Seabass is still kicking himself after 3 missed FG's

**RealRaider21** · 09-28-2010, 08:16 AM

Raiders notebook: Sebastian Janikowski is still kicking himself after three missed field goals against Arizona Cardinals - Inside Bay Area

Sebastian Janikowski dealt with the aftereffects of missing three field goal attempts the best way he knew, by showing up Monday morning for a kicking session that typically isn't part of his weekly routine.

In his first public comments since he missed a 32-yard field goal attempt on the game's final play in Sunday's 24-23 loss to the Arizona Cardinals, Janikowski said Monday that he envisioned a memorable game based upon his pregame warm-ups.

"My warm-ups were crazy good," he told Bay Area News Group. "Those were the best warm-ups I've had in my career. You go into a game and you think, 'Man, I got everything.' "

As it turned out, Janikowski had little go his way Sunday. LaRod Stephens-Howling returned his game-opening kickoff 102 yards for a touchdown and then Janikowski missed wide right from 41 and 58 yards, before he missed wide left on a potential game-winner.

"Everything just went wrong," Janikowski said. "I watched the film, and my follow-through was horrible. I watched (it) for hours. It was just terrible."

Janikowski drilled a 55-yard field goal in pregame warm-ups and followed it up with a 63-yarder. He exited the field feeling as if anything was possible.

He never envisioned missing one field goal attempt, let alone three. He missed three against Tennessee on Dec. 22, 2001 -- including one on the Raiders' final play while they trailed 13-10 -- which he cited as an example of how he can bounce back from this
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setback.

Coach Tom Cable said he has all the confidence in the world in Janikowski, who is the game's highest-paid kicker (he signed a four-year, $16 million contract in the offseason.). On Monday, Cable pulled aside Janikowski for a pep talk.

"I told him I love him, I'd go to him again in the same situation, and he would probably have to win two or three games just like that for us this year," Cable said. "And he'll probably do it."

Cable said Janikowski took the first step to putting the forgettable game behind him.

"What's important is he was out early (Monday) morning kicking balls. What do you do? When you get a setback, you analyze it, you look at it and you say, 'How can I fix it?' and you go to work. And he did that."

Janikowski said he appreciates the support he's received from Cable and his teammates.

"It's like a lot of people say, 'You win as a team, you lose as a team,' " Janikowski said. "But I take it personal. That's something, if you call me at 3 in the morning, I can do that. It's just one of those freaky things. I don't know what happened. My finish wasn't there. It's nice to hear that they got my back. It helps me mentally coming to work Wednesday and trying to get going again."

# The Raiders are tied with San Diego and Denver for most times inside the "red zone" -- the area from the opponent's 20-yard line to the goal line.

That's the good news. The problem is, the Raiders aren't making much out of their frequent visits in the vicinity of game-altering touchdowns. Only three of Oakland's 13 trips inside the red zone have resulted in touchdowns.

The Raiders are 30th in touchdown efficiency, with Pittsburgh and Washington the only teams worse through three games.

"That's one of the things that we're going to really evaluate critically here in the next 48 hours ... ," Cable said. "We will tear it apart and find out if we need more balance. "... The plays are there. We're just not making them, that's the bottom line."

The Raiders are 30th in terms of average points per trip inside the red zone at 3.0. They scored one touchdown in five trips inside the red zone against Arizona.

# Sunday's game between the Raiders and Houston features two of the league's top three running backs in terms of yards gained through three games, with Oakland's Darren McFadden at No. 3.

McFadden has run for 345 yards, which trails only Minnesota's Adrian Peterson (392) and the Texans' Arian Foster (406).

Of more importance to McFadden, he said, is the high praise he received from numerous Arizona players about how hard he ran Sunday.

"That was a compliment from those guys," he said. " ... You have to give credit to the offensive line. They've been doing a good job. You just want to keep working hard and getting better every day."

McFadden is 12 yards shy of matching his 2009 total and 155 away from a career-high.

**fad** · 09-28-2010, 08:26 AM

Im behind him and he will bounce back.

**Ingersoll** · 09-28-2010, 08:37 AM

Originally Posted by fad

Im behind him and he will bounce back.

Yep. These things happen to even the best. I'll take Jano in the same situation every single time over any other kicker in the league.

That stat about redzone td scoring is disturbing though. I think it points to poor 0-line play... yes, a huge revelation. You heard it here first!

**coloradoraider** · 09-28-2010, 08:59 AM

I still don't trust Jano, but I give him credit for taking the blame and working on it. After a shaky beginning character wise, he seems to have become a more mature and standup guy

**jtagg7754** · 09-28-2010, 09:01 AM

I still have some confidence in the man. I just hope this doesn't become a trend.

**fad** · 09-28-2010, 09:01 AM

Originally Posted by Ingersoll

Yep. These things happen to even the best. I'll take Jano in the same situation every single time over any other kicker in the league.

That stat about redzone td scoring is disturbing though. I think it points to poor 0-line play... yes, a huge revelation. You heard it here first!

I think its the nerves... these guys are so not used to having success down there, it gets so big for them... they arent playing with any confidence in that situation and that leads to a ****load of mistakes.

Im pretty sure its mental. Its not that we lack the tools or the strategy. The bright side is that we are moving the ball much better this year and that once we get maybe 1 TD or 2 more / game when in the redzone we might start winning a lot more games...

**raiderrod** · 09-28-2010, 09:06 AM

Similar to a closer in baseball, I want a kicker with a short memory. I don't even know if he needs to watch the film over and over. Look at it once and forget about it. He has been very good from that distance for the past several years. Chalk it up to a bad day and move on. A kicker who is thinking too much scares me.

**RAIDER951** · 09-28-2010, 09:15 AM

Glad to see he's at least working on his mechanics but the dude needs to get back into shape.

**GruntRaider** · 09-28-2010, 09:15 AM

Jano's a Raider to the core, he will bounce back.

"For what it’s worth, Sebastian Janikowski feels worse than you do.

Janikowski wasn’t available during the open locker room period today, but beat writer Steve Corkran caught up with him and found the place kicker feeling low for two reasons _ his three missed field goals against the Arizona Cardinals and the the death of former Raiders legend George Blanda.

In warmups, Janikowski said he had the best series of kicks he’s ever had. “Crazy good,” as he called it. Then came the lowest point of his career since missing three times against Tennessee in 2001 when the Raiders were trying to sew up home field throughout the playoffs.

George Blanda made it a point to seek out Janikowski and punter Shane Lechler whenever he was around, which was usually at least once per year. Janikowski said he last talked to Blanda when he came to the Bears preseason game Aug. 21.

“He was like a father figure to me,” Janikowski said. “He was a great kicker and a legend. Coming here and seeing him on the sideline was special.”

Janikowski said Blanda’s messages remained consistent _ enjoy your jobs, don’t get caught up in negatvity, have fun.

He had heard of Blanda even before he became a Raider.

“When I was in college, you always look up all the kickers in the NFL from the past,” Janikowski said. “So, I heard about him for the first time in college.”

Janikowski admitted he understands what it means to be kicking for the same team Blanda did, much in the way Lechler looks up to Ray Guy.

“I feel a sense kicking, being here and kicking for this team, just being a part of his life, I felt (as if I am carrying it on).”

So when the Raiders host the Houston Texans Sunday, Janikowski has a proper response in mind.

“Especially after what happened this week and what happened with him, I would like to just go out get a winning field goal against (the Texans),” Janikowski said."

**VEfreak** · 09-28-2010, 09:37 AM

He'll bounce back.

I just don't want to see a camp kicker like Swayze Waters next year though.

**swoosh85** · 09-28-2010, 10:01 AM

If you gotta have a kicker, i want it to be seabass. No other guy i'd want out there...

**apex** · 09-28-2010, 10:10 AM

Good read and I am positive that Jano will bounce back ... whats more important is the fact that we are tied for 1st with red zone trips .. if we can fix our lack of TD conversion issues, watch out!

**Rowdy53** · 09-28-2010, 10:18 AM

I'd take a Chris Barr any time over a Jano...

**multiraider** · 09-28-2010, 10:24 AM

if kicking himself is a form of practice that works im all for it. id kick him myself if it would help.

**metalhead2354** · 09-28-2010, 10:30 AM

Originally Posted by Ingersoll

Yep. These things happen to even the best. I'll take Jano in the same situation every single time over any other kicker in the league.

That stat about redzone td scoring is disturbing though. I think it points to poor 0-line play... yes, a huge revelation. You heard it here first!

Yes poor O-line play but to a higher extent, bad playcalling. Not enough running and way to much passing IMO. If we can get a good block on the DE, Mcfadden should be able to beat anyone to the pylon for a TD.