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View Full Version : The biggest battle with the Broncos is at punter



Den21vsBal19
08-17-2008, 05:59 PM
DENVER (AP) (http://www.newspress.com/Top/Article/article.jsp?Section=SPORTS&ID=565352219093108279)- Nowhere on the Denver Broncos does the competition appear closer than at punter.

Brett Kern and Sam Paulescu are vying to replace Todd Sauerbrun, who was sent packing last December after he got into a confrontation with a taxi driver and police told coach Mike Shanahan that he was belligerent with them.

Both candidates made spectacular plays against the Dallas Cowboys on Saturday night.

While both displayed the same authority that the strong-footed Sauerbrun used to show off in the mile-high air, their biggest contributions came with their hands, not their feet.

Paulescu stopped Adam Jones dead in his tracks in the first half with a textbook tackle that so infuriated ''Pacman'' that he popped up in disbelief and spiked the ball for a 5-yard delay of game penalty.

''I'm not suppose to get taken down by a kicker,'' Jones explained.

Kern's big play came in the third quarter. He scooped up a blocked punt at his 19 and rumbled 36 yards around the right side for a first down at the Dallas 45-yard line, leading to Matt Prater's first of three field goals in Denver's 23-13 preseason win.

''I hit it and I heard a big thump and I realized it was blocked,'' Kern said. ''I picked it up and turned around and (long snapper) Mike Leach was waving me. He's like, 'Come on, let's go! Let's go!' So, I just ran.''

Tashard Choice got credit for the block, but it hardly mattered thanks to Kern's heads-up recovery.

''I wish it never happened,'' Kern said. ''It was my fault. I had to make up for it and try to make a play for it. So, everything worked out.''

Paulescu said his big play was also pure instinct.

''It happened so fast you can't think about it,'' Paulescu said. ''If you get the opportunity to smack him, give it your best shot.''

So, who had the bigger play, Kern or Paulescu?

''I'll tell you what, if I did my job right, that play would have never happened,'' Kern said of his first-down rumble. ''I think (Choice) jumped over our wing guy, and he jumped up and tapped it out of the air. He made a great play, but I'll take the blame completely for it.

''But Sam's play on Pacman, I think that's a bigger play than mine. Pacman was talking junk all week to us, so I think one of us had to do something about it. If he doesn't make that tackle, who knows what would have happened. He definitely made a heads-up play on that one, something to tell his kids when they get older.''

The Broncos are going to have to choose one of them soon, and so far they've both impressed the coaching staff. After a nondescript opener at Houston in which Paulescu booted his one and only punt 51 yards and Kern had a 42-yarder on his lone try, both were spectacular Saturday night.

Kern averaged 57.5 yards on his two punts that weren't blocked, and Paulescu averaged 50 yards on his two, one of which was downed at the Dallas 3.

''We kind of feed off each other's energy, which is good,'' Kern said

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I didn't see all of last night's game, but I was awake for both of the big plays..........

Personally, I'd say Kern's run was the bigger play, the ability to think on the feet and create something out of nothing's priceless.........

Requiem / The Dagda
08-17-2008, 07:48 PM
I don't know about you guys but I hope Sam Kern wins the job.

Hobe
08-17-2008, 08:09 PM
I haven't thought a lot about this yet, but I'm leaning towards Paulescu. A punter that can tackle like that is a plus on every punt.

anton...
08-17-2008, 09:50 PM
paulescu should get the nod imo...

kern did have a good run, but punters may do that like once a season?

they still have to kick the ball...

paulescu seems to have better touch in pinning the ball deep and has a slightly stronger leg than kern...

and paulescu also follows the play after the punt well as demonstrated by the pacman tackle...

that is certainly advantageous to have your punter as an extra player that can make a tackle rather than a player just making up another number on the coverage...

but i guess ill be happy with either one...
________
Extazy1901 (http://www.girlcamfriend.com/cam/Extazy1901/)

ikillz0mbies
08-17-2008, 10:47 PM
I don't really know who should win the job. But if I were to base it on their highlights last night, I would go with Paulescu because knowing that he can tackle like that and the ability to pin the ball inside the 5 makes me feel REALLY comfortable. As for Kern, it was GREAT awareness of him and great reaction time for him to pick up the ball and run. At he least he made the effort and what not. Now that I think about it, I like both.

LordTrychon
08-17-2008, 10:51 PM
Keep them both and cut Prater!

gobroncsnv
08-18-2008, 06:59 AM
I haven't thought a lot about this yet, but I'm leaning towards Paulescu. A punter that can tackle like that is a plus on every punt.

As long as they don't start trying to take on taxi drivers...




(where DID Sauerbrun land, by the way?)

Den21vsBal19
08-18-2008, 07:06 AM
As long as they don't start trying to take on taxi drivers...




(where DID Sauerbrun land, by the way?)
I don't think he's landed anywhere.......IIRC, he may be facing another suspension

gobroncsnv
08-18-2008, 07:13 AM
Well, I guess it's not a big problem worrying about which punter is better among these 2... The way it looks now, hard to say either one has this slot wrapped up, guess I'd give the nod to the one who hasn't had one blocked yet. So as to camp battles, sounds like we all wish the even BIGGER battle as to who would be our starter is at MLB.

nevcraw
08-18-2008, 09:50 AM
Keep them both and cut Prater!

Prater is doing just fine.

Lonestar
08-18-2008, 10:26 AM
Well, I guess it's not a big problem worrying about which punter is better among these 2... The way it looks now, hard to say either one has this slot wrapped up, guess I'd give the nod to the one who hasn't had one blocked yet. So as to camp battles, sounds like we all wish the even BIGGER battle as to who would be our starter is at MLB.

was the block his fault or that of the lack of blocking on the deal..

Did he get it off in time had the blocking not failed.. He seemed to be heads up on running with the ball so. Unless he was at fault on that one I do not see it to be an issue.. Had the other guy been in when it happened would he have been blocked also?

I want someone back there that is not going to shack one for 15 yards when the game is on the line..

Someone that can consistently put it inside the redzone and keep it there instead of through the end zone..

Someone that can kick it out of bounds when a Hester type is on the field..

Having someone that out kicks his coverage does NO ONE any favors.

Having someone that kicks right when it was designed to go left does no one any good..

It is called consistency and I'll sacrifice a couple of yards in the average length for hang time.. It makes no difference if he kicks it and they return it NET yards are the most important thing..

Lonestar
08-18-2008, 10:30 AM
Prater is doing just fine.


Was happier to know that sometimes he can put it in the end zone.. Through the end zone would be better in DEN and deep into it at seas level.. NO returns is the idea..

IMO the jury is still out on him for FG's under pressure.. That is something we will not know for a while. Until going to the playoffs is on the line.. Then we will know for sure..

gobroncsnv
08-18-2008, 06:46 PM
was the block his fault or that of the lack of blocking on the deal.

I'll have to defer to others on this answer, but Kern himself took the blame on post game comments. I forgot to watch the replay, so will have to catch the next one.

But I think, as you do, who can prove to be the most consistent is the one you keep. A 46 vs a 44.5 (or whatever their stats prove to be) yard kicking average is nothing. This one's gonna be a tough cut, as not much separates them.

rcsodak
08-18-2008, 09:44 PM
I'll have to defer to others on this answer, but Kern himself took the blame on post game comments. I forgot to watch the replay, so will have to catch the next one.

But I think, as you do, who can prove to be the most consistent is the one you keep. A 46 vs a 44.5 (or whatever their stats prove to be) yard kicking average is nothing. This one's gonna be a tough cut, as not much separates them.

keep 'em both, and then trade one of them for a late rounder to a sucky NFC team.

Timmy!
08-18-2008, 09:55 PM
It will probably come down to the 4th preseason game. With the 2nd and 3rd stringers playing all game, we should get to see both punters twice or so. I like Kern, but the X factor is who is the better holder?

gobroncsnv
08-19-2008, 07:04 AM
Interesting question, Timmy... Leads me to ask further, who has been the holder on Prater's misses? If anyone has tracked this, speak up.

Moving on from that, looked to me (after finally getting to see the play) that Kern's blocked punt resulted from our protection man not engaging the Dallas player soon enough or well enough, let him get too deep. I don't put that on Kern, even though he tried to take the blame. (Maybe we have a PR with Kern, y'think?? :D)

OB
08-19-2008, 11:37 AM
Was happier to know that sometimes he can put it in the end zone.. Through the end zone would be better in DEN and deep into it at seas level.. NO returns is the idea..

IMO the jury is still out on him for FG's under pressure.. That is something we will not know for a while. Until going to the playoffs is on the line.. Then we will know for sure..

I havent watched much but every time ive seen him kick he's missed a FG :mad:

I DVR'd this past game vs. Dallas i have to re-watch

But im a little nervous - we've relied on Elam 4ever and he was as good as gold - having him kick a winning FG was like putting Mariano Rivera in too save a game - someone hold me :behindsofa:

GEM
08-19-2008, 12:07 PM
To be fair sexy mama....Elam has missed a few in preseason too. ;) Give the kid a chance to get used to being under the big lights. Hopefully he'll surprise us. Ya don't nail a 68 yarder in practice unless you have a leg, he just needs to get his nerves under wraps.

OB
08-19-2008, 01:57 PM
To be fair sexy mama....Elam has missed a few in preseason too. ;) Give the kid a chance to get used to being under the big lights. Hopefully he'll surprise us. Ya don't nail a 68 yarder in practice unless you have a leg, he just needs to get his nerves under wraps.

I :pray: to the football gods that you are right - im just thinking if its "pressure" in preseason - how is he gonna do when the kick really does mean something :whoknows: But i wish him all the luck - we cant afford to be w/o a good kicker

LRtagger
08-19-2008, 02:34 PM
It's the kid's first season as the #1 guy. Let's cut him a little slack. Jason had a few seasons in his career that he was 75%, which is what Prater has been so far this preseason.

His miss against Dallas was on a bad snap and would have probably been blocked anyways had he kicked it straight.

His miss against Houston was pretty terrible, but it was his first ever kick in a live game for us.


It wont matter anyways, because with the way Cutler has been playing, we wont need a punter at all and will only need Prater for XP's and Kickoffs :woot: