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View Full Version : Hanson, Elam still have scoring touch



Skinny
11-03-2007, 02:02 PM
by Tom Kowalski
November 03, 2007

ALLEN PARK -- If it ever happens again, Detroit Lions kicker Jason Hanson will hold an immediate retirement party. OK, maybe not in the middle of the game, but right after it ends.

"Guaranteed," Hanson said. "If I miss another 29-yarder, I'll retire immediately after the game."

Hanson was named the NFC Special Teams player of the week for his performance in Detroit's 16-7 win against the Chicago Bears. Not only did Hanson hit three field goals, including a 52-yarder, but he also did an excellent job with kickoffs, limiting the ever-dangerous Devin Hester.

But Hanson is still fuming over the 29-yard field goal that bounced off the upright.

"Not many guys can miss and get that (award). I guess nobody else did anything special that week," he said.

Sunday's game between the Lions and Denver Broncos features two kickers who have been doing special things their entire careers. Denver's Jason Elam and Hanson are ranked No. 1 and No. 2, respectively, in NFL history in career points scored with one team.

Elam has 1,719 points in 15 seasons with the Broncos, while Hanson has 1,591 points in his 16-year career with the Lions. Of course, Hanson is quick to point out that he and Elam are actually No. 2 and No. 3.

"I think Matt Stover is in there, but his team switched cities," said Hanson of the 17-year veteran who has 1,779 career points. "He was with Cleveland, and then they went to Baltimore."

While Stover never actually switched teams, technically he did because Cleveland's records stayed in that city and were picked up by the Browns. Regardless, Hanson said it's difficult these days to stay with one team.

"Sometimes it's easy to get dissatisfied with a kicker. Teams don't put up with as much when it comes to kickers and they think 'We'll find somebody else to do your job,' " Hanson said. "Sometimes it's an intentional choice to stay; you don't necessarily pursue leaving."

Hanson said the fact he trails Elam in total points, despite playing one more season, has nothing to with Elam playing in Mile High Stadium, where the football travels farther in the thin air.

"Accuracy is the biggest thing. The ball goes farther in Denver, but you've got to put it on line," Hanson said. "They've had some pretty good years when they were scoring a lot of points with John Elway. Even beyond that, they've had good numbers. And he's a great kicker."

While Hanson's three field goals were the deciding points in last week's game, Elam can do him one better: All three of Denver's wins this season have come on Elam field goals in the final seconds of the game. In last week's loss to the Packers, Elam nailed a field goal as time expired to send the game into overtime.

"He's a guy that has been in the league and has got the same swing all the time. It doesn't matter if it's the first quarter or the last quarter," Broncos coach Mike Shanahan said. "It's like that great golfer when the pressure is on. I know I change my golf swing when the pressure is on, and usually the guys that are great at what they do have that consistency regardless of what the situation is. He's had that since he's been here."

Whether he's listed at either No. 2 or No. 3, would Hanson really retire if he misses a 29-yard field goal?

"It's so maddening that it's the only way to verbalize it," Hanson said. "The blood pressure makes my ears want to explode."

http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2007/11/hanson_elam_still_have_scoring.html

East Coast Fan
11-03-2007, 02:10 PM
Denver has certainly been fortunate to have had some good, consistent kickers over the years. :salute:

Lonestar
11-03-2007, 07:29 PM
Denver has certainly been fortunate to have had some good, consistent kickers over the years. :salute:


That should read " fortunate to have had A , consistent kicker over the years."

Outside Elam the kicking per-see has sucked when Todd was not here.. and even then he was not teh ost consistent punter. But heads and above others we have had..