SB Nation - Ken Parrish

Feelying Good, Jay Ties Jets Record

David_Wyatt — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 20:40:05 -0000

More photos » by Bill Kostroun - AP

Lost in all the disappointment last night was the work of one man who has been just about as consistent as you could want from the kickers position.He needs one more to pass the all time Jets record for consecutive field goals made, but last night Jets kicker Jay Feely tied Pat Leahy's record of 22 consecutive field goals made.

His signing came right out of left field. Going into the 2008 season, we were all set with Mike Nugent, the disappointment from Ohio State. He hadn't done anything majorly wrong, but when you spend a 2nd round draft choice on a kicker, he is going to have to be close to perfect. Again it's not his fault he was chosen so early, but the bar was set too high.

A lot more after the jump

As a Jets kicker, Mike Nugent made 75 of 92 which is not great but it's not that bad either. The problems arose on his kick-offs, during his first two years with the team, he managed just 3 touch-backs, an area that he improved on considerably in 2007, forcing 9. One quadriceps injury into the 2008 season and he lost his job. Signing with the Tampa Bay Bucs. He was then released after going 2-4 against the RedSkins and is currently looking for work.

Last season Jay Feely made 24 of 28 kicks and registered 7 touch-backs, and kicked a long 55 yarder. This year so far he is 8-8 with a long of 43, with three touch-backs in 5 games. He scraped one in off the post last night, but as long as it goes through, that's all that matters.

If you talk to Jay about superstitions like Dave Hutchinson did, your not likely to get the expected reply:

‘After that Seattle game when I was with the Giants (when he missed three straight potential game-winning field goals in a 2005 loss at Giants Stadium), I wore the exact same socks the next game just to spike superstitions,’’ said Feely, who made one of two the following week in a victory over the Cowboys.

‘‘I feel like I’ve gotten better every year,’’ said Feely, who has improved his kickoffs. ‘‘As you get older, you understand how to control your emotions. You understand what makes you perform the best.

‘‘I know I have to be loose when I’m out there. I have to have fun. So I’m running around like a kid before games, catching punts, saying ‘Hi’ to people. I’ve learned if I’m too tight, I don’t kick my best.

‘‘You go through tough times and if they don’t break you, then you learn from them. I messed up as bad as I could in that Seattle game with the Giants and it didn’t break me, it made me stronger.’’

One thing that Jay has had to do this year, is learn how to adapt to a new holder. The one area that the Jets struggled with during the pre-season was the punting position. Jets went through Punters like Brett Favre does retirement parties. Reggie Hidges, B.J Conley, Ken Parrish, Glenn Pakulak, A.J Trapasso and now Steve Weatherford have all held for Jay who has starter this season off with a bang.

So next Sunday could be the day that Jay Feely passes the record held by Pat Leahy, a kicker who played 18 seasons with the Jets between 1974 and 1991. Leahy set the record over two seasons in 1985 and 1986. The record being set against Denver in a 22-10 victory. A 27 yard chip shot, Jay can only hope to be presented with a kick from within 20 yards.

Leahy was unable to add to the record the following week as the Jets hosted the New Orleans Saints, where he was presented with just one field goal opportunity

Who doesn't love this scene, the later part about Ray Finkle

Ace Ventura - Pet Detective - Ray Finkle's House (via zombieguy619)

(disclaimer: this is by no means meant as a dig at the Dolphins or Dan Marino, it's just one of my favourite moments, and you don't find too many films with parts about kickers)

Jets Sign Another Punter

John B — Sat, 29 Aug 2009 14:44:26 -0000

In the latest installment of The Jets Can't Find a Punter, the team has signed former Saint Glenn Pakulak.

The New York Jets have claimed punter Glenn Pakulak off waivers and have waived punter Ken Parrish and linebacker Josh Mauga. The announcements were made by general manager Mike Tannenbaum.

Pakulak (6′3″, 220) signed with New Orleans on Oct. 29, 2008, and averaged 47.7 yards per punt in the Saints’ last eight games. He was waived on Aug. 17. He was a member of Oakland’s practice squad in 2008 and spent the 2008 off-season with the Chicago Bears. In 2006-07 he played for the Amsterdam Admirals of NFL Europe. He was allocated to NFLE by Oakland in 2006 and Tennessee in 2007.

A 47.7 average? I think we've found a punter. Or one better than Reggie Hodges at least.

Punter News!

John B — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 14:00:25 -0000

The Jets have waived rookie punter T.J. Conley and signed East Stroudsburg product Ken Parrish in his place.

The signing of Parrish - a graduate of East Stroudsburg (Pa.) University who was signed by the Eagles in May, released Aug. 8, and hasn't kicked in an NFL regular-season game - should serve as notice to Hodges, who was cut by the Jets in April and re-signed two weeks later.

Hodges, who had a 55-yard punt Friday, combined with Conley for a 38.3 average. Both pinned a punt inside the 20, but Ryan wants more consistency. "We're going to find a punter," an agitated Ryan said. "If he's here or if he's on somebody else's team, we've got to find a punter."

Disappointing to see the Jets couldn't get more out of Conley, who had a 47.3 average last season at Idaho. He played his home games in a dome in the elevation of the Rocky Mountains, but he did average over 50 yards in two games at sea level last year. Friday night's showing wasn't great. He probably wasn't doing a ton at practice for the Jets to cut him loose after only one subpar night.

We'll see whether Parrish can be the answer. He's never kicked a ball in an NFL game since getting out of school two years ago. He averaged 42 yards per kick as a senior and 43 as a junior, Hodges territory. My guess is the search won't end here.

Bird Droppings 6/1/09

JasonB — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 14:27:42 -0000

Competition at safety shaping up to be most interesting battle in Philadelphia Eagles starting lineup - lehighvalleylive.com

With the departure of Brian Dawkins to free agency, the starting safety opposite Quintin Mikell is one of the few, and maybe only, positions up for grabs when training camp begins in July.

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Donovan McNabb, along with Charlie Manuel and Cole Hamels, will be speaking at a "get motivated" seminar.

Eagles have intrigue at safety, punter and running back positions -- themorningcall.com

Things learned and discerned while following the Eagles this offseason

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With rookie camp now behind him, Jeremy Maclin can say with some degree of certainty that he's ready for the

professional level.

2009 N.F.L. Strength of Schedule (It’s Overrated) - The Fifth Down Blog - NYTimes.com

The Eagles have the ninth most difficult schedule in the league based on the 2008 winning percentage of their opponents.

PhillyBurbs.com: Punting prospect makes everyone look up

New Punter Ken Parrish was impressive in his first practice with the Eagles. He could be more than just a "camp leg."

NFL Draft 2009 Review: WR Jeremy Maclin - FakeTeams

The Eagles may have snagged the best rookie WR of the draft -- for the second year in a row.