Daily Madden: The Kicker Saves The Day
SAN FRANCISCO (KCBS) - Justin Tucker kicked his sixth field goal of the game, a 61 yarder with 38 seconds left, as the Baltimore Ravens beat the Detroit Lions 18-16 Monday night. The victory gave the Ravens the lead for the AFC's second wild card playoff spot.
"They always talk about how the quarterback has to be hot going into the playoffs and the defense has to be playing well," John Madden told the KCBS Radio morning crew. "Doggone, your kicker has to be pretty good too. When you get down to a spot like that when you need a 61 yard field goal to win the game and the guy pumps it through, he's a pretty good kicker."
The kicker gets all the credit for an important field goal, but Madden said he's just one part of a kicking team.
"Once in awhile the kicker will get a mention, but the snapper and holder, very seldom. And that's really important. You get a bug in your snapper, a bug in your hold, and (the kicker) doesn't have a chance."
Heisman Trophy winner Jameis Winston, a freshman, said he plans to play baseball as well as football at Florida State.
"I kind of agree with (his rationale)," Madden said. "They don't allow kids to (play more than one sport) in high school anymore, because you really have to concentrate on one sport. The problem, is when you do that, you use the same muscles year round. Guys say that kids burn out, kids get injuries and all that stuff. And I just think that they wear out. I think if you use the same muscles doing the same things all year, you're going to wear them out." (7:30)
Daily Madden
Listen to the John Madden segment live weekday mornings at 8:15 on KCBS All News 740 AM/106.9 FM. And catch John's extra report at 9:15 am Mondays and Fridays on KCBS during the NFL season.
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