Johnny Hekker named NFC special teams player of the month

[Prime Time]

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.co...-named-nfc-special-teams-player-of-the-month/

Johnny Hekker named NFC special teams player of the month
Posted by Josh Alper on October 29, 2015

Getty Images

The Rams have the NFL’s offensive rookie of the month for October in running back Todd Gurleyand they also have the conference’s top special teams player.

Punter Johnny Hekker got the nod from the league on Thursday, marking the first time that he’s been so honored. He joins Sean Landeta as the only Rams punters to ever pick up the award.

Hekker punted 16 times during the month with a net average of 44.25 yards. He dropped three of those punts inside the 20-yard-line during last Sunday’s victory over the Browns.

Pinning opponents deep in their own territory wasn’t all that Hekker did in October, however. He also completed a 20-yard pass against the Packers to allow St. Louis to keep possession of the ball. It’s been a frequent sideline for Hekker, who is now 6-of-8 for 99 yards and a touchdown when throwing the ball during his career.

 

[Legatron4]

Johnny Hekker will be in the HOF one day.

 

[Prime Time]

Johnny Hekker will be in the HOF one day.

That's a tall order considering only one punter in NFL history has been given that honor after more than 20 years of waiting.
************************************************************************
http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-...-punters-finally-land-one-in-the-hall-of-fame

The NFL's Punters (Finally) Land One In The Hall Of Fame
AUGUST 02, 2014 / by BILL CHAPPELL

Punter Ray Guy, No. 8 of the Los Angeles Raiders, kicks the ball past the Denver Broncos' rush during a 1985 game. Guy has officially been inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
George Rose/Getty Images

Ray Guy, a gifted athlete who became the prototype of an NFL punter in the 1970s and 80s, is officially being inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame this weekend, becoming the first full-time punter ever invited into the institution in Canton, Ohio.

At 64, Guy's enshrinement ends more than two decades of waiting to be recognized by the Hall of Fame. Last night, his golden Hall of Fame jacket was presented to him by his former Oakland Raiders coach, John Madden, the man who drafted him in the first round back in 1973.

To those who watched Ray Guy play during his 14-year career — and those who know that college football's award for the best punter is named after him — it might seem long overdue that Guy is now being recognized by the Hall. Consider these stats:

• Of his 1,049 career punts, only three were blocked.
• He won three Super Bowls with the Raiders.
• Guy kicked for more than 3,000 yards in 9 seasons — and once for more than 4,000.
• He led the NFL in punting for three seasons and played in seven Pro Bowls.

In addition, Guy used power and accuracy to hang the ball in the air — often landing it along the sideline, negating a return. But he played in an era before the "inside the 20" stat for punters was recorded.

Guy's lanky 6'3" frame also helped him save high snaps — most memorably in Super Bowl XVIII, when he leaped to snare the ball with one hand. He then sent a 42-yard kick downfield to help sink the Washington Redskins.

Coming out of the University of Southern Mississippi in 1973, Guy was an athlete who had been drafted by several Major League Baseball teams after high school. As an article at his website notes, he was a pitcher with accuracy — and a fastball that approached 100 mph.

"I'd have probably enjoyed playing baseball, but football was my chosen life, and I had to go from doing pretty much everything to doing one thing," Guy tells the WBUR sports show Only A Game.

"But that one thing was very important, because I knew all through my life how important it was. I made it into a — I wouldn't call it dominating position — but I knew I could change field position and help the team win, in any circumstances where it's in the middle of the field or backed up in the end zone. That didn't bother me. Just bring it on, let's go with it."

In recent years, Madden, his former coach, has advocated for putting Guy in the Hall, explaining in 2009 how the punter had helped his offense:

"I used to tell our quarterback ... if it gets to third down, just throw the ball away. The worst thing we have to do is let Ray Guy kick it — and that's pretty good."

Speaking to SFGate yesterday, Madden said Guy had tried to play defense while in Oakland, as he'd done in college. And he added, "He threw harder than [Ken] Stabler."

"There is no question he was a real football player," the former coach said. "I just didn't let him play. He was too valuable as a punter."

 

[DaveFan'51]

He also completed a 20-yard pass against the Packers to allow St. Louis to keep possession of the ball. It’s been a frequent sideline for Hekker, who is now 6-of-8 for 99 yards and a touchdown when throwing the ball during his career.

Are you sure Hekker is not 6 of 7 instead of 6 of 8!? I can only recall him missing on "1" Pass attempt!! Please respond!!:icare:

 

[RamDino]

Good for Hekker and Gurley. We haven't seen Rams win awards since the GSOT.

 

[Legatron4]

Are you sure Hekker is not 6 of 7 instead of 6 of 8!? I can only recall him missing on "1" Pass attempt!! Please respond!!:icare:

No many people remember but we attempted one vs the Cowboys in 2013. He faked the punt and threw it over the middle to Steadman. It fell incomplete.

 

[Legatron4]

That's a tall order considering only one punter in NFL history has been given that honor after more than 20 years of waiting.
************************************************************************
http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-...-punters-finally-land-one-in-the-hall-of-fame

The NFL's Punters (Finally) Land One In The Hall Of Fame
AUGUST 02, 2014 / by BILL CHAPPELL

Punter Ray Guy, No. 8 of the Los Angeles Raiders, kicks the ball past the Denver Broncos' rush during a 1985 game. Guy has officially been inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
George Rose/Getty Images

Ray Guy, a gifted athlete who became the prototype of an NFL punter in the 1970s and 80s, is officially being inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame this weekend, becoming the first full-time punter ever invited into the institution in Canton, Ohio.

At 64, Guy's enshrinement ends more than two decades of waiting to be recognized by the Hall of Fame. Last night, his golden Hall of Fame jacket was presented to him by his former Oakland Raiders coach, John Madden, the man who drafted him in the first round back in 1973.

To those who watched Ray Guy play during his 14-year career — and those who know that college football's award for the best punter is named after him — it might seem long overdue that Guy is now being recognized by the Hall. Consider these stats:

• Of his 1,049 career punts, only three were blocked.
• He won three Super Bowls with the Raiders.
• Guy kicked for more than 3,000 yards in 9 seasons — and once for more than 4,000.
• He led the NFL in punting for three seasons and played in seven Pro Bowls.

In addition, Guy used power and accuracy to hang the ball in the air — often landing it along the sideline, negating a return. But he played in an era before the "inside the 20" stat for punters was recorded.

Guy's lanky 6'3" frame also helped him save high snaps — most memorably in Super Bowl XVIII, when he leaped to snare the ball with one hand. He then sent a 42-yard kick downfield to help sink the Washington Redskins.

Coming out of the University of Southern Mississippi in 1973, Guy was an athlete who had been drafted by several Major League Baseball teams after high school. As an article at his website notes, he was a pitcher with accuracy — and a fastball that approached 100 mph.

"I'd have probably enjoyed playing baseball, but football was my chosen life, and I had to go from doing pretty much everything to doing one thing," Guy tells the WBUR sports show Only A Game.

"But that one thing was very important, because I knew all through my life how important it was. I made it into a — I wouldn't call it dominating position — but I knew I could change field position and help the team win, in any circumstances where it's in the middle of the field or backed up in the end zone. That didn't bother me. Just bring it on, let's go with it."

In recent years, Madden, his former coach, has advocated for putting Guy in the Hall, explaining in 2009 how the punter had helped his offense:

"I used to tell our quarterback ... if it gets to third down, just throw the ball away. The worst thing we have to do is let Ray Guy kick it — and that's pretty good."

Speaking to SFGate yesterday, Madden said Guy had tried to play defense while in Oakland, as he'd done in college. And he added, "He threw harder than [Ken] Stabler."

"There is no question he was a real football player," the former coach said. "I just didn't let him play. He was too valuable as a punter."

Hekker has already broken some records of his. I realize it's very difficult but it wouldn't surprise me. He's the definition of consistent.

 

[LesBaker]

Anyone else not know Guy was a 1st rounder......wow.......

He should have been in years ago.

I know people like to poke fun at kickers and say they aren't "real" football players, I would like to remind them the Patriots are a dynasty because of a kicker.

 

[DaveFan'51]

No many people remember but we attempted one vs the Cowboys in 2013. He faked the punt and threw it over the middle to Steadman. It fell incomplete.

Thanks! I didn't remember it!!

 

[JonRam99]

Good on Hekker! I was listening to the Browns game, & when he nailed them at the 4 yd line, that was special. He's a UDFA, too, what a steal by the Rams. No wonder they pursued him pretty hard right after the draft.
Man, what Fisher could do w/ a guy like Guy!!! He could just throw bombs to Stedman. Wonder if Hekker, if he had 3-4 seconds, could throw a 50-yd pass?? Wouldn't surprise me.

 

[Angry Ram]

Sean Landeta. That's a name I haven't heard in a long time.

Congrats, Johnny. Not bad for an UDFA.

 

[Selassie I]

Our Special Teams have really been SPECIAL since Fish took over!

 

[LesBaker]

Our Special Teams have really been SPECIAL since Fish took over!

Hiring John Fassel was a fantastic move, he's really earning a promotion with the way he has his guys performing.

 

[Selassie I]

Hiring John Fassel was a fantastic move, he's really earning a promotion with the way he has his guys performing.

No Shit!

Bones has been a great hire.

 

[RamBill]

Rams' Todd Gurley, Johnny Hekker win NFC awards for October
By Nick Wagoner

http://espn.go.com/blog/st-louis-ra...ey-johnny-hekker-claim-nfc-awards-for-october

EARTH CITY, Mo. -- Based on the awards handed out by the NFL on Thursday, it would look like the St. Louis Rams are in control of the NFC West or perhaps among the league's five unbeaten teams.

While the Rams are none of those things sitting at 3-3, perhaps the awards given to running back Todd Gurley and punter Johnny Hekker for their work in October are a harbinger of things to come.

The league announced Thursday that Gurley is the NFC Offensive Rookie of the Month award and Hekker is the NFC Special Teams Player of the month.

Gurley's award should come as little surprise, given the dominant three starts he put together in October. Despite playing one fewer game than other contenders because of the bye week, Gurley's three-game effort was not only the best of all NFC offensive rookies in the month, but historically good.

Here's just a small sample of some of the history Gurley has made in his first three NFL starts (stats from Elias and ESPN Stats & Information):

At 21, Gurley is the youngest player in NFL history with three straight 125-plus yard rushing games. Three 22-year olds also did it: Jim Brown (five straight), Clinton Portis (four straight) and Franco Harris (three straight).
Gurley's 433 rushing yards in his first three NFL starts dwarf the production of other former Rams greats such as Marshall Faulk (who started his career in Indianapolis), Jerome Bettis and Eric Dickerson. Faulk (182 yards in his first three starts), Bettis (231) and Dickerson (254) are all in the Hall of Fame.
Gurley’s 433 rushing yards are the fourth-most in a player’s first three starts since the 1970 NFL/AFL merger. If Gurley can get 107 rushing yards Sunday against San Francisco, he'd have the most by any player in his first four starts.

As for Hekker, the only surprise is that this is his first such award in a so far excellent NFL career. Hekker averaged 48.3 yards per punt with a net average of 43.8 in October. He also dropped 25 percent of his punt attempts inside the opponent's 10-yard line and completed a pass for 20 yards and a first down on a fake punt at Green Bay in Week 5.

Hekker is the second Rams punter to win the award in franchise history, joining Sean Landeta.

 

[Picked4td]

GOAT

 

[KNUCKLEHEAD]

Next stop... Pro Bowl!

 

[CGI_Ram]

Our Special Teams have really been SPECIAL since Fish took over!

Fisher puts a higher priority on ST than any coach I've followed.

I think Bones is good, but Fisher stacks the roster to help him be successful. Marquez has been amazing. In short order he's proven to be a really smart and talented player on that unit.

Oh... And... Hekker; he might clunk one every once in a while, but he puts other punters to shame. It jumps out on game day... We always have the better punter.

 

[Selassie I]

Fisher puts a higher priority on ST than any coach I've followed.

I think Bones is good, but Fisher stacks the roster to help him be successful. Marquez has been amazing. In short order he's proven to be a really smart and talented player on that unit.

I always think of the Music City Miracle play when Special Teams and Fish are talked about.

Fish loves him some Special Teams !!!

 

[CGI_Ram]

I always think of the Music City Miracle play when Special Teams and Fish are talked about.

Fish loves him some Special Teams !!!

Excellent point.

Rams don't play the Titans in SB34 without that special teams play.