Note to Nolan: Don’t Rouen the Punting Game
By: Nick Newton 07/10/06
Seein’ Red

One year. It has been one solid year since Nolan solidified the shakiest kicking game in the NFL by adding veteran place kicker and left footer Auto-Joe Nedney. One year since we finally put the problem string of Cortez’s game losing short extra points, Chandlers left shanks, and Owen Pochman’s noodle leg boots behind us. Finally, a facet of the game that hasn’t worked for us in seasons idles normally and performs almost automatically. Only one single year and Nolan is already trying to fix what is not broken by adding veteran punter T. Rouen to the roster. Were I Andy Lee, I’d be most distressed.

Not that he should feel threatened. Lee is statistically a better punter than Rouen. And let me disarm you of any notion that I have forgotten Rouen’s one yard punt INDOORS while with the Rams. I’m not going to go into the statistics because if you’re reading this you’re already on the internet and they are at your disposal, (you lazy bastard), but check out the average yards versus number of kicks last year.

Yea, the thought has crossed my mind that Coach Nolan is trying to generate competition and thereby increase performance by adding more than one player at both specialty positions. But there was absolutely nothing wrong with Lee’s performance last year. Or Nedney’s for that matter. And I understand, as somewhat of a kicking connoisseur, that the position is easy to get complacent in and that there is always room for improvement, but that roster spot was valuable, and in my opinion, wasted on Rouen.

Even if Nolan wanted to waste a roster spot on a punter, why Rouen? Is the FA market that bad? Are there no better veteran punters to be had? Hell, if price is an issue, take a chance on an un-drafted FA, especially since Nolan prides himself on scouting talent in strange places.

While I don’t look for, (and I don’t believe many other fans look for), Rouen to be on the roster come Week one, I still believe that there is a very real threat that a bad decision could be made any time that players compete for the same slot on a team, and I have a bad feeling about this. Hell, if you don’t believe me, let Madden choose your starters in your position battles next time you play. (It’s a stretch, but it happens in real life too. A phenomenon that I will never understand is why Jose Cortez continues to win spots on teams. It’s like they don’t even watch the résumé film).

So Nolan, please, be gentle with the ears of our children this season. Let our hearts not stop every time its fourth and eleven and we’re punting from the back of our end zone. And for the sake of our breakables, please don’t Rouen our punting game.