in the endzone with the exception of one kick to the 12 after reaggravating the hip pointer in the second or third game.Having someone who can kill kickoffs is definitely a bonus, but for Pete's sake people, get the freakin facts straight.O.K., but he's last, last in touchbacks this year. It may have something to do with him having to make every ST tackle in preseason. He has made strides, because he has spent so much time working at it. The same sort of thing Pelfrey did just before being shown the door. Unfortunately, it seemed that Pelfrey traded distance for accuracy. To me it makes sense to have one guy concentrate on kickoffs and one on fgs. Quote
TJJackson Posted October 12, 2007 Author Report Posted October 12, 2007 I see it from the other side, Jet.....I don't want yet another spot on the 45 man game day roster taken up by a kickoff-only kicker. You lose a position player when you do this. Now if we could find a player with versatility - say a linebacker or SS who can also kick it into the endzone and then cover said kick like a regular special teamer - then I'd say go for it.Since I don't see that scenario materializing here or anywhere or in the NFL (tho I vaguely remember something about Munoz punting for 60 yards) I think you have to keep having Shane work on kicking power but also consider having the punter do kickoff work if his kickoffs are deeper. Naturally, this exposes your punter to greater risk of injury since he'll be on both coverage teams then..... Quote
HairOnFire Posted October 12, 2007 Report Posted October 12, 2007 SIS is horribly biased, but also happens to be correct. The Bengals coverage squads were so miserable the team had to resort to squib kicking, and if I fault the coaches for anything it's not using the tactic earlier and more often. Quote
BengalSIS Posted October 12, 2007 Report Posted October 12, 2007 Shayne's leg is stronger. That is precisely my point. He can't be ANYWHERE in the list of touchback guys if they have him squibbing it. And he's kicking them deep enough that normal teams get touchbacks...like I said they are running them out of endzone this year because so far we have proven we can't stop them.And before someone drags out stats for kickoff distance...they forced squib kicks count against him every time, so that kills the distance stat. Quote
Jet23 Posted October 12, 2007 Report Posted October 12, 2007 Shayne's leg is stronger. That is precisely my point. He can't be ANYWHERE in the list of touchback guys if they have him squibbing it. And he's kicking them deep enough that normal teams get touchbacks...like I said they are running them out of endzone this year because so far we have proven we can't stop them.And before someone drags out stats for kickoff distance...they forced squib kicks count against him every time, so that kills the distance stat.I agree the problem isn't with Shayne, but I believe his injury has taken a toll on his distance this year. Yes, he has reached the endzone on occassion, but you have to admit that in most cases that is with the wind at his back. Kicking toward the same endzone, the opposing kicker often kicks it out of the endzone. Again, Shayne is hurt because the Special Teams are horrible. They are horrible, because Mike Brown is cheap. Quote
HairOnFire Posted October 12, 2007 Report Posted October 12, 2007 Mike Brown gave my dog a brain tumor. Mike Brown ruined the quality of the black bean salsa at Baja Fresh. Mike Brown is the reason my SUV only gets 15mpg. Feel free to add your own... Quote
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