Monday, July 26, 2010

Patrick Crayton as holder

Patrick Crayton has been practicing holding on field goals and extra points in back up situations.  Mat McBriar and Romo will still be the first 2 options for a holder, but this brings up 2 questions.  1) Why can't Jon Kitna hold anything but a clipboard, and 2) why don't more teams use better athletes at the holder position.  This would give a team the ability to have fakes more often, or at least the threat of a fake.  The primary benefit would be that the threat of tricking up a play on a 49-yd FG attempt on 4th and 3 would keep the defense from selling out up the middle to block the kick. 
These athletes are everywhere.  I realize Patrick Crayton played QB at directional OK college and held there, and everyone loves to be quick to point that out.  Here's a newsflash- about 25% of the NFL played QB in high school or college.  The best athletes normally do.  These players are abundant and might be better utilized in the league if coaches thought a little out of the box.  Also, the excuse that the Punters and Kickers get to spend so much time together is like saying that my kids should clean my car since they spend so much time in it.  They probably could but the quality of work would be horrible.