Jaguars still confident in Myers, at least on field goals
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) The Jacksonville Jaguars still have confidence in place-kicker Jason Myers - at least on field goals.
Myers has missed a league-leading six extra points this season, including two in a 42-39 loss at Tennessee on Sunday. After Myers missed the first one, Jacksonville went for two following the next touchdown, so the rookie essentially cost the team three points in a three-point game.
But the Jaguars (4-8) are sticking with Myers, a former Arena Football League kicker who played collegiately at Marist.
''It's not like they're squib misses,'' Myers said. ''They're barely missing.''
True. Myers also has a strong leg and has been extremely accurate on field goals. He has made 22 of 26 attempts, including 15 of his last 16. Of those 26, he's perfect between 30 and 39 yards and has just one miss beyond 50.
So his extra-point woes seem to be more fluky than troubling.
''I trust him in field goals,'' coach Gus Bradley said. ''I think he's done a good job there. I don't know what his stat is. He's 85 percent or somewhere in there. It's pretty good. I think compared to other people that have been here in their career, if he continues that, that would be a good number. But it's the extra points. His percentage drops, so that's the part that we need to get right.''
Former Jaguars kicker Josh Scobee hit on 81 percent of his attempts during his 11 years in Jacksonville. He made 70 of 79 attempts between 30 and 39 yards.
But the NFL's rule change regarding extra points has wreaked havoc on the Jaguars.
Instead of kicking extra points from the 2-yard line - essentially a gimme for pros - the ball is placed at the 15-yard line for a more trying 33-yard attempt.
''You definitely have a different mindset than before,'' Myers said. ''It's not like the old days where you can just pop it through.''
Myers has tinkered with ball placement throughout the season, starting with it in the middle of the field early in the year and then moving it to the left hash mark after a few misses.
Muscle memory, consistency, timing and rhythm are more important than ever for that sometimes-all-important extra point.
''We've just got to kind of stay on top of it,'' Myers said. ''I just try to stay focused on every kick. I don't worry about what happened in the past, good or bad. Next kick is up.''
Myers gets a chance to redeem himself Sunday against Indianapolis (6-6). Not only can he make up for the two missed extra points last week, but he might get a chance to atone for missing two game-winning field goals against the Colts in early October.
Myers missed wide right from 53 yards out at the end regulation and then was wide left on a 48-yarder in overtime. Either of them would have ended the game, which the Colts won 16-13.
''Hopefully we win no matter what, but if it comes down to a field goal, I would love that, to have that chance,'' Myers said. ''They were both very close, hit them both strong. They just didn't fall that day.''
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