New Orleans Saints’ kicker battle has remained close as both kickers have had their bumpy patches. But Saturday’s preseason game against the Jacksonville Jaguars may have created the first sign of separation.
Incumbent kicker Charlie Smyth came into training camp with the upper-hand over challenger and UFL star Tanner Brown.
However, through 13 training camp practices (including a walkthrough and a day in which no kicks were attempted), the numbers appear to be shifting in Brown’s favor.
During Saturday’s preseason game, Smyth was perfect on his two extra point kicks, but missed his field goal attempt from 52 yards. Meanwhile, Brown hit both of his kicking attempts from 29 and 49 yards out.
With Smyth’s miss, the kicking percentages are beginning to favor Brown.
Including their kicks from camp, Smyth is now 35/44 (79.5%) while Brown is 35/40 (87.5%). What a difference four kicks makes.
It’s still a razor thin margin altogether, but Brown is now in position to pull away with a strong performance moving forward. However, this is when Smyth hit his stride last offseason.
After struggling early in training camp, Smyth turned a corner as the preseason got under way. If he can go on a tear similar to the perfect stretch of double-digit kicks he achieved last year, he can reclaim pole position in this race.
One preseason game down and there’s still a lot of time for this battle to shake out.
