spanishomelette Posted September 17, 2005 Share Posted September 17, 2005 Redskins rookie kicker faces Monday night pressure http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news?slug=ap-redskins-newkicker&prov=ap&type=lgns By JOSEPH WHITE, AP Sports Writer September 16, 2005 ASHBURN, Va. (AP) -- Four young, out-of-work kickers were summoned to the practice field Tuesday for a one-shot, high-pressure audition. At stake: a spot on the Washington Redskins roster. ``Whoever does the best, they tell you to stay -- and tell the other guys to go home,'' Nick Novak said. ``It's pretty cutthroat.'' Maryland place kicker Nick Novak reacts after kicking a game tying field goal in the final seconds against Georgia Tech Thursday, Oct. 11, 2001 in Atlanta. If there's any concern about a rookie kicker making a Monday night debut for the Washington Redskins against the Dallas Cowboys, consider first what he had to go through earlier this week. In a pressure of a four-way audition for his first NFL job, Nick Novak was the only kicker to make all 10 of his attempts. (AP Photo/Alan Mothner) Novak aced the test. He attempted 10 field goals and made them all, the only one with a perfect score. The Redskins, needing a kicker because of an injury to John Hall, signed him on the spot and expect him to make his NFL debut on one of the biggest stages imaginable -- Monday night at Dallas against the NFC East rival Cowboys. ``I'm a competitor. I want to be a kicker who can handle the pressure. A lot of people may think I should be nervous right now,'' Novak said. ``I'm really not. I'm more excited for the opportunity to play for the Redskins. It's always been a dream of mine.'' True to his word, Novak has been the picture of calm all week. He answered questions in front of his locker as if he'd been doing it his whole life, as if a keg of dynamite could explode behind his back and not faze him. ``He's very mellow,'' said punter Andy Groom, who is also Novak's holder. Hall strained a leg muscle Sunday's win over the Chicago Bears and hasn't practiced all week. Coach Joe Gibbs said ``I can't see that happening'' when asked Friday if Hall could play Monday. Novak could be the difference in a Cowboys-Redskins series in which seven of the last eight meetings have been decided by a touchdown or less, but local fans already know he can come through in the clutch. He went to high school in Virginia, kicked four years at the University of Maryland and is the ACC's all-time leading scorer. He kicked in three games with the Chicago Bears and one with the Dallas Cowboys this preseason, but both teams went with veterans. ``I've been in a lot of big games in college,'' Novak said, ``Thursday night games against big teams like Florida State. I've done well. I've risen to the occasion.'' If he plays well, Novak could be the kicker who finally stops the Redskins' revolving door. The team has had 15 kickers since 1997. Only twice in the last eight years has one kicker made it through the entire season. Hall was supposed to be the answer when he signed a big contract as a free agent two years ago, but he's had five injuries since the start of last season. ``It's probably the most frustrating thing I've had to deal with football-wise,'' Hall said. ``Being a guy who's never missed a game or been hurt or in the training room -- and all of a sudden I can't stay out of there.'' The Redskins are in transition in several special teams positions. Groom has only one game of NFL experience, having won the job after incumbent Tom Tupa was injured during training camp. Return man Antonio Brown was cut after fumbling a kickoff in Sunday's game, leaving Ladell Betts and James Thrash to handle kickoffs and Betts and Santana Moss to field punts. ``It's been pretty traumatic,'' Gibbs said. ``I thought we were kind of set there in a lot of ways. It just goes to show in the NFL you're never sure.'' Updated on Friday, Sep 16, 2005 9:16 pm EDT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fpickering Posted September 17, 2005 Share Posted September 17, 2005 Redskins rookie kicker faces Monday night pressure http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news?slug=ap-redskins-newkicker&prov=ap&type=lgns By JOSEPH WHITE, AP Sports Writer September 16, 2005 ASHBURN, Va. (AP) -- Four young, out-of-work kickers were summoned to the practice field Tuesday for a one-shot, high-pressure audition. At stake: a spot on the Washington Redskins roster. ``Whoever does the best, they tell you to stay -- and tell the other guys to go home,'' Nick Novak said. ``It's pretty cutthroat.'' Novak aced the test. He attempted 10 field goals and made them all, the only one with a perfect score. The Redskins, needing a kicker because of an injury to John Hall, signed him on the spot and expect him to make his NFL debut on one of the biggest stages imaginable -- Monday night at Dallas against the NFC East rival Cowboys. ``I'm a competitor. I want to be a kicker who can handle the pressure. A lot of people may think I should be nervous right now,'' Novak said. ``I'm really not. I'm more excited for the opportunity to play for the Redskins. It's always been a dream of mine.'' True to his word, Novak has been the picture of calm all week. He answered questions in front of his locker as if he'd been doing it his whole life, as if a keg of dynamite could explode behind his back and not faze him. ``He's very mellow,'' said punter Andy Groom, who is also Novak's holder. Hall strained a leg muscle Sunday's win over the Chicago Bears and hasn't practiced all week. Coach Joe Gibbs said ``I can't see that happening'' when asked Friday if Hall could play Monday. Novak could be the difference in a Cowboys-Redskins series in which seven of the last eight meetings have been decided by a touchdown or less, but local fans already know he can come through in the clutch. He went to high school in Virginia, kicked four years at the University of Maryland and is the ACC's all-time leading scorer. He kicked in three games with the Chicago Bears and one with the Dallas Cowboys this preseason, but both teams went with veterans. ``I've been in a lot of big games in college,'' Novak said, ``Thursday night games against big teams like Florida State. I've done well. I've risen to the occasion.'' If he plays well, Novak could be the kicker who finally stops the Redskins' revolving door. The team has had 15 kickers since 1997. Only twice in the last eight years has one kicker made it through the entire season. Hall was supposed to be the answer when he signed a big contract as a free agent two years ago, but he's had five injuries since the start of last season. ``It's probably the most frustrating thing I've had to deal with football-wise,'' Hall said. ``Being a guy who's never missed a game or been hurt or in the training room -- and all of a sudden I can't stay out of there.'' The Redskins are in transition in several special teams positions. Groom has only one game of NFL experience, having won the job after incumbent Tom Tupa was injured during training camp. Return man Antonio Brown was cut after fumbling a kickoff in Sunday's game, leaving Ladell Betts and James Thrash to handle kickoffs and Betts and Santana Moss to field punts. ``It's been pretty traumatic,'' Gibbs said. ``I thought we were kind of set there in a lot of ways. It just goes to show in the NFL you're never sure.'' Updated on Friday, Sep 16, 2005 9:16 pm EDT Who were the other three kickers? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prophet Posted September 17, 2005 Share Posted September 17, 2005 i wish we still had chandler Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tommy-the-Greek Posted September 17, 2005 Share Posted September 17, 2005 It would be nice to sign a young kicker and have him be the man for the long haul. Remember what it was like to see Mark Mosely trot onto the field? You just felt it was an automatic 3 points from 50 yards or less. Not only was he a great kicker but it felt like he was here for ever. It would be nice to have the same kicker for the next 10 plus years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheGreek1973 Posted September 17, 2005 Share Posted September 17, 2005 The kicking game has hurt us a couple of seasons in the late 90s early 00s. With say someone like Akers we would have made the playoffs a couple of times. Remember the year Turner was fired? It was the kicking game that lost a couple of key games. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
[[ghost]] Posted September 17, 2005 Share Posted September 17, 2005 well, he sounds relaxed. i can't wait to see him kick. though, i'd rather just see him kick like 6 extra points, rather than any fieldgoals. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Warhead36 Posted September 17, 2005 Share Posted September 17, 2005 He has icewater in his veins. I remember him as a Terp, he was MONEY. One time he missed a game tieing XP but then the Terps got the ball back off a fumble and Novak preceeded to hit the game wining 50+ yard kick. Hall's injury could be a possible blessing in disguise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gallen5862 Posted September 17, 2005 Share Posted September 17, 2005 I believe that Novak can be our long term Kicker. It would be great to have him with our punter Groom as a long term tandem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SKINS@THEGOALLINE Posted September 17, 2005 Share Posted September 17, 2005 I understand that his nickname is, "Nick at Nite", due to his heroics(on the field) in the evening. Let's hope that he keeps his title this monday night. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoCalMike Posted September 17, 2005 Share Posted September 17, 2005 I hope we have silently found the next solid kicker that will be with us for years to come. I am tired of every year having to wonder if we have a kicker who we can EXPECT to make his FGs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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