NFL impressed with Aussie Punters

Not sure if you all are aware of this, but Sav Rocca is the punter for the Eagles.

 

The Cardinals next game is on Dec 7. Their regular season continues through Dec 28, though they're almost a lock to win their division and play "finals football" for the first time since 1975.

I also thought I heard that another punter set a record this weekend by playing for his third team this season. This weekend, Graham will equal that dubious record.

 

Not at all. Punters and place-kickers are viewed as "dime-a-dozen". Of the 275 or so players selected in the annual NFL Draft, there usually aren't more than one or two kickers selected with a draft choice. I can't remember who I was watching the other day, but they were on their 4th place-kicker of the year. Most clubs figure if their kicker has a bad day and costs them a game, they can pick up a new one easily and on the cheap. Graham becomes more marketable as a punter because of his experience holding for place-kicks. Most punters coming straight out of university don't have those skills (catch the snap from center, place the ball at the proper angle, turn the laces out, etc...).

 

Not to mention, Benny Graham has always had sure hands. Damned sure hands. He was always like that when he was playing for Geelong. An excellent mark at center half-forward or center half-back.

One of his best qualities, along with being able to kick for great distance.

 

the Bears' current field goal kicker was working construction when he got the call from the Bears. Now he's the highest paid kicker in the NFL.

 

One clip from the article:

Knowing what Nick (effin') Davis did to Geelong a few years ago as a Sydney Swan to knock the Cats out of the finals in 2005, but also being an Oakland Raider fan, well aware that the Raiders need help in a host of different positions, I have serious mixed feelings about this.

 

Noting that Raiders' current punter Shane Lechler (one of the best in the game) is a free-agent at the end of this season (read: today), it may do the Raiders good to have a back-up plan in place.

 

If the Raiders have any sort of a plan, that's got to be a plus.

 

One result is in, from the Wild Card playoff in the NFC...

[result]Ben Graham's Arizona Cardinals beat the Atlanta Falcons 30-24, at Glendale Stadium, near Phoenix -- the Cardinals' first home playoff win in 61 years. Graham had six punts for a 39.8 yeard average, and a net of 34.7 yeards per kick, four punts went inside the opposition's 20, and his longest kick was 49 yards.[/result]

Sav Rocca's Philadelphia Eagles play away to the Minnesota Vikings tomorrow in their playoff opener.

 

To be fair, some playoff games have been on Ten's HD channel, which isn't readily available to the masses, yet.

But as an aside, there has been a recent announcement that Ten's planning an all-sport channel that's set to rival ESPN Int'l and the three Fox Sports channels here for content. Right now, the AFL, NFL and Indian Premier League cricket competition would have to be the three big feathers in its cap right now, with more to follow before its official release -- seeing that those three can each be seen on TenHD right now.

 

Also in fairness, that article ran across the entire Fairfax network of newspapers and websites, including that of The Age in Melbourne.

Naturally, I'm pulling for Arizona to beat Philadelphia... great chance for Ben Graham to atone for that AFL Premiership he could have easily been a part of if he had stayed at Geelong.

I don't know what the oddsmakers back in the U.S. have the game rated at, but TAB SportsBet in Victoria has Philadelphia rated as a 3.5-point favorite, even on the road. Straight up, the Eagles are rated as a $1.55 favorite, whereas Arizona is a $2.35 underdog. All this as of Tuesday night here.

 

Most US oddsmakers have the Fightin' Rocca's 3.5 favorites over the Flyin' Graham's.

 

I think I'll take the points.

I might head down to my local TAB SportsBet parlor by the end of the coming weekend, to place that bet.