Vandy has Parcells fit to be tied
Posted on Sat, Sep. 02,
By NEWY SCRUGGS
Special to the Star-Telegram
Somebody shoot the kicker. That had to be in your thoughts while watching Cowboys big-ticket item Mike Vanderjagt shank away a win in the final preseason game against Minnesota on Thursday night at Texas Stadium.
Vanderjagt missed a chip-shot 33-yard field goal early in overtime.
Vanderjagt kept shaking his head on the sideline as if he couldn't believe it.
The fans rightfully booed him. Given a second chance, the NFL's most accurate kicker of all time missed from 32 yards away with two seconds left.
His $2.5 million signing bonus is looking like wasted bucks right about now.
Folks, stop talking about T.O. and start getting nervous about the field-goal kicker. Outside of the offensive line, this is the Cowboys' biggest concern going into the season opener in Jacksonville.
Bill Parcells has won Super Bowls with these ingredients: defense, running the football and a reliable field-goal kicker.
So what in the name of Rafael Septien are we watching?
Call it the curse of Steve Hoffman. For 16 years, Hoffman served as the Cowboys kicking coach. The mandate sent down by the owner/general manager was for Hoffman to find the kickers, make 'em good and pay 'em little.
Parcells fired Hoffman after the 2004 season, and the Cowboys' kicking game went right into the toilet. Three different shankers cost the team three wins. They made only 20 of 28 field goals.
Now Hoffmann has struck gold again. This time for the Atlanta Falcons with a kid from Western Washington named Michael Koenen. He's 8-for-8 in field goals with a long of 51 yards.
Hey, Parcells knows kickers, after all he's hawking his Backyard Drills video, so he's an expert on every position on the football field.
So Backyard Drills Bill and Jerry Jones opened up the vault and paid Vanderjagt a whopping $5.4 million after the Colts told him to hit the road after he choked in the playoffs.
All that money got them was a player who missed about as much training camp time as T.O.
Vandy's sore groin kept him out for half the preseason games. His 2-for-4 mark on field-goal attempts is disturbing because the two he made were from inside 29 yards.
The team invested too much cash to cut Vanderjagt. His postgame declaration -- "I have the ability to turn it on when it counts." -- is hogwash. His teammates wanted to go home Thursday, and he couldn't make chip shots.
That choker tag Vanderjagt got in Indy may stick. It should until he starts making kicks that count for the Cowboys.
Amazingly, $5.4 million later, the club still has questions about the kicking game.
By NEWY SCRUGGS
Special to the Star-Telegram
Somebody shoot the kicker. That had to be in your thoughts while watching Cowboys big-ticket item Mike Vanderjagt shank away a win in the final preseason game against Minnesota on Thursday night at Texas Stadium.
Vanderjagt missed a chip-shot 33-yard field goal early in overtime.
Vanderjagt kept shaking his head on the sideline as if he couldn't believe it.
The fans rightfully booed him. Given a second chance, the NFL's most accurate kicker of all time missed from 32 yards away with two seconds left.
His $2.5 million signing bonus is looking like wasted bucks right about now.
Folks, stop talking about T.O. and start getting nervous about the field-goal kicker. Outside of the offensive line, this is the Cowboys' biggest concern going into the season opener in Jacksonville.
Bill Parcells has won Super Bowls with these ingredients: defense, running the football and a reliable field-goal kicker.
So what in the name of Rafael Septien are we watching?
Call it the curse of Steve Hoffman. For 16 years, Hoffman served as the Cowboys kicking coach. The mandate sent down by the owner/general manager was for Hoffman to find the kickers, make 'em good and pay 'em little.
Parcells fired Hoffman after the 2004 season, and the Cowboys' kicking game went right into the toilet. Three different shankers cost the team three wins. They made only 20 of 28 field goals.
Now Hoffmann has struck gold again. This time for the Atlanta Falcons with a kid from Western Washington named Michael Koenen. He's 8-for-8 in field goals with a long of 51 yards.
Hey, Parcells knows kickers, after all he's hawking his Backyard Drills video, so he's an expert on every position on the football field.
So Backyard Drills Bill and Jerry Jones opened up the vault and paid Vanderjagt a whopping $5.4 million after the Colts told him to hit the road after he choked in the playoffs.
All that money got them was a player who missed about as much training camp time as T.O.
Vandy's sore groin kept him out for half the preseason games. His 2-for-4 mark on field-goal attempts is disturbing because the two he made were from inside 29 yards.
The team invested too much cash to cut Vanderjagt. His postgame declaration -- "I have the ability to turn it on when it counts." -- is hogwash. His teammates wanted to go home Thursday, and he couldn't make chip shots.
That choker tag Vanderjagt got in Indy may stick. It should until he starts making kicks that count for the Cowboys.
Amazingly, $5.4 million later, the club still has questions about the kicking game.
posted by The Gryphon at 10:31 AM
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