Rivera On Medlock: "He’s going to continue to work and he’ll make kicks for us. I believe that he will."

[fieryprophet]

http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2012/08/31/3492069/medlock-shows-plenty-of-power.html

“The kid’s got a leg and he’s going to continue to work and he’ll make kicks for us. I believe that he will,” Rivera said. “I’m pretty excited about what he can give us as far as the distance with his leg.”

“The good thing is it happened now. I’ve just got to figure it out,” Medlock said. “I was hoping for that situation, and I’m hoping for it again.”

Medlock put all five of his kickoffs into the end zone, four for touchbacks.

Meanwhile, rookie punter Brad Nortman, a sixth-round pick out of Wisconsin, nailed a 55-yard punt in the first half that was downed at the Steelers’ 1. Nortman, who won the punting job over veteran Nick Harris, averaged 48.7 yards on six punts.

Steelers rookie Chris Rainey had punt returns of 90 and 78 yards, that were nullified by holding penalties. Rivera said he was not concerned about the plays because the Panthers were in position to make the tackle, if not for the penalties.

[CRA]

If we had Mare ... He likely couldnt of even got the ball to travel 50 yards. At least the new kid let us have a shot at 50.

[PhillyB]

ok dumbass question... what the fug happened? i left at the beginning of the fourth quarter to go play indiana jones pinball, which is one of the few worthy reasons i could find to skip out on a panthers game

[the butch]

ok dumbass question... what the fug happened? i left at the beginning of the fourth quarter to go play indiana jones pinball, which is one of the few worthy reasons i could find to skip out on a panthers game

Same. What the hell happened.

[UNCrules2187]

After thinking it over, I'm ok with Medlock and his performance tonight. I wasn't expecting him to hit the 56 yarder, he sent his lone <50 yard field goal straight down the middle of the uprights, and he just happened to hook his 50 yard kick. He probably spooked himself a bit on the potential game winner, no doubt, but the Pittsburgh field is also NOTORIOUSLY tough for even veteran kickers (hell, you could see how the field was getting torn up just by players who going low to the field for catches). It's just very, very difficult to hit 50+ yard field goals in Heinz Field.

In fact, if Medlock had hit that 50 yarder, he would have tied the RECORD long by an NFL kicker!

Unlike Three Rivers, the playing surface at Heinz Field is natural grass. The field features underground heating to help the grass survive Pittsburgh's winter climate. As a result, the field is known for its difficult kicking surface; the only field goal over 50 yards was 51 yards, kicked by Pat McAfee of the West Virginia Mountaineers during the Backyard Brawl on November 16, 2006. The NFL record for kicking is just 50 yards, set by Jeff Reed in the 2006 season. In 2006, the NFL Players Association conducted a poll in which the grass at Heinz was selected as the worst grass field in the league.

http://www.heinzfiel....com/about.html

So Medlock will be fine, just fine.

This post has been promoted to an article

[CRA]

ok dumbass question... what the fug happened? i left at the beginning of the fourth quarter to go play indiana jones pinball, which is one of the few worthy reasons i could find to skip out on a panthers game

Wide right on potential game winner. 50 Yarder

And as the other poster indicated, kicking that at Heinz field isn't something done often

[fieryprophet]

After thinking it over, I'm ok with Medlock and his performance tonight.  I wasn't expecting him to hit the 56 yarder, he sent his lone <50 yard field goal straight down the middle of the uprights, and he just happened to hook his 50 yard kick.  He probably spooked himself a bit on the potential game winner, no doubt, but the Pittsburgh field is also NOTORIOUSLY tough for even veteran kickers (hell, you could see how the field was getting torn up just by players who going low to the field for catches).  It's just very, very difficult to hit 50+ yard field goals in Heinz Field.

In fact, if Medlock had hit that 50 yarder, he would have tied the RECORD long by an NFL kicker!

http://www.heinzfiel....com/about.html

So Medlock will be fine, just fine.

I did not know this. That actually is rather fascinating that even the Steelers own kickers can't hit on their own field.

[megadeth078]

After thinking it over, I'm ok with Medlock and his performance tonight. I wasn't expecting him to hit the 56 yarder, he sent his lone <50 yard field goal straight down the middle of the uprights, and he just happened to hook his 50 yard kick. He probably spooked himself a bit on the potential game winner, no doubt, but the Pittsburgh field is also NOTORIOUSLY tough for even veteran kickers (hell, you could see how the field was getting torn up just by players who going low to the field for catches). It's just very, very difficult to hit 50+ yard field goals in Heinz Field.

In fact, if Medlock had hit that 50 yarder, he would have tied the RECORD long by an NFL kicker!

http://www.heinzfiel....com/about.html

So Medlock will be fine, just fine.

Can this be promoted to an article? Talk about putting things into perspective.

I didn't realize how difficult it is to kick on that field.

[fieryprophet]

After thinking it over, I'm ok with Medlock and his performance tonight.  I wasn't expecting him to hit the 56 yarder, he sent his lone <50 yard field goal straight down the middle of the uprights, and he just happened to hook his 50 yard kick.  He probably spooked himself a bit on the potential game winner, no doubt, but the Pittsburgh field is also NOTORIOUSLY tough for even veteran kickers (hell, you could see how the field was getting torn up just by players who going low to the field for catches).  It's just very, very difficult to hit 50+ yard field goals in Heinz Field.

In fact, if Medlock had hit that 50 yarder, he would have tied the RECORD long by an NFL kicker!

http://www.heinzfiel....com/about.html

So Medlock will be fine, just fine.

Post this in it's own thread, this is important to know.

[Guest Irv]

To build confidence in a person you gotta insert it first. You can't give a young kicker like medlock confidence by cutting him a week after you name him the starter because of a bad game in the preseason. Give him time to build his kicking swag and you'll see why we cut mare and kept him.

[La Pantera]

Yeah, ketchup field is very hard to kick on. I kind of knew he wasn't going to make it. Honestly don't know why we didn't run the ball for the conversion....oh well, I'm happy about the.D...scared about the STs.

[TruCatzFan]

Oh look... Imagine that. The coach once again echoing my exact sentiments... Only this time, I'm not letting it go un noticed and don't give a fug if you don't like that I was right yet again.

[Rubi]

Oh look... Imagine that. The coach once again echoing my exact sentiments... Only this time, I'm not letting it go un noticed and don't give a fug if you don't like that I was right yet again.

Pump the brakes grasshopper

[rdog157h]

The Steelers had a kicker named Kris Brown. He was money at 3 Rivers Stadium. When they blew up 3 Rivers and built Heinz Field he could not hit a FG! He said there were weird winds in the endzones coming off the 3 rivers that screwed up field goals. I was living up there at that time and to see a kicker go from Money to Mare in one season I tend to believe him. He was young at that time as well. So I'll gve Medlock a second chance!