OWINGS MILLS, Md. (AP) -It didn’t take long for Steve Hauschka to fully comprehend the delicate job security of an NFL placekicker.
After Hauschka misfired on an important field goal attempt Sunday, the Baltimore Ravens brought in two kickers for tryouts. Mike Nugent and Billy Cundiff were given a look Tuesday, but neither walked away with a contract.
The Ravens remain hopeful that Hauschka will correct his flaws and prove he’s the right man for the job.
“We’re not ready to say we don’t think he’s going to be a good kicker in the NFL,” coach John Harbaugh said.
As a rookie last year, Hauschka handled the kickoffs as the backup to 40-year-old Matt Stover. Tired of having two kickers on the roster, the Ravens opted against inviting Stover to training camp this summer, and Hauschka won the job over Graham Gano.
ix minutes left.
Thus, the Ravens are apparently assembling a short list of potential replacements in case Hauschka continues to struggle with clutch kicks.
“I figured they probably would,” Hauschka acknowledged Wednesday. “They’re going to do what they have to do and I’m going to have to do my job – go out there and make kicks in a game.”
During the week, the former North Carolina State star rarely misses.
“I’m very confident,” he said. “I’ve been kicking the ball real well in practice; it’s just a matter of transferring it to the game. That’s the next development I have to make – kick the ball in the game with as much confidence.”
Harbaugh blamed Hauschka’s misses on bad technique, saying, “If you look at those two swings, those are both poor swings.”
To which Hauschka replied: “Sometimes you don’t hit the ball as well as you’d like.”
After kicking for three years at Division III Middlebury College, Hauschka was outstanding during his lone season at NC State, going 16 for 18 on field goal tries and 25 for 25 on conversions. He’s already botched more kicks with Baltimore in eight games than during his year with the Wolfpack.
been tough for me to miss a few kicks. I’m looking to start a new streak and get the confidence going.”
Hauschka remains hopeful, and believes his teammates feel the same way.
“Guys are backing me up. A lot of veterans are still supporting me,” he said. “The organization wants me to be the guy, and I want to be the guy, too. It’s a little painful at times to miss kicks and let the team down and to let the fans down, but my job is to go out there and make the next kick.”
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