Rackers days are over?

[kerouac9]

What is he asking for in a contract? How many teams want to replace their kicker and are willing to pay a premium? Do you really believe Feely is a better option?

4th and 4 at NE 4 J.Feely 22 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-J.Dearth, Holder-R.Hodges. 10 3

Yes.

 

[Rats]

His injuries played a part in him not being as accurate as needed the last couple of seasons. His style lends itself to getting injuries. He is not just a kicker but a football player( which I respect), however availability and health is most necessary in your Kicking position so as he has gotten older he needs to realize he is not 25 anymore. Not sure the good out weighs the bad with him but If he could not take so much punishment on special teams and still give us great onside kicks and return to giving us accurate FG and deep kicks on kickoff I would like him back. That said he is hard headed and hasn't changed his style much so he may need to be replaced. Been a solid guy for the Cards during there run to the top of the Division and the SB.

 

[40yearfan]

If you can't recognize that there is a different type of pressure on someone taking a kick at the end of a game to tie/win and making one during other times it is pointless arguing with you.

It's only pointless when you don't have an answer. A game winner is a game winner regardless of when it comes especially if all you are interested in is a win. Football is a team sport. If Dockett whiffs on a tackle and the opposing team scores a TD that evertually wins the game, does he get the same treatment the kicker does?

 

[thirty-two]

The only thing I will miss if Rackers does leave is saying "RACK 'EM!" after a made FG.

Oh and his hotness.

 

[Cheesebeef]

what in the world are you talking about 40? Just in the last three years he's only hit 50% of his kicks to win or tie the game.

2009: GB - Missed GW
2008: no attempts
2007: Missed GW against SF/Washington, made GW against Seattle/Rams and Game Tying against Baltimore

Just right there that's three Missed GW and 3 GW (or ties).

Throw in 2006: Missed GW against KC/Chi

That's now puts him at 3 makes and 5 misses... 3/8 in the clutch. which is BEYOND pathetic.

How in the world does any of the above come out to 6 makes and 3 misses?

 

[Zeno]

It's only pointless when you don't have an answer. A game winner is a game winner regardless of when it comes especially if all you are interested in is a win. Football is a team sport. If Dockett whiffs on a tackle and the opposing team scores a TD that evertually wins the game, does he get the same treatment the kicker does?

Yes football is a team sport but there are certain instances in almost every sport where a guy has a chance to seize the moment...more than half the time Rackers chokes. Thats like the baseball player who hits a ton of HRs but strikes out with guys in scoring position.

2006 Misses FG as time expries against KC we lose 23 - 20, a week later misses FG against Bears on Monday Night we lose 24-23...only 2 kicks he is asked to make on the final drive all season.

2007 misses FG against 49ers in OT and we lose 37-31, later misses FG after we recover an onside kick in a game we lose 21-19 to the Redskins

Last game where he made a FG on the final drive to win or tie for us? 2007 against the Falcons he tied it up late and then won it in OT, he also hit a game winner late against the Seahawks earlier that season.

2008 & 2009 he was never called in to make a game winning/tying kick...until the Green Bay game.

3 kicks to win or tie(Atl X2 & Sea) and 5 misses (KC, Chi, SF, Was, GB). You are satisfied with that, I am not and it seems neither is the coaching staff.

 

[40yearfan]

what in the world are you talking about 40? Just in the last three years he's only hit 50% of his kicks to win or tie the game.

2009: GB - Missed GW
2008: no attempts
2007: Missed GW against SF/Washington, made GW against Seattle/Rams and Game Tying against Baltimore

Just right there that's three Missed GW and 3 GW (or ties).

Throw in 2006: Missed GW against KC/Chi

That's now puts him at 3 makes and 5 misses... 3/8 in the clutch. which is BEYOND pathetic.

How in the world does any of the above come out to 6 makes and 3 misses?

Go back and check your 2008 games again. You missed a few.

 

[40yearfan]

Yes football is a team sport but there are certain instances in almost every sport where a guy has a chance to seize the moment...more than half the time Rackers chokes. Thats like the baseball player who hits a ton of HRs but strikes out with guys in scoring position.

2006 Misses FG as time expries against KC we lose 23 - 20, a week later misses FG against Bears on Monday Night we lose 24-23...only 2 kicks he is asked to make on the final drive all season.

2007 misses FG against 49ers in OT and we lose 37-31, later misses FG after we recover an onside kick in a game we lose 21-19 to the Redskins

Last game where he made a FG on the final drive to win or tie for us? 2007 against the Falcons he tied it up late and then won it in OT, he also hit a game winner late against the Seahawks earlier that season.

2008 & 2009 he was never called in to make a game winning/tying kick...until the Green Bay game.

3 kicks to win or tie(Atl X2 & Sea) and 5 misses (KC, Chi, SF, Was, GB). You are satisfied with that, I am not and it seems neither is the coaching staff.

Well you are wrong. I guess I'm going to have to dig this up again to prove it. It's a shame people have such short memories.

 

[Zeno]

what in the world are you talking about 40? Just in the last three years he's only hit 50% of his kicks to win or tie the game.

2009: GB - Missed GW
2008: no attempts
2007: Missed GW against SF/Washington, made GW against Seattle/Rams and Game Tying against Baltimore

That FG against the Rams was in the 3rd Quarter, not exactly in what most would consider clutch time.

 

[Zeno]

Go back and check your 2008 games again. You missed a few.

We never won a game in 2008 by less than 6 points. It'd be pretty hard to find something there. You can reach all you want.

 

[Cheesebeef]

Go back and check your 2008 games again. You missed a few.

which ones? ah, he hit two in the Seattle game.

so that makes him 4-9... still pathetic. And STILL less than the numbers you just seemingly threw out there.

 

[Zeno]

Well you are wrong. I guess I'm going to have to dig this up again to prove it. It's a shame people have such short memories.

I am wrong? Prove it. Show me some other games late in the fourth quarter where we were either tied or losing by less than 3 where Rackers was asked to come out and finish the game...seriously, find them because I'd like to see them.

 

[Cheesebeef]

Well you are wrong. I guess I'm going to have to dig this up again to prove it. It's a shame people have such short memories.

which is he wrong about 40? Are you saying that the 5 kicks he missed didn't happen? I mean, you said he only missed 3 (which is wrong)... but I've only found 4 that he made. And yes, making less than you make is pathetic... hell, even making an even amount is pathetic, especially for a "good kicker".

but I'm interested to see where your numbers are coming from.

 

[Shane]

and it seems neither is the coaching staff.

Well that isn't exactly true. The team wouldn't have been negotiating to bring him back if they didn't want him. Seems pretty obvious they did. Just not at the price he believes he is worth.

 

[Cheesebeef]

I am wrong? Prove it. Show me some other games late in the fourth quarter where we were either tied or losing by less than 3 where Rackers was asked to come out and finish the game...seriously, find them because I'd like to see them.

he's right that Rackers did hit a Game Tying field goal AND a Game Winner against Seattle in the last 4 minutes, but I find it pretty funny that 40 chides people for short memories when he himself says Rackers only missed 3 clutch FG with us and has made 6 of them... neither of which is remotely the case.

 

[Cheesebeef]

Well that isn't exactly true. The team wouldn't have been negotiating to bring him back if they didn't want him. Seems pretty obvious they did.

what made it obvious?

 

[Shane]

what made it obvious?

are you being serious? Or just argumentative?

 

[40yearfan]

From a post by The Hop Toad on January 19, 2010 in a thread that both Cheese and Zeno posted in:

http://www.arizonasportsfans.com/vb/showpost.php?p=2166697&postcount=112


Exactly. If you really examine the facts in more detail, you could make a strong case that Rackers has at least heavily influenced if not outright won several games over the past few years and performed in clutch situations. Cases in point:

Opening day game this year against the 49ers: Rackers made the kick in the 4th quarter to give the Cards the lead and then put the kickoff through the endzone for a touchback. Not his fault that the defense blew the game.


Last year at Seattle: Had four field goals in a game we only won by 6.


Last year against the 49ers at home: Three FGs in the game to keep us in a position to win, which we did by 5.


The Dallas game last year: His 41 yd FG gives the Cards a 10 point lead and allows Dallas to only tie the game. We win in OT. If he misses, we lose in regulation.


First week last year @SF: Three FGs, including the one that gave us the lead in the second half for good.


2007, Atlanta: already covered. Tied the game in the 4th quarter and won it in OT.


2007, Cleveland: Our last 6 points in the 4th quarter in a game we won by 6.


2007 @STL: Two game tying FGs in a game we won by 3.

2007 @BAL: Tied the game in the 4th quarter, defense blew it, Cards lost. Not his fault.

2007 Seattle, wk 2. Already covered. Tied the game in 4th quarter (52 yd FG); won the game in 4th quarter (42 yd FG)

2006 @SF: Four FGs in a game won by 6. Two in the 4th quarter.

There’s not much value in going back any further, but there are more examples prior to 2006 as well, including a six FG performance against the 49ers in 2005 (four of them over 40 yds).

Not saying he's the best PK in the league, but I think he deserves a little more fairness and consideration than a knee-jerk reaction to missing a kick in a game that he may not have been at 100% and that we won anyway.

If we can get an elite, proven clutch kicker, then great....but I don't think that person is going to be available or the team wont pay what is required to get him.

 

[40yearfan]

Another post from me on the start of the 2007 season:

Lienart started the first 5 games:

Game 1 - San Francisco - Lost 17 - 20 - Rakers 1 for 1 FG
Game 2 - Seahawks - Won 23 - 20 - Rakers 3 for 3 kicked winning FG with .04 left in 4th quarter.
Game 3 - Ravens - Lost 23 - 26 - Rakers was 3 for 4 - Tied the game with a 41 yard FG with 1:58 left in the 4th quarter. Missed a 47 yard FG at end of 1st half.
Game 4 - Steelers - Won 21 - 14 - Rakers O for 1 - Missed a 52 yard FG
Game 5 - Rams - Won 34 - 31 - Rakers 2 for 3 - 39 yard FG was blocked.

Exactly where do you see Rakers choking away a game for Leinart? Looks to me like he won the Seahawks game and gave us a great shot at winning the Ravens game.

 

[ajcardfan]

Rackers is the best in the NFL at trick kicks on kickoffs and making tackles on kickoffs. But, I've had zero confidence in the guy under pressure since 06. I wish it could be like college where you could have two kickers. That way, we could've had a guy who wouldn't have shanked so many chip shots.

 

[ajcardfan]

Another post from me on the start of the 2007 season:

Lienart started the first 5 games:

Game 1 - San Francisco - Lost 17 - 20 - Rakers 1 for 1 FG
Game 2 - Seahawks - Won 23 - 20 - Rakers 3 for 3 kicked winning FG with .04 left in 4th quarter.
Game 3 - Ravens - Lost 23 - 26 - Rakers was 3 for 4 - Tied the game with a 41 yard FG with 1:58 left in the 4th quarter. Missed a 47 yard FG at end of 1st half.
Game 4 - Steelers - Won 21 - 14 - Rakers O for 1 - Missed a 52 yard FG
Game 5 - Rams - Won 34 - 31 - Rakers 2 for 3 - 39 yard FG was blocked.

Exactly where do you see Rakers choking away a game for Leinart? Looks to me like he won the Seahawks game and gave us a great shot at winning the Ravens game.

Blah, blah, blah....

And, when he had his last real shot at glory in a PLAYOFF game he shanked a CHIP SHOT so badly it wouldn't have been good if he had been kicking it from the 9 yard line.

Jeez!

 

[40yearfan]

Another post:


Nope, it just proves a point that even the best miss ocassionally.

All you guys ever talk about is the games you claim he lost. Using your criteria, what about the games he won?

What about the Atlanta game where Rakers kicked a field goal on the last play of the game to send it into overtime and then kicked a field goal in overtime to win the game? Two clutch kicks within a few minutes of each other.

What about the Cleveland game? Rakers kicked two field goals in the 4th quarter and we won by 6 points. Those six points were the margin of difference. We won 27 to 21. Cleveland was in range of a field goal on their last possession but had to go for a TD because Rakers had made the previous field goal. Do you think those kicks weren't important?

What about the Seattle game? The Cardinals were down by 3 points with 5 minutes left in the game. Rakers kicked a 52 yard field goal to tie the game and then came back and kicked a 43 yard field goal with one second remaining to win the game. Is that not a clutch situation?

If it hadn't have been for Rakers in those 3 games, we might have been 5 and 11 on the year using this kind of logic.

Trying to blame a win or a loss on one player in a football game is silly.

 

[40yearfan]

Blah, blah, blah....

And, when he had his last real shot at glory in a PLAYOFF game he shanked a CHIP SHOT so badly it wouldn't have been good if he had been kicking it from the 9 yard line.

Jeez!

You're right. He should make every kick. How dare he only make 16 out of 17 FG's.

Your guys are about to find out just how valuable a kicker can be. Mark my words.

 

[ajcardfan]

You're right. He should make every kick. How dare he only make 16 out of 17 FG's.

Your guys are about to find out just how valuable a kicker can be. Mark my words.

I know I'm not going to feel like I'm going to puke the next time i see our kicker line up in a true, pressure situation at the end of a game.

and, no that Atlanta game didn't count for much. We were eliminated from the playoffs thanks to his shanked chip shot against the Niners two weeks before.

 

[az1965]

rackers is too good of a player to drop, he is just as good as any other kicker you are going to get but adds 7 other dimentions to his game. Ill be pissed if he busts a perfect onside on us.

I would like to see him kick at least ONE game winner first...