Lechler, Nnamdi should repeat
By Jerry McDonald - NFL Writer
Tuesday, December 29th, 2009 at 3:02 pm in Oakland Raiders.
Punter Shane Lechler and cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha would appear to be mortal locks to be repeat selections to the 2010 Pro Bowl, scheduled to be announced at 4 p.m. (PST) on the NFL Network.
Lechler has been chasing Sammy Baugh’s all-time gross punting average record of 51.40 set in 1940, although his lowest figure of the season (44.0) make it necessary for him to have a career game to move up to No. 1. He leads the NFL in gross punting and net punting.
Asomugha has been tested so infrequently he has only three passes defensed _ his lowest total since 2005 _ and he has just one interception. Judging from weekly comments from opposing players and coaches, his spot would seem to be secure based on his reputation.
Players are elected by a combination of voting from fans, players and coaches, with each counting one-third.
Probably the most deserving Raider who rates a longshot is place kicker Sebastian Janikowski who will be penalized for playing on one of the NFL’s worst offenses unless voters look past his 22nd ranking in scoring with 88 points.
Janikowski has converted 24 of 27 field goal attempts, with his misses coming from distances of 45 (wide left vs. Kansas City), 57 (wide left vs. Cincinnati) and 66 (short vs. Washington) yards.
A 66.7 percent kicker from 40 and 49 yards coming into this season, Janikowski is 9-for-10 this season. At 50 yards and beyond, where Janikowski was 19-for-41 (46.3 percent) for his career through 2008, this season he’s at 75 percent (6-for-8).
Against the Cleveland Browns Sunday, Janikowski had one of the most impressive field goals in NFL history, a 61-yarder into the wind on a snowy day in one of the toughest December venues.
“That’s by far the best I’ve seen,” said Lechler, his holder since 2000. “I’ve seen him kick further ones in practice and pregame, but never in those conditions.”
On kickoffs, Janikowski has 17 touchbacks in 54 attempts, ranking fifth in the NFL in touchback percentage.
As for Jankowski’s Pro Bowl credentials, Lechler said, “He’s got a miss from 45, a miss from 57 and a miss from 66. I mean, two of those wouldn’t even be attempted by 95 percent of the league, and one of ‘em is a 50-50 shot for 95 percent of the league.”
Lechler is hopeful Janikowski is voted in, but said, “I don’t know that enough has been sent out by the organization tp pub him to get the votes. That’s just the way it is here.”
San Diego place kicker Nate Kaeding leads the AFC in scoring with 138 points and has converted 29 of 32 field goal attempts, including 4-for-6 from 40 to 49 yards and 3-for-4 from 50-plus.
A potential reputation pick would be defensive lineman Richard Seymour, although Seymour has just four sacks and none since getting a pair on Oct. 15 against Philadelphia. Second-year strong safety Tyvon Branch leads all NFL defensive backs with 121 tackles, but has no interceptions and plays for a 5-10 team with the NFL’s 27th ranked defense.
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December 29th, 2009 at 3:05 pm
Mistic
I agree, I don’t think Fassel has the personality for this particular job.
Al Davis would make him a nervous wreck.
December 29th, 2009 at 3:06 pm
Jerry,
You sure sugar-coat the Raiders GM.
December 29th, 2009 at 3:08 pm
Jerry
Why is it that YOU never break any Raider News? Yet you carry Herrera’s water like a Golden Retriever.
December 29th, 2009 at 3:09 pm
Cable not only failed to get through to no.2, he also doent seem to have a plan for what to do next year. I dont think no.2 will be receptive to anything cable has to say at this point. The next hc must walk in with a comprehensive development plan and schedule for no.2. The guy that does this is the guy that will coach oakland next year. Bet on it.
December 29th, 2009 at 3:10 pm
Just heard what the Bills want in their next HC. They didn’t give a name, but said they wanted ” an offensive line guy who can work with quarterbacks.”
Who does that sound like?
LMFAO
Cable to the Bills.
December 29th, 2009 at 3:11 pm
Mistic1 Says:
December 29th, 2009 at 3:09 pm
Cable not only failed to get through to no.2, he also doent seem to have a plan for what to do next year. I dont think no.2 will be receptive to anything cable has to say at this point. The next hc must walk in with a comprehensive development plan and schedule for no.2. The guy that does this is the guy that will coach oakland next year. Bet on it.
——————–
How bout Ted Tollner & Paul Hackett, they failed no.2, too?
December 29th, 2009 at 3:11 pm
Marshall was a good coach for us this year, the team under performed. Lets see waht he can do when he has more of his own guys next year.
December 29th, 2009 at 3:11 pm
Nnamdi, the ultimate pro and class act. I’d like to shake this man’s hand some day.
December 29th, 2009 at 3:11 pm
Shane could very well have a shot for a carrier day, on Sun. vs. Ravens. I suspect we will have a lot of three and outs……
December 29th, 2009 at 3:12 pm
Seabass deserves the Pro Bowl this year. He has been amazing.
Not only does he make the long field goals, all his kicks are such high pressure because we never score any points.
Sadly, I would vote Seabass, with a close second to Branch, for the 2009 Raiders MVP.
December 29th, 2009 at 3:14 pm
Figures Seabass would dominate during a contract year.
December 29th, 2009 at 3:15 pm
Team probably isn’t sending out any PR on Seabass simply because they don’t want to have to negotiate with a Pro Bowler.
December 29th, 2009 at 3:19 pm
After bad mouthing Seabass after last season, I do have to give him props for the job he’s done this year. And, yes I think Al should re-sign him…
December 29th, 2009 at 3:19 pm
No 21 is a great player, I wonder about his leadership skills. I dont see the team rally around this guy, or anyone for that matter. Let marshall draft a guy that fits what he wants to do, and let him develope into a leader. Tommy kelly is servicable, but he an warren are to fat and sloppy to be consistant. Warren played decent game, where was that effort all year? He is good in pass rush situation, he gets up field, he is a liabilty on run defense. If we had decent depth at d tackle he would be on the bench. By the way can we get a better conditioning coach. We have more fat players than anyone, both russells, our d tackles our kick returner, my goodness. i think one reason the defense couldnt hold leads our tackles are severley out of shape.
December 29th, 2009 at 3:21 pm
Branch is the real deal, perhaps he could be d captain. He has earned it.
December 29th, 2009 at 3:23 pm
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December 29th, 2009 at 3:24 pm
Got to admit it’s pretty bad, when your hoping that our teams KICKER gets named to the effing pro bowl…
December 29th, 2009 at 3:26 pm
#17 LOL!!!
December 29th, 2009 at 3:29 pm
I would love to get Suh, but who do you give up to move up and get him? I dont think we have the bait to make that deal. Besides the first 3 or 4 dtackles in this draft are all very good, we cant miss. I love Morrison I kust dont think he is good enough to start for us anymore, always out of position. Teams constantly gash us up the gut. A big nasty mlb and dtackle will solve the problem. By the way tackles and mlb’s flourish under marshall. Look at seattle while he was there, and look at them now.
December 29th, 2009 at 3:36 pm
Can’t get over the Nick Miller and Javon Walker fiascos..Now Al has scholarships AND charity? what the hell is going on over there?
December 29th, 2009 at 3:36 pm
DKnight007 Says:
December 29th, 2009 at 1:28 pm
Warriors suck! They let Nelson dictate everything and fell for it….just so Nelson can earn more money.
They should have kept Mullin….but Rowell got suckered by Nelson.
I can’t decide who is a worse owner….Al Davis or Cohan! LOL”
I am starting to think that they are the same person.
December 29th, 2009 at 3:42 pm
So…lets pit Jamarcus vs #1s:
Alex Smith
David Carr
Courtney Brown
Tim Couch
KiJana Carter
Is Jamarcus the biggest bust?
My vote. yep he is the fattest bust out there.
December 29th, 2009 at 4:02 pm
How can such a big man (boy) have such small hands? What else does this observation tell us? This might explain in part why he can’t hold onto the ball when he gets sacked. Is he the biggest bus so far? He gets my vote. All he has is a strong arm. Unfortunately, accuracy doesn’t come with it. Neither does touch. Top all that off with laziness, no motivation, poor work ethic, questionable intelligence level, lack of personal responsibility, lack of leadership skills, lack of mobility, small hands & large bank account. What do we have when we blnd all these element – JaBustus, the greatest BUST EVER! Let’s quit wasting time on this loser.
Pick-up Troy Smith, QB-RFA Ravens, someone who has the necessary tools and desire to win and let him lead us out of the cellar. AD could get him for the money he’d save by dumping the GREAT BUST. Smith would have been the starter for the Ravens had it not been for an illness. He’s on record asking for a trade to a team looking for a starting QB. I believe he’d be a great fit for Oakland. I believe we’d end up with Smith, Gradkowski & Losman as the #1, #2 & #3 QB respectively.
December 29th, 2009 at 4:02 pm
I just read the transcript of todays live chat over at raiderbeat.com. Holy moly, makes Jerry’s live chat look like a Pulitzer prize candidate by comparison…
December 29th, 2009 at 4:12 pm
why can’t the Raiders just say “no thanks” when their turn comes to draft in the first round.
then take some of the money saved to hire a shaman who can put a hex on opposing skill players so that they drop the ball like a hot potato every time they touch it.
guarantee the shaman could dress however he likes and no one would notice him in a crowd of Raider fans.
December 29th, 2009 at 4:16 pm
It would be great to see Lechler get the record. I doubt the punting records were all that accurate for Baugh. I think he might have been given the benefit of the doubt with a few of those kicks.
As for Janikowski, I think it’s only a matter of time before he hits one for the record. Maybe next year in Denver.
December 30th, 2009 at 4:02 am
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