| 02 October 2009
I can't even imagine the life of an NFL Kicker. Sometimes I wish I could squeeze a football from 50-plus through yellow uprights and get paid millions of dollars. But at what cost? Make the kicks and you're a hero, a savior, and possibly a hall of famer (Adam Vinatieri). Miss them and your a goat, chastised and forgotten (Jay Feely).
Where would Seahawks kicker Olindo Mare fall after shanking two field goals against Chicago?
If you asked Jim Mora after Sunday, I imagine the latter. "There' s no excuses for those," said Mora after Sunday's 25-19 loss to the Bears. "If you're a kicker in the National Football League, you should make those kicks. Bottom line. End of story. Period. No excuses. No wind. Doesn't matter."
To be fair, the Seahawks could only muster one touchdown and attempted six field goals. Not exactly a stellar offensive performance, and there are several more people to blame for this loss other than Mare.
Seneca Wallace really inhibited Seattle's offense throughout most of the game. An ill-timed interception, "mis-remembering" that you can throw the ball away, and heaving the ball into double coverage is not how you win football games.
Greg Knapp's ill advised end around to Deion Branch on 3rd and 1, T.J. Houshmandzadeh's fumble, and having a first year referee with a terrible lisp reverse a sure fumble are among the several other factors that led to dropping the Seahawks to 1-2 on the season.
However, the final score was 25-19. Losing by six points won't make a coach very happy considering Mare has been clutch throughout most of his career and the two he missed ended up being the difference.
I don't believe that Mare lost the game for the Seahawks, I do however, believe that he should be held accountable for not doing the easiest job in the NFL.
The 2009 version of the Seattle Seahawks are quickly learning that there will be accountability if you do not perform on Sunday. Did Mora do the right thing by chastising his kicker? Only time will really tell, but should we really be mad at Jim Mora when Mare is paid to make field goals?
If you have a hard time answering the question I posed, consider this: If you were asked by your employer to take six performance tests and you failed two, would you still have a job?
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