Punter Bad News

[joko4]

Rams | Capshaw signed
Wed, 2 May 2007 15:26:43 -0700

Bill Coats, of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, reports the St. Louis Rams have signed unrestricted free-agent P Fred Capshaw. Terms of the contract were not disclosed.

 

[Mulli]

Fire Graves now!! Couldn't the Cards have signed Cappy and then traded him? There is obviously a market.

 

[Scott MS]

Fire Graves now!! Couldn't the Cards have signed Cappy and then traded him? There is obviously a market.

Better yet, couldn't he have signed the kid a month ago because he need another punter in training camp.

 

[Mulli]

Better yet, couldn't he have signed the kid a month ago because he need another punter in training camp.

Or just sign him and make him the starting punter. I have now posted twice in a thread about the punter of the Rams. Sheesh.

 

[PJ1]

Fire Graves now!! Couldn't the Cards have signed Cappy and then traded him? There is obviously a market.

Or better yet just do nothing so we don't break our streak of 8 straight losing seasons. Currently the longest in the NFL.

 

[Pariah]

Better yet, signed him last year and made him the starter. Then we'd be saying things like, "I always liked Player and that goofy facemask. Good luck to him."

 

[az jam]

Maybe this guy that we signed as an undrafted free agent can beat out Player:

Punter/Kicker Ricky Schmitt (6-2, 192) from Shepherd punted 41 times for a 42.7 yard average last season with 12 punts inside the 20 and also had eight kickoffs go for touchbacks. A Division II second-team All-American in 2006, Schmitt holds school records for scoring (250 points), field goals (33), extra points (151), and points in a season (80 in 2005).

 

[Pariah]

I think we ought to try to nab the guy that punted for the Broncos in Sauerbraun's absence: Paul Ernster.

I like Player, but he didn't have the mojo last year and I doubt he'll have it again. In his day, though, he was a helluva punter for us.

 

[TheCardFan]

Damn...I thought Capshaw should have beaten out Player last year. What was the argument? Player held for Rackers and we didn't want to screw up his mojo? Oops...we lost both.

 

[40yearfan]

Hmmm, our punter situation isn't broke, but let's fix it anyway.

 

[Pariah]

Hmmm, our punter situation isn't broke, but let's fix it anyway.

With all due respect 40, the punter situation ain't great.

 

[Ryanwb]

Hmmm, our punter situation isn't broke, but let's fix it anyway.

Scott Player was one of the worst statistical Punters in the ENTIRE NFL last season

He had the 2nd worst Net Average in the NFL last season and 6th least amount of punts inside the 20, in the entire NFL

I'd say that's pretty broken

 

[40yearfan]

With all due respect 40, the punter situation ain't great.

In 66 punts, Player averaged 44.9 yards a punt with 18 of those being inside the 20 yard line and only 3 touchbacks.

Sounds pretty good to me.

 

[40yearfan]

Scott Player was one of the worst statistical Punters in the ENTIRE NFL last season

He had the 2nd worst Net Average in the NFL last season and 6th least amount of punts inside the 20, in the entire NFL

I'd say that's pretty broken

The NFL shows him as being the 6th best:

http://www.nfl.com/stats/leaders/NFL/PNT/2006/regular

 

[Ryanwb]

The NFL shows him as being the 6th best:

http://www.nfl.com/stats/leaders/NFL/PNT/2006/regular

So the only statistic that matters is Gross Average? Is Scott Player a republican?

 

[vinnymac]

Better yet, signed him last year and made him the starter. Then we'd be saying things like, "I always liked Player and that goofy facemask. Good luck to him."

I love the single bar facemask. I think the NFL should allow players to wear the single bar. Especially Bryant Johnson. That way he can look the ball in hands a little better.

 

[40yearfan]

So the only statistic that matters is Gross Average? Is Scott Player a republican?

No, but that's the way the NFL ranks them and who am I to argue with the NFL?

BTW, the inside the 20 yard line is not a very good measurment of kicking. How many of those punts were in a position where they could be kicked that far. If you're a team like the Cards who were stopped quite a bit deep in their own territory, your average is not going to be so good.

 

[Renz]

So the only statistic that matters is Gross Average? Is Scott Player a republican?

I guess Player has to make all the tackles too.

 

[Ryanwb]

Okay I'll admit, I'm Scott Player biased..... it's the single bar factor

 

[CardsFan88]

You have to remember how many of his punts get taken back at least 30 yards.

Also he goes for hangtime rather than length. Now that doesn't mean he has great hangtime, but better than average.

His stats may say one thing, but he himself had the power to help his stats, and he did. How, he was TACKLING or chipping the punt returner.

Even when he wasn't, he was right there, because they'd allow the punt returner to get back to where he almost had to tackle him. (Him and rackers both had to)

Sure I would rather have lechler from Oakland, but even his stats would have been much worse than normal with our punt return special teams.

Give player guys that force fair catches or at least wrap up on the tackle, or hell the 2nd guy, and his average would have been a lot better, and his inside the 20 numbers would have been better. That said, isn't player a directional punter, meaning he'd rather try to kick it out at the 5, but alot of times ends up in the endzone???

Player isn't as bad as most people think, although I absolutely hate it when he shanks it off the side of his foot, and I've noticed him doing this a little more the last couple of seasons. But then again the blocking wasn't good either. Hopefully just a couple of bad plays, and him trying to avoid a block, rather than a pattern.

 

[CardLogic]

Also he goes for hangtime rather than length. Now that doesn't mean he has great hangtime, but better than average.

That said, isn't player a directional punter, meaning he'd rather try to kick it out at the 5, but alot of times ends up in the endzone???

Player:

Gross Avg. 44.9 6th in NFL
Net Avg. 34.5 tied for worst in NFL
Longest 58 2nd worst in NFL
Return Avg. 12.8 4th worst in NFL (One of only 6 in NFL above 9.7 )

I will give Player credit for still being one of the best at preventing TB's.


Hang time: too bad there is not a stat for this because CF88's opinion is totally off about Player's hangtime. Yes, Player used to be one of the best in hang time a few years back. But during the past couple of seasons as Player's leg has weakened he has been sacrificing hang time to increase distance. (At least he can't be accused of being stupid! Player knows that punters are mainly judged upon gross avg. / the coverage team gets the blame for return avg.)

Perfect example was Hester's run back for TD in the Chicago game. Hester had all the time in the world to set up his run-back because the coverage had no time to get down field. That punt was like a line drive!!!

Player was an excellent punter for the Cardinals. But that is past tense, and it is time to move on.

NOTICE that Capshaw didn't sign with the Rams until after the Cardinals brought in an UDFA punter.



I guess we can hope the rookie is as good or better than Capshaw...
:sigh:

 

[Gambit]

Okay I'll admit, I'm Scott Player biased..... it's the single bar factor

He's an NFL Icon. The unibar allows opponents to see the visage contorted with rage

 

[CardLogic]

He's an NFL Icon.

The world's only living "bobblehead"!!!

 

[Big red 2]

Apparently the coachs feel player can do the job. Schmitt looks like plenty of compitation.

 

[CardsFan88]

Player:

Gross Avg. 44.9 6th in NFL
Net Avg. 34.5 tied for worst in NFL
Longest 58 2nd worst in NFL
Return Avg. 12.8 4th worst in NFL (One of only 6 in NFL above 9.7 )

I will give Player credit for still being one of the best at preventing TB's.


Hang time: too bad there is not a stat for this because CF88's opinion is totally off about Player's hangtime. Yes, Player used to be one of the best in hang time a few years back. But during the past couple of seasons as Player's leg has weakened he has been sacrificing hang time to increase distance. (At least he can't be accused of being stupid! Player knows that punters are mainly judged upon gross avg. / the coverage team gets the blame for return avg.)

Perfect example was Hester's run back for TD in the Chicago game. Hester had all the time in the world to set up his run-back because the coverage had no time to get down field. That punt was like a line drive!!!

Player was an excellent punter for the Cardinals. But that is past tense, and it is time to move on.

NOTICE that Capshaw didn't sign with the Rams until after the Cardinals brought in an UDFA punter.



I guess we can hope the rookie is as good or better than Capshaw...
:sigh:

Thanks for the info

Now I guess I know why he's shanking them more, cause he's trying to line drive it better which is probably a bit more awkward.