Is This Board Too Hard On Rackers!

[Indiana Hoosier]

Yes, BigRedRage a question mark (?) should have been used. The Nuns would not have been happy with that error!

 

[English on tour]

i tried to stay with him as long as i could but started to get wound up last year thats for sure. There is also a great argument for not letting ourselves get into point of needing last second FG's

one thing i will say is that if he is back next year, and he will be, then we have to back him to the hilt until he screws up.

Reading that back i think it means i know he will screw up......ah what the f%&* just boo him

 

[English on tour]

I've been away at basketball practice the last few hours, only to return & find a thread pertaining to Mr. Rackers. NO ONE bashed him last year like I did, so I feel obligated to speak up. First, let me state some positives. 1. He is definitely the best onside kicker I have ever seen. 2. Touchbacks are important & he's pretty good in that area. Unfortunately, that's NOT enough. How many games does this guy have to cost us before we finally come to grips with the fact that he is a CHOKER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! If we want to get to the playoffs, Rackers has to go. No ifs, ands or buts. I've been following the Cardinals for 44 years & I don't remember a Cardinal kicker that missed as many game-winning kicks as this guy. Jim Bakken was a good kicker, but he was a GREAT kicker when they counted. This team will continue to play in close games so it is imperative that we find a new kicker. Please stop the nonsense that we can't find anyone better. Hell, we pulled this guy off the street when Cincy finally tired of his gagging antics. He teases you with that big leg & then RIPS your heart out when the game is on the line. Enough is enough - Rackers must go - NOW!!!

but you must remember that he has missed more game winning field goals in 3 years that the Cards have probably had in the last 15.

 

[Cbus cardsfan]

It's the off season so Rackers key misses don't sting as much as they did when they happened.Just think back to SF gaffe. I think he should be let go but only if there is a viable replacement. The problem is there was a viable guy in free agency in Josh Brown. We didn't even look at him which tells me Rackers is going to be our kicker in '08. My main problem with that is if he misses a key FG early on,which is very likely, he's shot for the year and the Cards are in deep trouble. You know his confidence on big kicks is already hanging by a thread and a key miss early on is going to force Whiz's hand with no real alternatives out there. The ideal scenario is that Rackers hit a couple big kicks early and his confidence soars. I just don't see anything in his past to give me a good reason to think that will be the case.

 

[cardsfanmd]

It's the off season so Rackers key misses don't sting as much as they did when they happened.Just think back to SF gaffe. I think he should be let go but only if there is a viable replacement. The problem is there was a viable guy in free agency in Josh Brown. We didn't even look at him which tells me Rackers is going to be our kicker in '08. My main problem with that is if he misses a key FG early on,which is very likely, he's shot for the year and the Cards are in deep trouble. You know his confidence on big kicks is already hanging by a thread and a key miss early on is going to force Whiz's hand with no real alternatives out there. The ideal scenario is that Rackers hit a couple big kicks early and his confidence soars. I just don't see anything in his past to give me a good reason to think that will be the case.

I agree. Keep in mind though, he hit a a big kick against Seattle only to crumble in Baltimore a few weeks later.

People talk about what an asset his big leg is, but when you cant hit from 47 I dont care if you can nail 1/3 from 50+.

 

[PACardsFan]

I agree. Keep in mind though, he hit a a big kick against Seattle only to crumble in Baltimore a few weeks later.

People talk about what an asset his big leg is, but when you cant hit from 47 I dont care if you can nail 1/3 from 50+.

I will make a bold statement. If Neil Rackers is kicking for us next year, we will NOT make the playoffs. I don't care how much Leinart improves or if our D plays lights out. The NFL is a league of parity & teams like the Cardinals will have to depend on game-winning FG's to get to the next level - That's a fact. For some of us, the sting of his misses have subsided. NOT me. That ba**ard cost us a playoff spot & I'm running out of years to see this team get to the promised land.

 

[PACardsFan]

I agree. Keep in mind though, he hit a a big kick against Seattle only to crumble in Baltimore a few weeks later.

People talk about what an asset his big leg is, but when you cant hit from 47 I dont care if you can nail 1/3 from 50+.

On a side note, Ben & Jerry's have come out with a new flavor on the eve of their 30th anniversary. Some sort of party cake flavor that is a combination of cake batter & frosting. Since you love these liberal scum's ice cream, I thought you might want to know that.

 

[PACardsFan]

Well said, and on a side note my dad always said if his life depended on one kick it would have been Jim Bakken who he would want kicking it. I ran into Jim a short while ago and told him that story. He was in a down town pub tilting back a few as wisconsinites tend to do.

I just looked up his stats too, and JB wasn't a great kicker with only making 63.1% of his kicks, but it was a different game and style of kicking back then, and he was the best at the time and was Mr. Clutch.

Good to hear from you WC. I trust all is well in the land of ice & snow. Here in the Mid-Atlantic, our golf leagues start in 2 weeks. Glad to hear that the pub business is alive & kicking in WI. I hope you're planning to make the trip to DC this year. I wouldn't be surprised at all if Rackers costs us that game again.

 

[DoTheDew]

All I have to say is Rackers hit 85.7% of his kicks that were less than 50 Yards, future Hall of Fame kicker Adam Vinatieri hit 82.1% from the same distance. Yet the Colts went 13-3 in what was arguably the strongest division in football, and the Cardinals went 8-8 with one of the easiest schedules. Clearly you can't just blame the kicker for us missing the playoffs.

 

[PACardsFan]

All I have to say is Rackers hit 85.7% of his kicks that were less than 50 Yards, future Hall of Fame kicker Adam Vinatieri hit 82.1% from the same distance. Yet the Colts went 13-3 in what was arguably the strongest division in football, and the Cardinals went 8-8 with one of the easiest schedules. Clearly you can't just blame the kicker for us missing the playoffs.

Clearly one can & clearly I have. If 14.3% of his misses result in 3-4 fewer wins, then the 85.7 figure is meaningless. Please stop with the less than 50 yds nonsense. The guys greatest appeal is strength of his leg, so the 50+ attempts come into play. He choked in Cincy, he's choking in AZ - A tiger is a tiger!

 

[PACardsFan]

All I have to say is Rackers hit 85.7% of his kicks that were less than 50 Yards, future Hall of Fame kicker Adam Vinatieri hit 82.1% from the same distance. Yet the Colts went 13-3 in what was arguably the strongest division in football, and the Cardinals went 8-8 with one of the easiest schedules. Clearly you can't just blame the kicker for us missing the playoffs.

Clearly you're not going to compare Rackers to Vinatieri. Vinatieri has made more meaningfull kicks in a quarter than Rackers has made in his career. I personally like Neil, but he's broken my heart about 3 times too many.

 

[DoTheDew]

Clearly you're not going to compare Rackers to Vinatieri. Vinatieri has made more meaningfull kicks in a quarter than Rackers has made in his career. I personally like Neil, but he's broken my heart about 3 times too many.

I'm not saying Rackers is good. I'm just saying that people like you are just being haters. This team sucked before Rackers ever came, so don't scapegoat him as if he is the cause of all our problems. Simply replacing him won't solve our problems. A guy who is only on the field for a tiny percent of the plays can't be the only cause of all our troubles.

 

[PACardsFan]

I'm not saying Rackers is good. I'm just saying that people like you are just being haters. This team sucked before Rackers ever came, so don't scapegoat him as if he is the cause of all our problems. Simply replacing him won't solve our problems. A guy who is only on the field for a tiny percent of the plays can't be the only cause of all our troubles.

I'm strictly referring to last season. We were 8-8 & he had misses that directly contributed to 3 losses. 11-5 puts us in the playoffs. When you're a Cardinal fan, the window of opportunity closes quickly. We'll just have to agree to disagree. I'll look for you next season when Neil misses a few more with the game on the line. I was a BIG Rackers fan a few years ago & slowly he has drained me of all positivity towards him.

 

[DoTheDew]

I'm strictly referring to last season. We were 8-8 & he had misses that directly contributed to 3 losses. 11-5 puts us in the playoffs. When you're a Cardinal fan, the window of opportunity closes quickly. We'll just have to agree to disagree. I'll look for you next season when Neil misses a few more with the game on the line. I was a BIG Rackers fan a few years ago & slowly he has drained me of all positivity towards him.

Nah I don't really disagree with you. Yes him making those kicks might have caused us to make the playoffs. My point is the defense playing better and Warner not turning it over as much would have caused the same thing. No team should have to rely on their kicker as often as we did. Most good teams never kick that many FGs in a season.

 

[SuperSpck]

Tonight, on a very special "Everyone Hates Chris", kicker Neil Rackers guest stars and teaches lil' Chris what being hated is really all about. Tonight at 5 on the UPN.

 

[cardsfanmd]

On a side note, Ben & Jerry's have come out with a new flavor on the eve of their 30th anniversary. Some sort of party cake flavor that is a combination of cake batter & frosting. Since you love these liberal scum's ice cream, I thought you might want to know that.

You have no clue what you just started. Kelly's favorite two things on earth are Ben and Jerry's and party cake ice cream. She is gonna buy every bit of it they make. I'll be the poor guy dating the big chick in the near future. Thanks for nothin Pops.

 

[WisconsinCard]

Good to hear from you WC. I trust all is well in the land of ice & snow. Here in the Mid-Atlantic, our golf leagues start in 2 weeks. Glad to hear that the pub business is alive & kicking in WI. I hope you're planning to make the trip to DC this year. I wouldn't be surprised at all if Rackers costs us that game again.

Not thinking about DC this year, but me and the boy are thinking about the Jets game. Hope to see you guys there again.

 

[cardsfanmd]

Nah I don't really disagree with you. Yes him making those kicks might have caused us to make the playoffs. My point is the defense playing better and Warner not turning it over as much would have caused the same thing. No team should have to rely on their kicker as often as we did. Most good teams never kick that many FGs in a season.

Warner had a great year (maybe the greatest ever for a back-up), no sense in trying to put the blame on him. The D was ravaged by injuries.

Neil was healthy and missed routine kicks in the clutch. "Clutch" is the defining characteristic of a kicker. I am not sure about you, but I can nail a 32yd kick with either foot and a beer in each hand.

 

[WildBB]

No.

 

[RugbyMuffin]

I'm not saying Rackers is good. I'm just saying that people like you are just being haters. This team sucked before Rackers ever came, so don't scapegoat him as if he is the cause of all our problems. Simply replacing him won't solve our problems. A guy who is only on the field for a tiny percent of the plays can't be the only cause of all our troubles.

Sorry, I disagree.

http://www.nfl.com/stats/categoryst...=FIELD_GOAL_KICKER&season=2007&seasonType=REG

There is no hiding his horrible FG%.

The guys has lost his ability to keep cool in big time situations. And I do not scapegoat the guy for all the teams problems. I call him out for missing 32 field goals to win games. I call him out for getting extra points blocked that lose us games. I call him out for not help this team out when he is needed most.

His "Pro Bowl" season was during a season where the games stopped counting for the Cardinals after week 2.

If we sat down and look at the kicks he has missed in big time situations it is shocking to see the games he cost us.

All I have to say is that this team was 8-8 last year. If Rackers makes 50% of his kicks in key situations we are 10-6. 50%

 

[RugbyMuffin]

Nah I don't really disagree with you. Yes him making those kicks might have caused us to make the playoffs. My point is the defense playing better and Warner not turning it over as much would have caused the same thing. No team should have to rely on their kicker as often as we did. Most good teams never kick that many FGs in a season.

You gotta point there. But the Cardinals we fighting their butts off just to be competitive. There are not too many teams that recover from losing their starting QB, and play thier backup QB with 1 arm.

This was a time where you need everyone to step up, and Rackers seems to be going in the wrong direction.

Good guy. Good athelete. There is no questioning his passion to help this team. But he has lost it.

 

[Russ Smith]

Since the Bears game last year I've been saying it in the clutch more often than not he misses. If you are a good enough team where you don't need your kicker in the clutch much, he's ok, if you're not, he costs you some games.

 

[DoTheDew]

Since the Bears game last year I've been saying it in the clutch more often than not he misses. If you are a good enough team where you don't need your kicker in the clutch much, he's ok, if you're not, he costs you some games.

Sounds like the fairest assessment of Rackers I've seen on this bored.

 

[English on tour]

Sounds like the fairest assessment of Rackers I've seen on this bored.

I said this at the start of the year and still stand by it.

We have so much crap on the roster i dont know why no one has suggested 2 kickers - many teams have done it (the ravens did for years and that was one guy just to kick off) so why not let neil do Ko's and longun's and have a chip shot and inside 40ish yard man to go with it.

If the anyone answers that there are not many around then why the hell are we having a go a Rackers in the first place - so dont bother.

yes we have invested a lot of £'s on rackers and we are not wrong to expect him to pay us back but there is a simple solution in the offing as far as i can see it. The new guy misses then thats a dif matter.

thoughts?

 

[WildBB]

I said this at the start of the year and still stand by it.

We have so much crap on the roster i dont know why no one has suggested 2 kickers - many teams have done it (the ravens did for years and that was one guy just to kick off) so why not let neil do Ko's and longun's and have a chip shot and inside 40ish yard man to go with it.

If the anyone answers that there are not many around then why the hell are we having a go a Rackers in the first place - so dont bother.

yes we have invested a lot of £'s on rackers and we are not wrong to expect him to pay us back but there is a simple solution in the offing as far as i can see it. The new guy misses then thats a dif matter.

thoughts?

We have one roster spot taken by Hodel the long snapper. Many teams long snapper plays another position on the depth chart. Ours doesn't because he's so consistent.

So another roster spot with an extra kicker is not happening IMO. If he can't get his accuracy issues solved then we'll have to move on sooner than later. Let the rest of the roster try out for kickoffs. Enter Super Quan!