Alex Henery Can Break David Akers' Record This Weekend

by JasonB on Dec 30, 2011 2:02 PM EST in Philadelphia Eagles News

PHILADELPHIA, PA - OCTOBER 2: Place kicker Alex Henery #6 of the Philadelphia Eagles talks with David Akers #2 of the San Francisco 49ers, a former Eagles kicker, before the start of their NFL football game at Lincoln Financial Field on October 2, 2011 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Rich Schultz /Getty Images)

David Akers broke the all time NFL record for field goals made in a season this year. He also broke the record for FGs attempted, which you'd have to say is the main reason he broke the other record... But any way you slice it, he's had a great year in San Francisco. That said, his replacement in Philadelphia hasn't been too bad either.

Alex Henery's worst game of the season came ironically against Akers and 49ers when he missed two FGs. That games was also oddly Akers' worst of the season, missing two himself in the game... But otherwise, Henery has only missed one other FG all year, a 63 yarder against the Falcons. As Ruben Frank points out, he has two of David Akers' franchise records within his sights.

He’s made 14 consecutive field goals, the fifth-longest streak in franchise history and just three shy of Akers’ club record of 17, set in 2001 and matched in 2009. And he’s within range of both the NFL single-season rookie accuracy record and Akers’ single-season Eagles accuracy record.

If Henery makes just one FG and doesn't miss one this weekend, he'll break Akers' franchise accuracy record. If he doesn't miss a FG this weekend and Dan Bailey of the Cowboys does, Henery will own the rookie accuracy record as well.

So let's put on our hindsight goggles and evaluate the let Akers walk/draft Henery move. Would you do it again?

Poll

Was letting Akers walk and drafting Henery the right move?

Yes

965 votes

No

214 votes

1179 votes | Poll has closed

Tweet Comment 37 comments | 0 recs |

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Comments

We coulda used that pick

To get another high motor guy. Or traded it for a 4th and a 5th in this draft. The time was ripe to get Henery and part with Akers. It’s not like having Akers was gonna guarantee us a post season ticket.

by Big Slice on Dec 30, 2011 2:06 PM EST reply actions

High motor +1

by 1993Heel on Jan 1, 2012 3:37 AM EST up reply actions

Somehow, someway, if we kept Akers, this teams stink would have contaminated him and he wouldn’t have had as good a season.

by captain nodar on Dec 30, 2011 2:07 PM EST reply actions

It was time to look to the future, and with Henery it looks pretty bright. A good move, all-in-all

Formerly DeSean10
36-5-20-JJ -- Forever Bleeding Green

"i was never back on (the Eagles' bandwagon)… they’ll go 8-8 at best and Reid should be fired at the end of the season…. and all you loyalists will be crying your eyes out… and jumping off ledges cuz u didn’t see it coming" - Eagladelphia

by AnthroEagle on Dec 30, 2011 2:08 PM EST reply actions

Didn't Akers turn down the Eagles offer?

I think he did, so it’s not like they didn’t try to resign him.

I like Henery though. I think he has a good future after his successful rookie season. Hopefully he’s ready for many more years in Eagle Green!

by slandog on Dec 30, 2011 2:08 PM EST reply actions

Well he didn’t sign their tender. So in a way he turned down their offer, but it’s a little different.

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by JasonB on Dec 30, 2011 2:12 PM EST up reply actions

Didn’t he turn down an offer before the season ended? I’m pretty sure he did, because I was surprised the eagles offered him the transitional tag after he turned down their first offer.

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by Jason-E on Dec 30, 2011 4:39 PM EST via mobile up reply actions

I assume so. We know they were at least negotiating and obviously nothing came of it. So I don’t know that he turned down a formal offer or anything, but they couldn’t come to terms.

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by JasonB on Dec 30, 2011 4:48 PM EST up reply actions

I wonder

If it’s no coincidence that they each had their worst game against eachother. Henery faces the guy he unceremiously replaced, and Akers faces the guy who we shipped him out for. It’s a position that is 90% mental.
Anyways, the Henery move was a very smart move by Reid, I thought so then and obviously this season is vindication. Henery looks legit.

However…. Letting go of ROCCA was RETARDED. He is the best in the league now at pinning teams deep in their own territory, and Henry looks like a weak replacement to me…. Another reason to FIRE ROSEMAN.

^Nights Of Cabiria

by RadioheadbeatlesEagles on Dec 30, 2011 2:13 PM EST reply actions

is this a serious post? haha

Have we really gotten to the point of comparing punters?!?!?!

by VRFC8 on Dec 30, 2011 2:24 PM EST via mobile up reply actions

Rocca was never that good at pinning teams deep when he was here. The difference is probably the extra in-game practice he gets punting for a team with an inept offense.

by eagleyosh on Dec 30, 2011 2:26 PM EST up reply actions

Actually...

The Eagles have punted two more times than the Skins this year.

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by JasonB on Dec 30, 2011 2:36 PM EST up reply actions

Crap, I saw they were near the bottom of league in scoring and figured it correlated to lots of punts.

by eagleyosh on Dec 30, 2011 2:42 PM EST up reply actions

you would think

Born in North Carolina; raised a Philly fan

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by CarolinaGreen on Dec 31, 2011 10:04 PM EST up reply actions

I watched every game last year

He most certainly was getting the hang of pinning people deep, he really showed potential. He’s had a great year.

^Nights Of Cabiria

by RadioheadbeatlesEagles on Dec 31, 2011 12:09 PM EST up reply actions

Is it just me?

or does Reid seem scared to allow Herery to attempt a FG longer than 45 yards.

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by no1pipelayer on Dec 30, 2011 2:19 PM EST reply actions

he made to 50 ydrs

Last week against dallASS

by VRFC8 on Dec 30, 2011 2:23 PM EST via mobile up reply actions

and he attempted a 63 yard FG earlier in the season.

by eagleyosh on Dec 30, 2011 2:25 PM EST up reply actions

I think he may have been. But it seems that last week against Dallas is proof that he’s getting more confidence.

But I do think he’s been hesitant to have Henery try from long distance. Certainly moreso than he was with Akers.

Although, that may not be a terrible thing. How many times did he have Akers try a 58 yarder or something only to have it blocked?

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by JasonB on Dec 30, 2011 2:34 PM EST up reply actions

I’m still not yet totally behind using a draft pick on a kicker, much less a 4th.

However, I’m going to give credit where credit is due, and Henery has had a very good year. I would still like to see him pick up a little more leg strength, but overall I think the Akers/Henery switch was a good one. Better to have an accurate kicker than a strong-legged one, if I had to choose.

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by alcatraz0109 on Dec 30, 2011 2:38 PM EST reply actions

he's got the leg strength to hit from 60

he was doing it in preseason warmups and stuff, i really don’t understand why they dn’t let him try from deeper than 50. i guess they wanna slowly build his confidence

by phillyfan330 on Dec 30, 2011 3:16 PM EST up reply actions

If you miss on a 60, the other team gets the ball at midfield. That’s a last ditch attempt sort of thing for a game where you’re down by 3 or less, and there’s little to time left on the clock.

AR should have to wear a Flava Flav necklace until he learns how to manage a clock.
I am the proud target of temper tantrums.

by KByars on Dec 30, 2011 3:23 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs

Plus...

To get 60 yards you have to kick at a lower angle, which raises the chance of a block.

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by JasonB on Dec 30, 2011 4:49 PM EST up reply actions

wtf...only the eagles

preseason my fucking ass no way we shoulda let rocca or david go akers is setting an nfl record and Sav rocca is one of the leading punters in the nfl

by deseanjaxson10 on Dec 31, 2011 11:37 PM EST up reply actions

I’m going with yes, but the poll needs a maybe option. That’s not a knock on Henery; it’s just that Akers was a pure Philly guy, and it sucked to see him go, especially given the circumstances.

AR should have to wear a Flava Flav necklace until he learns how to manage a clock.
I am the proud target of temper tantrums.

by KByars on Dec 30, 2011 2:46 PM EST reply actions

Right, but in reality it was an either/or scenario.

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by JasonB on Dec 30, 2011 3:14 PM EST up reply actions

Absolutely it was the right move...

I love Akers but he wouldn’t have broken that record here, & he would of only been here a couple more years, Henery could be here for 20 more years

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by KJ Brophy on Dec 30, 2011 3:13 PM EST reply actions

NCAA's all time most accurate kicker

It’s not like we went the Janikowski route and used a 1st round pick on him. Henery was a good pick… I mean what stats or numbers can better define the value of a kicker than accuracy %?

by BleedinGreen116 on Dec 30, 2011 3:25 PM EST reply actions

It was the right move

We haven’t seen any drop off really and he costs significantly less.Business wise it was a great choice. That said Akers, is one of the best human beings to wear an Eagles uniform and even though we’ve found a guy who can adequately replace his leg, its sad he isn’t still putting it on.

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by Rogue Nine on Dec 30, 2011 3:32 PM EST reply actions

I voted No

But only because I would have liked to see that 4th used on a more glaring need.

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by no1pipelayer on Dec 30, 2011 3:34 PM EST reply actions

Like what?

by Anders Jensen on Dec 30, 2011 3:52 PM EST up reply actions

Agreed. They picked LBs, OL, safety & RB in that draft which were the main holes. They may not have picked the right guys mind you… but the picks were all made.

Plus, kicker was a pretty glaring need at that point

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by JasonB on Dec 30, 2011 4:51 PM EST up reply actions

Kicker didn't have to be a glaring need.

I'm not drunk I'm just drinking.

by no1pipelayer on Dec 31, 2011 1:47 AM EST up reply actions

Complain when you get the best at any position, typical Eagles fan of which I'm one.

I spent 17 years in Philly 80 thru 97. I would like to know what stud the Eagles missed out on by picking Henery. I became an Eagles fan while living there enjoying some of the best Eagles teams during those years. This kid is a stud kicker, holds NCAA record for most accurate kicker in history. I remember all to well missed opportunities because of a so so kicker. Akers followed by Henery guarantee’s no worries in kicking game (field goals). As far punts, his leg isnt’s the strongest, however, if the offense gets to mid field, he has good skills at dropping the ball inside the 10 out of bounds. He kicks where coaches tell him to, and leg strength not withstanding, he rarely has miscues.

by Huskrs on Dec 30, 2011 5:51 PM EST reply actions

waaaaa!!??!!?? 82 % !!???

Look im all for biulding for the future and all and i like Henery as our future kicker but for me the bottom line is if your suppose to be a team with Super Bowl aspirations how do you entrust such a important position to a unproven rookie??? I dont care wat his college stats say he is it carries no weight in the NFL, kickers are shaky players and cant be trusted lol, Im surprised by the number of votes Henery got considering Akers record setting year.

by goldenbird09 on Dec 31, 2011 9:23 AM EST reply actions

I'd say it worked out pretty well

from a kicking standpoint. We may not have made it to the dance but his regular season performance shows that he has what it takes to get the job done when it happens

Born in North Carolina; raised a Philly fan

The blood in my veins is red but when you cut me it turns GREEN!!

Xbox Gamertag is Bleed Greenery for anyone interested in some Madden or Call of Duty

by CarolinaGreen on Dec 31, 2011 10:13 PM EST up reply actions