After the fifth missed field goal of the season, Matt LaFleur of the Green Bay Packers has a strong message for kicker Anders Carlson’s future.
The Green Bay Packers, who finished 8-9 in 2022 and missed the NFL Playoffs, made a number of unexpected and controversial decisions. They chose to let go of kicker Mason Crosby, the franchise’s all-time leader in points scored and games played, in addition to trading four-time NFL MVP and future Hall of Fame quarterback Aaron Rodgers to the New York Jets.
Related: Los Angeles Rams Unexpectedly Release Former Green Bay Packers Kicker Mason Crosby After Just One Week
Carlson’s inability to consistently make kicks in practice during the offseason and training camp drew criticism from many quarters. But special teams coordinator Rich Bisaccia and head coach Matt LaFleur were adamant that they would not give up on the sixth-round pick.
This season, Carlson has missed three extra point attempts and five field goals, which has put some strain on their patience. His most recent error occurred during Monday Night Football, when the Packers suffered a humiliating 24–22 loss to the New York Giants. After missing a field goal from 43 yards out, Carlson returned and made one from 48 yards out.
When asked on Tuesday if he still intended to stay faithful to Carlson for the remainder of the season, LaFleur gave a resounding response that ought to put an end to any more debate on the subject.
LaFleur addressed a wide range of topics at his press conference on Tuesday, including his dissatisfaction with the defensive play-calling that occurred during the game’s last drive. In addition, he was questioned about Anders Carlson’s future and whether the Packers would stick with him as their kicker for the remaining four games of the season.
Without a doubt. I believe that since he is a young kicker, you must undoubtedly develop consistency in your game. And let me add this: let’s say you miss a field goal and then you recover to make one in another crucial circumstance, let’s say three yards further. And he strikes it directly into the pipe.
“He is undoubtedly competent. All he needs to do is find that one reliable strategy, whatever it may be, to go out there and perform reliably. Naturally, everything gets magnified when you lose, including those missed field goals or PATs. That’s kind of where we are with every phase.
It’s interesting to note that Carlson’s current field goal accuracy statistics are higher than Mason Crosby’s from his rookie season in 2007. It was not until his fifth season in the NFL that Crosby managed to make more than 80% of his field goals. He had a career-worst field goal percentage of 63.7% the following year.
Even though Crosby leads the Packers all-time in points scored and games played, one could argue that his career was incredibly uneventful. Seven times in his 16-year career, Crosby’s field goal percentage was less than 80%. Only twice did he make a field goal attempt of 90% or higher.
Fans can learn a lot about patience from Crosby, who has a career field goal percentage of 81.4% when it comes to Carlson. It is undeniable how adored Crosby is by his followers, but his career was far from easy. Although Carlson’s ceiling is still unknown, he is off to a better start than Crosby did in 2007.
