gotta give props to the punter today

[higgybaby]

He did an awesome job today of pinning them deep in their own territory!!!

[hail2skins]

At one point during the game he had a 50.? average. Ended up with 40.?.

[rskinsfan10]

That average is misleading. Barker was placing the ball in the spots that we needed him to today. Also, he had one that was fielded at the 3yd line that was negated by a holding penalty, and the ensuing kick was fair caught at around the 25. He did his job today wonderfully IMO.

[JoeDaSchmoe]

Yeah, looked great. Now if he could only keep it up for a whole season....

[PennSkinsFan]

Yup. Absolute kudos to Mr. Barker. Only thing I ask now, stay consistent Bryan.

[hail2skins]

Originally posted by rskinsfan10
That average is misleading. Barker was placing the ball in the spots that we needed him to today. Also, he had one that was fielded at the 3yd line that was negated by a holding penalty, and the ensuing kick was fair caught at around the 25. He did his job today wonderfully IMO.

I was just pointing out stats not saying he didn't do well. I thought he did extremely well.

[Patrick]

He did a good job BUT IMO a punter has his best day for a team, when he's not needed. I hope he's utilized that way this Sunday.

[camasterton]

I say he did'nt have a good day! Check out the return yardage afforded the Falcons. On the punts they returned, they averaged almost 15 yards a return. Off a 40 yard gross average, that's a 25 yard net! Who's calling that a good day? He just looked good because the ball travels well in that place. Look at what the Falcons punter did on gross and net then tell me who had a good day. I may have been a beer funk but did'nt they run the ball back past midfield on us, off a 38 yard punt (26 yards back?)when we really needed a big one or just an unreturnable one? They scored to close the gap and could have won it on the onside kick. Line drive punts no matter how far they travel are useless unless they go out of bounds. He only had one good punt out of the six or seven. That was the last and shortest (twenty something yards I think) that actually pinned the Falcons inside the 10.

[rskinsfan10]

Originally posted by camasterton
I say he did'nt have a good day! Check out the return yardage afforded the Falcons. On the punts they returned, they averaged almost 15 yards a return. Off a 40 yard gross average, that's a 25 yard net! Who's calling that a good day? He just looked good because the ball travels well in that place. Look at what the Falcons punter did on gross and net then tell me who had a good day. I may have been a beer funk but did'nt they run the ball back past midfield on us, off a 38 yard punt (26 yards back?)when we really needed a big one or just an unreturnable one? They scored to close the gap and could have won it on the onside kick. Line drive punts no matter how far they travel are useless unless they go out of bounds. He only had one good punt out of the six or seven. That was the last and shortest (twenty something yards I think) that actually pinned the Falcons inside the 10.

Shouldn't your displeasure be aimed more at the coverage team then at the punter? If he booms kicks, yet the guys running down the field to make the tackles are easily blocked and taken out of the play, how is that the fault of the punter?

[NamVet4]

Originally posted by rskinsfan10
Shouldn't your displeasure be aimed more at the coverage team then at the punter? If he booms kicks, yet the guys running down the field to make the tackles are easily blocked and taken out of the play, how is that the fault of the punter?

Improvement on ST is the watch word! Kicking is doing better every week. So......... as Rskinsfan10 noted, the guys on the coverage team have to do better.
The talent is there - one or two guys have got to step up and take charge. Once they improve on coverage the "net" averge will improve!

Gotta tackle better - a couple of sloppy tackle attempts Sunday didn't help the net!

[camasterton]

Are we that naive to think that the punters only job is to boot the ball as far as he can? Whoa a couple of 50 yarders indoors, big whoop! How about a well placed ball out of bounds and no return? How about a little hang time ( like Atlanta's punter had or damn near all the punters we faced last year for that matter) so the coverage team has a better chance of being close to the returner when he catches the ball? Try to remember how many times you've seen our guys surrounding a rolling ball that the returner dared not touch or return. Tough isn't it. Try to remember the last game Barker punted in where he didn't have a punt at a crucial point, near the end of a game get shanked or returned for big yards giving the opp. great field position. Then they score. Another tough one. You know who is the one guy on the punt team that has the most effect on the return? Thats right, the punter. Of course the rest of the st stink, but Barker is leading the way. He needs to do his part, which is not line driving a 48 yarder that's deemed "returnable". You know what it means when an announcer says "that's returnable"? It means the PUNTER didn't do his job.

[rskinsfan10]

I don't think that anyone is being naive. I do think that you are being overly critical of Barker however. Seemingly everyone other then yourself felt that Barker had a pretty good game, so take that for what it's worth. It doesn't make anyone right or wrong, but worth mentioning IMO.

[hail2skins]

Well, I recall Barker had a punt that ended inside the two yard line but it was called back because of holding. That was on Sunday and two our players were around the ball. One kept it from going into the endzone and the other down it. I guess you see it differently than most of us but that's okay because we all share our opinions here.

[camasterton]

Oh' my is everyone against me? I am not feared, Those muscles are useless against me.
My opinion is based on facts. If it were emotional you should call me overly critical. Last year's defense was a good defense. This year's defense is a good defense. Yet, they are scored on because they have to defend the short field. I am amazed we have won these games with the field position we've had and given up. Last year our punter was assailed for his low net, his inability to directional punt and his placement. Nothing has changed, inspite of my isolation. Check the stats from Sunday or the Jets game. Same issues, different day. Any kicker will have good gross or a few boomers indoors. Hall attempted two 50plus yarders which would not have been tried outdoors. Now the Falcon's punter had a decent day.
Barker is not totally at fault for the poor st but he is a main culprit.
btw I find it interesting that Lavar has praised Hall and made him an honorary defenseman and ignored Barker when a punter is more useually associated with the defense.

[REDMAN]

Barker did a much better job than he did last year. special teams still need some work, but at least we have improved enough to not lose a game.........yet.

[SkinsCT]

It is nice to feel like punter is a position we dont really need to worry about to much, considering the issues we have on kickoff coverage.

[camasterton]

Yes it would be.

[LadyNRedskinsfan]

the blocking still bothers me. morton hasnt been able to break anything good thus far.