The Green Bay Packers defeated the Cincinnati Bengals 36-19 in their first preseason game of 2023 on Friday night. While fans were excited to see 2020 first round NFL Draft pick Jordan Love play well in his first game action after taking over for Aaron Rodgers, there were still some bumps that kept the game from being completely clean.
One of these was that Anders Carlson, who himself is taking over for Packers fan-favorite Mason Crosby at kicker, missed two extra point attempts. Carlson has had a roller coaster training camp that was highlighted by a strong performance during the annual Family Night practice. However, he has been inconsistent thus far, as shown by missing those two extra points.
Perhaps not surprisingly, Packers fans have been adamant that the team should bring Crosby back. Despite the veteran kicker’s own struggles over the last few seasons, there is, at least, a level of comfort in knowing what the team had when he was on the roster.
It does not sound like that will be the path the Packers take, though.
Related: Green Bay Packers Fans Should Not Expect a Reunion with Mason Crosby
Green Bay Packers Head Coach Matt LaFleur Addresses Anders Carlson’s Rocky Debut
All offseason, Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst has said that they will be patient with the struggles that come with having a young kicker. Many fans forget that Crosby himself did not make 80% or more of his field goals until his fifth year in the NFL. By that time, he was already a Super Bowl Champion.
Head coach Matt LaFleur reiterated the path the Packers have chosen to take when he spoke to the media after the game (via Matt Schneidman of The Athletic):
“I don’t wanna look too far into it,” LaFleur said. “It’s one game, but as long as you learn from it and get better and make the necessary adjustments, then a lot of times you come back stronger from it.”
In other words, Carlson is and will be the Packers’ kicker. Special teams coordinator Rich Bisaccia is known for working with kickers. He took Dylan Carlson, Anders’ brother, who had been cut by the Minnesota Vikings, and turned him into an All-Pro with the Las Vegas Raiders.
But it takes time. Everything is not going to be automatic right away. The Packers are okay with that and fans are going to have to learn to accept it if they want to enjoy the season.
And to be fair: Carlson was not all bad on Friday night. He made a 45-yard field goal, the only field goal he attempted. San Francisco 49ers rookie kicker Jake Moody, who was drafted in the third round of the 2023 NFL Draft, missed his first field goal attempt in a preseason game (a 40-yard attempt).
Like Packers fans calling for Crosby, Moody’s miss had 49ers fans calling for the return of Robbie Gould. Interestingly enough, Gould did not make more than 80% of his kicks until his second year in the NFL.
It takes time. Carlson will be okay.
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