- Joined
- Jun 28, 2010
- Messages
- 49,206
- Name
- Burger man
http://www.dailynews.com/sports/201...kker-did-his-job-well-last-year-but-too-often
When your punter is one of your best players, that’s good.
When the punter is one of your most active players, that’s not.
In 16 games for the Rams, Johnny Hekker punted 96 times, most in the NFL. He did not suffer dead-foot syndrome.
In fact Hekker led the NFL in two most coveted categories: punts downed inside the 20 (41) and net average (43.7). Hekker also led the NFL in longest punt average, and only six of those 96 punts leaked into the end zone for a touchback.
That’s why Hekker and Aaron Donald, the peerless defensive lineman, were the two Rams sitting with head coach Jeff Fisher at the main table Friday, as the Rams had a team-orientation meeting at a Manhattan Beach hotel and then met the media for the first time since they put St. Louis in their past.
Hekker and Donald have epitomized their best chance to win. Hekker drives the other guys into a corner; Donald dares them to get out. It’s a dry recipe that cries for a splash of offense.
“Being a pro, you have to make every rep count,” Hekker said. “You can see it as, ‘Aw man, we gotta punt again,’ or you can be ready, put your skill set on display.”
The Rams haven’t had a winning season since 2003 but have won 27 games in their last four. An off-season of rejuvenation has been jolted by this move. It’s houses, it’s school districts, it’s life.
It’s also budgets.
“I thought I was prepared,” Hekker said. “Then I started looking at homes. St. Louis has a very low cost of living, and this will be a ‘wow’ factor for a lot of guys.
“Hopefully it’s a place to lay your head for a long time. It’s a long-term investment.”
Hekker became the richest punter in NFL history when he signed a six-year, $18 million deal, with $9M guaranteed. Still, he is mindful of fuel economy.
“I’ve got a Ford Navigator and a Buick,” he said. “I’d like to get a Tesla. Teslas are sweet. But I’ll worry about that later.”
Eric Dickerson and Jackie Slater attended the meeting, and Dickerson told the Rams that he spent a couple of years in Orange County before coming up with the “brilliant idea,” as Hekker described it, of moving to Calabasas. That only works with helicopters.
As they spoke, Rosecrans Avenue was a cranky used-car lot, thanks to roadwork.
“He (Dickerson) told us about those woes, told us what not to do,” Hekker said. “It’s just relocating in general. Packing up boxes and bags and throwing them into a truck and moving across the country, that’s tough on anybody. Just the lifestyle of an NFL player, blowing in the wind.”
Fisher smiled as he introduced Hekker as our “third-team quarterback,” but Hekker is a legitimate football player who has learned to punt. He is 6-foot-5 and threw 55 touchdown passes as a senior at Bothell High, outside Seattle.
Hekker also qualified for the state triple jump competition. He had a chance to play quarterback at Southern Utah but decided to walk on as Oregon State’s punter.
“I’ve punted in the Coliseum, sure, against USC,” he said. “Damian Williams took me to the house there.”
He wasn’t drafted, but sized up the NFL punting charts and decided the Rams could use help. He had to beat out Tom Malone, who had led Division I in punting while at USC. He did, and became the first Pro Bowl punter for the Rams since Dale Hatcher in 1985, back in Anaheim. Hekker also set the NFL net punting record of 44.3 in 2014.
Hekker has rubbed sideways against the Seahawks, his hometown team and a division nemesis. (Note to NFL schedulers: Seattle at L.A. would be a great Monday Night opener, especially with Pete Carroll back at The Coliseum).
In 2012 and 2014, Hekker’s fake-punt passes that stunned Seattle. The first was a touchdown to Danny Amendola. The second was more audacious, coming late in the fourth quarter from the Rams’ 18. Hekker completed it to Benny Cunningham and the Rams hung on to a 28-26 win.
Last year Hekker gave a post-punt shove to Seattle’s Cliff Avril and got penalized. On the next punt Avril and Michael Bennett went after Hekker, who went into turtle mode at Bennett’s feet. Bennett called Hekker a “coward” and Hekker didn’t argue.
“You don’t poke a bear,” said Hekker, who apologized in a Tweet.
Some of that will be avoided, along with other miseries, if the Rams can keep Hekker safe and sidelined.
When your punter is one of your best players, that’s good.
When the punter is one of your most active players, that’s not.
In 16 games for the Rams, Johnny Hekker punted 96 times, most in the NFL. He did not suffer dead-foot syndrome.
In fact Hekker led the NFL in two most coveted categories: punts downed inside the 20 (41) and net average (43.7). Hekker also led the NFL in longest punt average, and only six of those 96 punts leaked into the end zone for a touchback.
That’s why Hekker and Aaron Donald, the peerless defensive lineman, were the two Rams sitting with head coach Jeff Fisher at the main table Friday, as the Rams had a team-orientation meeting at a Manhattan Beach hotel and then met the media for the first time since they put St. Louis in their past.
Hekker and Donald have epitomized their best chance to win. Hekker drives the other guys into a corner; Donald dares them to get out. It’s a dry recipe that cries for a splash of offense.
“Being a pro, you have to make every rep count,” Hekker said. “You can see it as, ‘Aw man, we gotta punt again,’ or you can be ready, put your skill set on display.”
The Rams haven’t had a winning season since 2003 but have won 27 games in their last four. An off-season of rejuvenation has been jolted by this move. It’s houses, it’s school districts, it’s life.
It’s also budgets.
“I thought I was prepared,” Hekker said. “Then I started looking at homes. St. Louis has a very low cost of living, and this will be a ‘wow’ factor for a lot of guys.
“Hopefully it’s a place to lay your head for a long time. It’s a long-term investment.”
Hekker became the richest punter in NFL history when he signed a six-year, $18 million deal, with $9M guaranteed. Still, he is mindful of fuel economy.
“I’ve got a Ford Navigator and a Buick,” he said. “I’d like to get a Tesla. Teslas are sweet. But I’ll worry about that later.”
Eric Dickerson and Jackie Slater attended the meeting, and Dickerson told the Rams that he spent a couple of years in Orange County before coming up with the “brilliant idea,” as Hekker described it, of moving to Calabasas. That only works with helicopters.
As they spoke, Rosecrans Avenue was a cranky used-car lot, thanks to roadwork.
“He (Dickerson) told us about those woes, told us what not to do,” Hekker said. “It’s just relocating in general. Packing up boxes and bags and throwing them into a truck and moving across the country, that’s tough on anybody. Just the lifestyle of an NFL player, blowing in the wind.”
Fisher smiled as he introduced Hekker as our “third-team quarterback,” but Hekker is a legitimate football player who has learned to punt. He is 6-foot-5 and threw 55 touchdown passes as a senior at Bothell High, outside Seattle.
Hekker also qualified for the state triple jump competition. He had a chance to play quarterback at Southern Utah but decided to walk on as Oregon State’s punter.
“I’ve punted in the Coliseum, sure, against USC,” he said. “Damian Williams took me to the house there.”
He wasn’t drafted, but sized up the NFL punting charts and decided the Rams could use help. He had to beat out Tom Malone, who had led Division I in punting while at USC. He did, and became the first Pro Bowl punter for the Rams since Dale Hatcher in 1985, back in Anaheim. Hekker also set the NFL net punting record of 44.3 in 2014.
Hekker has rubbed sideways against the Seahawks, his hometown team and a division nemesis. (Note to NFL schedulers: Seattle at L.A. would be a great Monday Night opener, especially with Pete Carroll back at The Coliseum).
In 2012 and 2014, Hekker’s fake-punt passes that stunned Seattle. The first was a touchdown to Danny Amendola. The second was more audacious, coming late in the fourth quarter from the Rams’ 18. Hekker completed it to Benny Cunningham and the Rams hung on to a 28-26 win.
Last year Hekker gave a post-punt shove to Seattle’s Cliff Avril and got penalized. On the next punt Avril and Michael Bennett went after Hekker, who went into turtle mode at Bennett’s feet. Bennett called Hekker a “coward” and Hekker didn’t argue.
“You don’t poke a bear,” said Hekker, who apologized in a Tweet.
Some of that will be avoided, along with other miseries, if the Rams can keep Hekker safe and sidelined.
