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New Orleans Saints mailbag kicks off with kicker questions
By Mike Triplett, The Times-Picayune
October 09, 2009
We feel for you, Saints fans. Not only do you have to survive the weekend without any black-and-gold football, but you've also got to make it through this mailbag without Jeff Duncan. ... I'll try my best to fill in. Next week, Jeff - and more importantly, the Saints - will be back.
http://www.nola.com/saints/index.ssf/2009/10/new_orleans_saints_mailbag_kic.html
By Mike Triplett, The Times-Picayune
October 09, 2009
We feel for you, Saints fans. Not only do you have to survive the weekend without any black-and-gold football, but you've also got to make it through this mailbag without Jeff Duncan. ... I'll try my best to fill in. Next week, Jeff - and more importantly, the Saints - will be back.
More questions...Saints kicker John Carney has made 6 of 7 field-goal attempts this year. His only miss was a blocked kick in Week 1 vs. the Detroit Lions.Q: Last season John Carney made field goals of 47, 46, 48, 47, and 51 yards with the Giants. However, this season, Payton seems hesitant to use him from outside of 40 yards, twice choosing to go for it on 4th down (Week 3 vs. Buffalo @ the Bills' 28...conversion failed, and Week 4 vs. NY at the Jets' 28...conversion failed ). In your opinion, is it a lack of confidence in Carney's leg strength from 45 yards, or Payton's confidence that the offense can pick up the first down on 4th and short? Thanks. Kris, Ann Arbor, MI
Hey Kris, I think Payton has plenty of confidence in Carney, depending on the circumstances. He would have been fine with sending Carney out there for a 46-yard field goal, maybe even a 50- or 51-yarder inside the Superdome last Sunday, if it was fourth-and-5 or fourth-and-10. I talked to Carney afterward, and he said that was well within his range. But like you said, Payton has plenty of confidence in his offense, too, and he thought they could gain that one yard on fourth-and-1, then continue to drive in for seven points instead of three. ... Maybe it was the wrong choice, but it was worth the risk for Payton because of the field position. He didn't mind having the Jets take over at their own 28-yard line. ... As for the decision in Buffalo, that had more to do with the wind conditions, which weren't awful, but enough to make it a borderline decision. ... I don't expect to see Carney kicking a bunch of 50-yarders this year, but that's still within his range, especially indoors, and Payton trusts him. That 51-yarder last year was indoors at Minnesota, by the way.
http://www.nola.com/saints/index.ssf/2009/10/new_orleans_saints_mailbag_kic.html