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Longer extra point brings Rams' Greg Zuerlein closer to his kicking net
By Nick Wagoner
http://espn.go.com/blog/st-louis-ra...-rams-greg-zuerlein-closer-to-his-kicking-net
EARTH CITY, Mo. -- If you're looking for St. Louis Rams kicker Greg Zuerlein during a game and he's not on the field, chances are you can find him by searching the sideline for a yellow and white kicking net near the 30-yard line.
The net has always been an important part of Zuerlein's game-day routine. But now that the NFL has moved the line of scrimmage for an extra point from the 2-yard line to the 15, Zuerlein finds his connection to that net growing even stronger.
"I have to stay closer to the net than I have in years past, just in case something like a quick score happens," Zuerlein said. "Being able to get a warm-up kick or two is important to be prepared."
The NFL changed the extra point this year in an effort to add drama to a formerly automatic play. Through the first four weeks, it has worked. There have already been 17 missed extra points this year. For perspective, there were a total of 19 missed extra points in the three previous seasons combined. The 32- to 33-yard kick has opened a margin for error much greater than the one that came with kicking from a distance of less than 20 yards.
The change hasn't affected Zuerlein's production: He's one of 10 kickers to make all of his extra point and field goal attempts through the first quarter of the season. But he readily acknowledges that the change to the extra point has forced him to alter his approach.
Before this season, Zuerlein usually waited until the offense got near midfield before he went to the net for some warm-up kicks. Occasionally, a sudden play would force him to kick an extra point without a warm-up -- but because the distance was so close, Zuerlein didn't necessarily need a warm-up to make it. In fact, he missed just one of his 95 extra-point tries during his first three seasons.
"It's a lot different now from a mental standpoint of having to go out there, especially on quick changes like a pick-six or something," Zuerlein said. "You might not get a warm-up into the net. So in this league, when one point can decide a game easily, you really have to be ready at all times. I think from that standpoint, you have to approach everything like a field goal. It's not, 'Walk up there and swing at it and it will go in because you're close.' So it's just something all kickers, you have to start adapting to that."
In the Rams' 24-22 victory over Arizona on Sunday, they scored a late touchdown to take an eight-point lead. Zuerlein walked onto the field and calmly knocked the extra point through the uprights to make it a two-possession game. Their confidence in Zuerlein helps explain why the Rams are one of 13 teams that have not tried a two-point conversion this season.
"Well, I trust him," Rams coach Jeff Fisher said. "Our goal going into [a] game was to have him kick anywhere from five to six extra points. We didn't get there. But he made the ones he kicked."
Despite his perfect start, Zuerlein is unhappy with how he has kicked so far this season, saying his kicking has been "so-so." Zuerlein says the goal is to hit the ball down the middle every time, and some of his kicks have drifted to either side before going through the uprights.
Like many of his counterparts, Zuerlein believes the change to the extra point was meant to alter the way kickers are valued around the league.
"I think this just puts more emphasis on the kicking game," Zuerlein said. "As you can tell, it's been pretty difficult here to start. I think the league likes it. I don't think us kickers like it, but it's definitely changed the game. We'll see going forward how it turns out, but it's just something where you have just got to be ready."
When Zuerlein is needed, you know where to find him.
By Nick Wagoner
http://espn.go.com/blog/st-louis-ra...-rams-greg-zuerlein-closer-to-his-kicking-net
EARTH CITY, Mo. -- If you're looking for St. Louis Rams kicker Greg Zuerlein during a game and he's not on the field, chances are you can find him by searching the sideline for a yellow and white kicking net near the 30-yard line.
The net has always been an important part of Zuerlein's game-day routine. But now that the NFL has moved the line of scrimmage for an extra point from the 2-yard line to the 15, Zuerlein finds his connection to that net growing even stronger.
"I have to stay closer to the net than I have in years past, just in case something like a quick score happens," Zuerlein said. "Being able to get a warm-up kick or two is important to be prepared."
The NFL changed the extra point this year in an effort to add drama to a formerly automatic play. Through the first four weeks, it has worked. There have already been 17 missed extra points this year. For perspective, there were a total of 19 missed extra points in the three previous seasons combined. The 32- to 33-yard kick has opened a margin for error much greater than the one that came with kicking from a distance of less than 20 yards.
The change hasn't affected Zuerlein's production: He's one of 10 kickers to make all of his extra point and field goal attempts through the first quarter of the season. But he readily acknowledges that the change to the extra point has forced him to alter his approach.
Before this season, Zuerlein usually waited until the offense got near midfield before he went to the net for some warm-up kicks. Occasionally, a sudden play would force him to kick an extra point without a warm-up -- but because the distance was so close, Zuerlein didn't necessarily need a warm-up to make it. In fact, he missed just one of his 95 extra-point tries during his first three seasons.
"It's a lot different now from a mental standpoint of having to go out there, especially on quick changes like a pick-six or something," Zuerlein said. "You might not get a warm-up into the net. So in this league, when one point can decide a game easily, you really have to be ready at all times. I think from that standpoint, you have to approach everything like a field goal. It's not, 'Walk up there and swing at it and it will go in because you're close.' So it's just something all kickers, you have to start adapting to that."
In the Rams' 24-22 victory over Arizona on Sunday, they scored a late touchdown to take an eight-point lead. Zuerlein walked onto the field and calmly knocked the extra point through the uprights to make it a two-possession game. Their confidence in Zuerlein helps explain why the Rams are one of 13 teams that have not tried a two-point conversion this season.
"Well, I trust him," Rams coach Jeff Fisher said. "Our goal going into [a] game was to have him kick anywhere from five to six extra points. We didn't get there. But he made the ones he kicked."
Despite his perfect start, Zuerlein is unhappy with how he has kicked so far this season, saying his kicking has been "so-so." Zuerlein says the goal is to hit the ball down the middle every time, and some of his kicks have drifted to either side before going through the uprights.
Like many of his counterparts, Zuerlein believes the change to the extra point was meant to alter the way kickers are valued around the league.
"I think this just puts more emphasis on the kicking game," Zuerlein said. "As you can tell, it's been pretty difficult here to start. I think the league likes it. I don't think us kickers like it, but it's definitely changed the game. We'll see going forward how it turns out, but it's just something where you have just got to be ready."
When Zuerlein is needed, you know where to find him.
