Prater - Record Setting Kick...

Damocles

Damocles

Accedo!
Staff member
http://kickology.blogspot.com/2009/12/kicking-in-cold.html?m=1

About kicking in the cold:

Ryan Longwell
“Bitter cold is more mental than anything else. You just have to understand that the ball is not gonna fly. That same field goal that’ll fly 55 or 60 yards in August is probably going about 40 yards in December. You have to realize that the ball is going to be hard and it’s not going to fly very far.”

Robbie Gould
"In bitter cold, you just have to hit a low-ball when you are further out.”

Mason Crosby
"Bitter cold is mainly controlling and containing body warmth and staying loose on the sidelines. It is all about focus in the cold and making sure you do not over swing trying to get more power.”

Connor Barth
“Regarding bitter cold temperatures: Well, the last two games [last year] at Kansas City were eight degrees and minus twenty with the wind chill. I’ve definitely kicked in a few of them. The main thing there is again really making sure you’re on the same page with your special teams coach and your head coach about where you feel comfortable kicking from. If it’s 60 or 70 degrees out, then 60 yards and in you’re usually pretty good. But when you get into the colder situations, the ball’s harder. Especially when it gets below freezing, the ball is just completely different. It impacts your foot; it [the ball] doesn’t come off quite as well. What I did against San Diego and Miami, I went out in pre-game and got back as far as I could and saw where I felt comfortable. Usually it was around 50 or 53 yards in that cold weather. In regular sunny conditions where it’s 70 degrees I can probably hit 60 yarders. You really gotta make sure you test out the ball, because a ball in practice is not the same as the game ball. The game ball is going to be a little bit harder because they’re newer. So you have to take that into to account too. When you get that ball you really have to test it out and see how you like it and see how it feels off your foot. In the end for the most part it’s probably going to take maybe ten yards off your kick in freezing weather like that.”
 
Yes, Damo, some will say, "Well, it was in Denver." So what ... It was like 15 degrees and it was still 64 yards! Plus, at the time it was kind of important and set the tone for the 2nd half.
 
Imagine if it were 70 degrees out there when he kicked. He'd have put that ball in the Stadium seats.
 
A good field goal kicker is such an asset...an exceptional one is a weapon. Just ask the Browns if they'd like to have had Prater yesterday. They'd have beaten the Patriots/ref team despite the efforts of the zebras.
 
leaningright said:
A good field goal kicker is such an asset...an exceptional one is a weapon. Just ask the Browns if they'd like to have had Prater yesterday. They'd have beaten the Patriots/ref team despite the efforts of the zebras.
Click to expand...
I didn't get the game locally. How did the stripes defend that bogus grounding call?
 
I only got to see the last 5 minutes here. As good as Brady is if they don't call pass interference in the end zone I think even he has a tough time getting them all the way back. Refs can deny it all they want but it becomes a reputation thing. Brady gets the very questionable PI calls, Detroit gets the questionable Roughing the Passer calls, etc. And IMO much of it is based on reputation instead of the actual plays.

I'm rarely agreeing with Deon Sanders but PI calls and the way they have to tackle receivers is ruining football. New England would still have Gronkowski if it weren't for the new tackling rules. I'm getting soap box-ish sobi better shut up. But I guarantee you this, if the roles were reversed and Campbell was trying to lead his team back and the contact is the same in the end zone...he doesn't get that call.
 
Congrats to Prater, let the haters hate, it was an amazing kick, he is a vital asset to their game winning!
 
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