49ers Trying Out Billy Cundiff/Nate Kaeding #Suck4Barkely

[SoCalNiner]

http://blog.sfgate.com/49ers/2012/11/27/report-49ers-try-out-kaeding-cundiff-with-akers-slumping/

[Cali2Wisco]

wow...this is REALLY going to help Akers confidence if we end up not signing anyone

[rudyZ]

[Ataal]

I guess we'll find out what Akers is made of. It might just be the motivation he needs to find a way to get things done.

I can hardly blame anyone for wanting a kicker to be on his game for the impending playoffs. An overtime win is the difference between a field goal made or a field goal missed. If we end up playing the Giants again in the playoffs, we're going to need all our weapons to be on their game. Kicker included.
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[rudyZ]

What's this board's obsession with players confidence? Yes, for some guys, it is a factor. But is it really true of anyone? These guys are men. They know the business, they know how it works. I don't buy the confidence argument, all the time. Motivation, yes. If Akers feels his job his threatened, he'll take actions in making sure he doesn't lose it, whether it's practicing more, or getting the psychological help that he needs on his own. Harbaugh can't give Akers confidence. Akers need to find his own. All a coach can do is motivate a guy to get his confidence back. In this case, it might be the proverbial chip on his shoulder. But I don't believe Jim does things to spare feelings. And don't mention Alex, because I don't buy it either.
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[UofMfan909]

I've been throwing Kaeding's name out for a few weeks as the best available kicker to replace Akers if the FO feels he's done. I want to stick it out with him because I do believe he's better, but Nate is definitely my favorite choice to replace him.
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[J-ALL-DAY]

I forgot which quarter it was, but David Akers did seem hurt after an extra point I believe. If anyone has the game on DVR, maybe they can check when it occurred.
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[J-ALL-DAY]

[sbrown]

it makes you wonder what kind of motivation akers must have had last season because he was let go in philly and came here to have a record year, now hes back to his old philly ways
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[y2lamanaki]

This David Akers "suddenly sucking" thing is getting out of hand.

Again:

Under 40:

2011: 31 of 32

2012: 12 of 13


40-49

2011: 6 of 11

2012: 6 of 10


50+

2011: 7 of 9

2012: 1 of 4



Only his 50+ kicks are showing a downward trend, and they're never gimmes. I'm not going to fault a guy for not doing so hot on those. And if he were to make 5 in a row, nobody would say he's found his leg suddenly, but then he'd be at 6 of 9, 1 short of last year. The only real issue with David Akers is he's missing them at the most inopportune times.

He's not falling off, he's just not kicking as many field goals, because we're doing much better at finding the end zone once we get into the redzone. This is a good thing. Really, it's like having 2005 David Akers, who followed up hitting 84% of his field goals in 2004 with hitting only 72% the following year (he's down from 84 to 70 this year). It wasn't that he decided to suck for a year, it was that Philly suddenly went from getting into field goal range frequently to not getting there (the year they ditched T.O. midseason), so his misses were more pronounced.

Same thing's happening this year - he's missing around the same amount, it's just he doesn't have the extra 20 field goals resulting from failed red zone attempts to prop his numbers up. Even the amount of games thus far in which he's missed field goals match up - 5 last year, 5 this year. I mean, last year he missed three field goals in our win against the Cardinals. He missed two in the win against the Eagles, and there wasn't this much outrage. Why? Because he was in the process of netting 20 extra short-range field goals to boost his numbers to those only remembering the percentage of field goals made.
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Frank Gore 10,000 yard tracker:

Currently - 9,967
Ranked 29th all-time

[Ataal]

I have a slightly different take. I don't think he's "sucking," but missing the 50+ yarders are often the most crucial ones. He nailed 7 of 9(pardon the Voyager pun) last year, which is pretty much money. 1 of 4, while a small sample size, have been crucial, and thus, more noticeable.

He's also missing by a very wide margin with no wind. Most kickers can nail the direction with no wind, but some just can't get it to punch through on 50+ yarders.

Not saying he's a bum and we should cut him, I just want my kicker back that was dang near a sure thing every time he kicked. Probably too high of a standard, but we had that last year. Hard to go back to "normal," I suppose.
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[clarkfn2284]

Kicking is similar to baseball and golf. Its all about your plant foot, much like a golf swing and baseball swingh is about the front shoulder not flying open.

I have watched Akers over and over and his problem is his plant foot. He flies it open it sail left, he closes it off too much and its a major hook job. He is not planting the foot consistently on every kick, similar to a pitcher and his arm slot. He is working through it and Harbaugh believes in competition and being accountable so he brings in kickers to draw a little attention to the situation.

When Nedney said he saw what was wrong with Akers mechanics this was what he was talking about.
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[big9erfan]

[49ers Finest]

I read that he's dealing with a groin injury.
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new sig... sorry alex

[SoCalNiner]

If he's hurt, than definitely rest him and have him ready for the playoffs. But please don't sign Cundiff....I'd rather go for two every time, and try every 4th down.
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