Mike McCarthy: I believe in Mason Crosby

Getty Images

The Packers saw kicker Mason Crosby miss five kicks in Sunday’s 31-23 loss to the Lions and coach Mike McCarthy made an obvious point on Monday when he said it would have been “a different game” if that was not the case.

McCarthy also pointed out that Crosby’s track record of good performances in Green Bay is a long one and ultimately affirmed his faith in the veteran kicker despite the dreadful day.

“He’s got to make those kicks,” McCarthy said, via Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com. “He’s a proven highly successful kicker, and I believe in him but he’s got to make those kicks.”

Heading into Sunday’s game, Crosby had made just over 80 percent of his field goal tries for the Packers since joining the team in 2007. He failed to reach that figure in 2017, however, and any further struggles might make the present outweigh the history when it comes to Crosby’s future with the team.

91 responses to “Mike McCarthy: I believe in Mason Crosby

  1. You don’t quit on a guy after one bad game…. even as horrific as it was. I’d fix the lack of discipline and penalties first. Maybe those FG attempts would be TDs.

  2. Losing a game based on kicking, now I know what it feels like to be a viking fan…except the part about cheering for a franchise that has nothing to show for it after 57 years. I have no idea how that part feels.

  3. I honestly thought he would be released. I am shocked he has a chance to keep his job. Very interesting story to follow moving forward. What will happen if he misses another…

  4. As a Bears fan who watched them cut Robbie Gould after a few bad games, only to then suffer through a merry go round of unreliable scrubs they brought in to supposedly replace him, and then see him kicking well for other teams…my suggestion to GB would be to not cut bait on Crosby quite yet.

  5. He must “believe” in him; but “believe me” another season without a playoff run GB will have a new coach.

  6. He’s a good (not great) kicker that has a long tenure with the team. They aren’t going to show him the door for one bad game, but his leash is a little shorter.

  7. I think it’s a smart move to keep Mason on the roster. I rather enjoyed his performance yesterday and I’m looking forward to seeing more of his kicks in the future. Should the Packa’s choose to go in a different direction, Daniel Carlson is available…

  8. Clearly the longer PAT is getting in these kickers’ heads. I’ve never seen so many missed kicks.

  9. I think we all appreciate a boss who has our back when the chips are down. I’m sure he has made Crosby aware that this can’t continue, but at least he is willing to stand up for him for a bit and give him another shot.

  10. Didn’t he say “I believe in Brett Hundley” last year? That didn’t turn out so well.

  11. Remember when he had to make the game winning kick three times against the Cowboys in that playoff game two years ago? The actual make was one of the ugliest kicks I’ve seen, but the entire sequence was the most thrilled I remember being watching a team kick it to win it.

    The Gano kick would have been first, had FOX allowed me to see it.

  12. What is “highly successful”?

    Is 10th place among kickers in the NFL considered to be highly successful?

    That’s Crosby’s BEST season.

    His average season puts him at best “middle of the pack” in percentage of FGs made.

    He has finished 32nd in his worst season.

    In reality, a “highly successful” kicker would have a 90+ percentage in many years. That is a level of success that Crosby has NEVER achieved in the NFL.

  13. That means one more game like that and you are out the door. 3 straight missed field goals that proved to be the margin of defeat. No sane coach is going to keep a kicker who gives an encore performance that costs him another game.

  14. The problem is that his track record is terrible this year. Should have beaten the Vikes at the end of regulation too. I like the guy, but he needs to rebound quickly.

  15. gbpackersfan12 says:
    October 8, 2018 at 3:24 pm
    You don’t quit on a guy after one bad game
    /////////////
    Hmmmmmmm…..one….bad….game…..he says……
    2018: 68.8%
    2017: 78.9%

    7 out of 12 years below 80%.

    Currently ranks 55th in NFL history in accuracy. One….bad….game….

  16. What shouldn’t be overlooked is Crosby is on pace to attempt the most FG’s in his career, by a lot! Why is that? Because the highly successful coach and the highly successful QB are at odds and the highly successful offense is not being highly successful.

  17. gtodriver says:
    October 8, 2018 at 4:27 pm

    What is “highly successful”?

    Is 10th place among kickers in the NFL considered to be highly successful?

    That’s Crosby’s BEST season.

    His average season puts him at best “middle of the pack” in percentage of FGs made.

    He has finished 32nd in his worst season.

    In reality, a “highly successful” kicker would have a 90+ percentage in many years. That is a level of success that Crosby has NEVER achieved in the NFL.

    ==============

    He kicks in Lambeau Field with horrible weather conditions 6 games/year. He’s been very good outside of one year for his career. Not worried about Mason in the slightest. That head coaches offense is a different story – very worried about that. Haven’t been explosive since 2014. Not sure why they paid an injury prone QB on the wrong side of 30 when they had him under contract for another 3 years…

  18. As a Packers fan, I saw Crosby go into a funk early in his career and when he did, it took him a while to get out of it. So this might not be a one game thing.
    As for Mike McCarthy, he also thinks he’s a great coach too, so it shows what he knows.

  19. tritz32 says:
    October 8, 2018 at 5:13 pm

    He kicks in Lambeau Field with horrible weather conditions 6 games/year.
    /////////////////
    Crosby doesn’t even make top 2 in Packers history, and is about 2 misses away from falling below Chris Jacke.

    Keep making excuses.

  20. Rob Brzezinski is a Magician says:
    October 8, 2018 at 3:21 pm
    “He’s a proven highly successful kicker, and I believe in him but he’s got to make those kicks.”
    ________

    Just like you’re a “highly successful” head coach, right, Mike?

    —–

    God I hope he was smiling when he said that.

  21. cheeseisfattening says:
    October 8, 2018 at 4:21 pm

    Crosby has a 10M cap hit for this year and next. Green Bay has no choice but to talk him up.
    >>>>>><<<<>>>>>
    Good at trolling…not so good at truth-telling. You’re only off by about 50% per year. But close enough, eh?

  22. “If McDonald’s gives me a double instead of a triple cheeseburger, I’m still gonna keep going there, even tho I’m disappointed and upset. Mason Crosby is my kicker, and I believe in him”

  23. Conor:Crosby doesn’t even make top 2 in Packers history, and is about 2 misses away from falling below Chris Jacke.
    >>>>>><<<<<<<<<<
    No, but unlike many, many Packer kickers, they both wear Super Bowl Champion rings on their big toes.

  24. It’s kind of the sad life of a kicker that ten good years only buys you one mulligan. If he does this again next week, he’ll emptying trash cans around Lambeau.

  25. nflfollower says:

    October 8, 2018 at 6:40 pm

    “If McDonald’s gives me a double instead of a triple cheeseburger, I’m still gonna keep going there, even tho I’m disappointed and upset. Mason Crosby is my kicker, and I believe in him”

    ///////////////////////

    A Packer fan going to McDonalds. Shocked, shocked I am.

  26. philcodean says:

    October 8, 2018 at 6:24 pm

    cheeseisfattening says:
    October 8, 2018 at 4:21 pm

    Crosby has a 10M cap hit for this year and next. Green Bay has no choice but to talk him up.
    >>>>>><<<>>>>
    Good at trolling…not so good at truth-telling. You’re only off by about 50% per year. But close enough, eh

    ////////////////////

    Crosby cap hit

    2018 5.2 million
    2019 4.8 million

    Total cap hit 10 Million

    Reading and math are hard

  27. nflfollower says:

    October 8, 2018 at 6:40 pm

    “If McDonald’s gives me a double instead of a triple cheeseburger, I’m still gonna keep going there, even tho I’m disappointed and upset. Mason Crosby is my kicker, and I believe in him”

    ///////////////////////

    A Packer fan going to McDonalds. Shocked, shocked I am.

    ////////////////////

    Let me explain. I’m not a packers fan. The quotations in the original post were meant to attribute it as a quote to McCarthy. My apology for any confusion I may have caused a Vikings fan.

  28. It is plainly evident that the Eagles didn’t play well yesterday. Vikes win and the loudmouth Viking trolls are back out.

    Had a couple weeks of relatively good posts … And then, and then, the Eagles give one away and the gnats are back in Packer stories

  29. The problem isn’t that anyone else believes or doesn’t believe in him.

    The problem is Mason Crosby doesn’t believe in Mason Crosby, and until he gets his head screwed on straight he’s going to keep missing.

  30. marvin1958 says:
    October 8, 2018 at 7:09 pm
    It is plainly evident that the Eagles didn’t play well yesterday. Vikes win and the loudmouth Viking trolls are back out.

    Had a couple weeks of relatively good posts … And then, and then, the Eagles give one away and the gnats are back in Packer stories
    ——————————————

    I would say the Packers didn’t play very good yesterday but we all know they just aren’t a very good team. Especially when they don’t get the home cookin flags at Lambeau.

  31. I have no love for Mike McCarthy as a play caller, but one thing he did that earned my respect was to retain Mason Crosby several years ago when Crosby went into a slump. Yesterday’s performance notwithstanding, I hope MM shows the same intestinal fortitude this time around as well, as I believe Mason Crosby is a darn good kicker.

  32. @jamoke
    “franchise that has nothing to show for it after 57 years”
    Except for a Championship (that you never count) and more divisional titles then the Packers. Yeah. Only that.

  33. Yes Brezinski – the Packers actually developed him and believe in him, unlike some purple team who’s coaches can’t develop either a QB or Kicker and have to keep paying big for ones developed by other teams.

  34. His kicking woes weren’t even in the top 3 of reasons the Packers lost that game. Horrible game plan, Rodgers butterfingering the ball and a defense that may be even worse than last year were the reason they lost. Dont expect much from the NFC North this season. I mean, look at it. The Bears lead the division.

  35. shlort
    Oct 8, 2018, 7:06 PM CDT
    His kicking woes weren’t even in the top 3 of reasons the Packers lost that game.
    //////////
    Missed FG’s are one of the few things you can actually say directly affect the score. No, his missed FG’s could have covered up the other problems and won the game. But, they didn’t.

  36. Look at the number of penalties, dropped passes and the fact that the team doesn’t start playing until the 3rd quarter and you can understand how they are losing, its not the kicker. In fact, it can all be laid at McCarthy’s feet. There is a reason he only has one season on his contract, he’s done after this year.

  37. milkcan44
    Oct 8, 2018, 7:02 PM CDT
    Yes Brezinski – the Packers actually developed him and believe in him, unlike some purple team who’s coaches can’t develop either a QB or Kicker and have to keep paying big for ones developed by other teams.
    ///////////////
    On a Packers article, you’re talking about how the Vikings can’t “develop” a 79% career field goal kicker? Weird. I wouldn’t show too much faith in the 55th most accurate kicker in NFL.

  38. What shouldn’t be overlooked is Crosby is on pace to attempt the most FG’s in his career, by a lot! Why is that? Because the highly successful coach and the highly successful QB are at odds and the highly successful offense is not being highly successful.
    ——
    Didnt your team just get blown out by the bills?

  39. Despite shooting themselves in the foot repeatedly, Rodgers playing at 80%, and no other teams in the division being particularly scary, the Packers are the team to beat in the North Division.

    The Vikings didn’t bring in Cousins to win a SuperBowl. They brought him in for one reason and one reason only. Beat the Packers, They know it. We know it. Everybody knows it. The Viking road to the SuperBowl goes through Green Bay, as usual.

    The Packers need to tweak some things. With 1/3 of the season gone, if the Vikings had a top ten offense and a top five defense, like the Packers do, we’d never hear the end of it.

    The Packers are going to be just fine.

  40. The QUITTER says the Packers are the team to beat in the NFC North.

    Other than typical false bravado, why is that?

    They aren’t the defending champion, they aren’t the current leader and they haven’t shown any other reason to show they are the team to beat.

    Just the blathering of a QUITTER…

    Carry on.

  41. Despite shooting themselves in the foot repeatedly, Rodgers playing at 80%, and no other teams in the division being particularly scary, the Packers are the team to beat in the North Division.

    The Vikings didn’t bring in Cousins to win a SuperBowl. They brought him in for one reason and one reason only. Beat the Packers, They know it. We know it. Everybody knows it. The Viking road to the SuperBowl goes through Green Bay, as usual.

    The Packers need to tweak some things. With 1/3 of the season gone, if the Vikings had a top ten offense and a top five defense, like the Packers do, we’d never hear the end of it.

    The Packers are going to be just fine.

  42. I wonder what the stats are for outdoor cold-weather kickers? I’ll bet Crosby has been right up there.

    I’d stick with Crosby. I don’t think he’s walshed up……yet.

  43. stellarperformance says:
    October 9, 2018 at 9:55 am
    Despite shooting themselves in the foot repeatedly, Rodgers playing at 80%, and no other teams in the division being particularly scary, the Packers are the team to beat in the North Division.

    The Vikings didn’t bring in Cousins to win a SuperBowl. They brought him in for one reason and one reason only. Beat the Packers, They know it. We know it. Everybody knows it. The Viking road to the SuperBowl goes through Green Bay, as usual.

    The Packers need to tweak some things. With 1/3 of the season gone, if the Vikings had a top ten offense and a top five defense, like the Packers do, we’d never hear the end of it.

    The Packers are going to be just fine.
    ——————————————

    “You are what your record says you are.” — Bill Parcells

    Right now you’re 2-2-1 and could easily be 0-3 in the division. Excuses and delusions are expected but if you think you’re the team to beat I can’t help you.

  44. stellarperformance says:
    October 9, 2018 at 9:55 am

    The Vikings didn’t bring in Cousins to win a SuperBowl. They brought him in for one reason and one reason only. Beat the Packers, They know it. We know it. Everybody knows it. The Viking road to the SuperBowl goes through Green Bay, as usual.
    ___________

    Case Keenum beat the Packers.
    Sam Bradford beat the Packers.
    Teddy Bridgewater beat the Packers.
    Why would they need to bring in someone new just to beat the Packers? Been there, done that.

  45. Liberalsruineverything says:
    October 9, 2018 at 10:47 am
    stellarperformance says:
    October 9, 2018 at 9:55 am
    Despite shooting themselves in the foot repeatedly, Rodgers playing at 80%, and no other teams in the division being particularly scary, the Packers are the team to beat in the North Division.

    The Vikings didn’t bring in Cousins to win a SuperBowl. They brought him in for one reason and one reason only. Beat the Packers, They know it. We know it. Everybody knows it. The Viking road to the SuperBowl goes through Green Bay, as usual.

    The Packers need to tweak some things. With 1/3 of the season gone, if the Vikings had a top ten offense and a top five defense, like the Packers do, we’d never hear the end of it.

    The Packers are going to be just fine.
    ——————————————

    “You are what your record says you are.” — Bill Parcells

    Right now you’re 2-2-1 and could easily be 0-3 in the division. Excuses and delusions are expected but if you think you’re the team to beat I can’t help you.

    ——

    And this is different from your team how?

  46. Rob Brzezinski is a Magician says:
    October 9, 2018 at 11:25 am
    pkrlvr says:
    October 8, 2018 at 10:24 pm

    Didnt your team just get blown out by the bills?
    __________

    No, they just beat the Super Bowl champions. You don’t follow the game that closely, do you?

    —–

    Poor deflection. You did get humiliated by the Bills. In your own words to Aaron Rodgers,

    “Why can’t you just own it?”

  47. I’m not a Packers fan, rather a physics professor who observes things (often times the Universe). I suggest that you remind (hopefully you know this) Packers fans who want the kicker’s head (as he recently “had a bad day”) was the same poor fellow who kicked 5 FGs (and 1 XP) in the 2015 NFC Championship and the Packers lost 28-22 to Seattle. BTW: as HOF QB Steve Young said, “Kicking a FG is like kissing your sister.” Each time you add 3 points you are 4 points down in the TD department. Sounds crazy, but then so is physics.

  48. andrwken says:
    October 9, 2018 at 1:03 pm
    Rob Brzezinski is a Magician says:
    October 9, 2018 at 11:25 am
    pkrlvr says:
    October 8, 2018 at 10:24 pm

    Didnt your team just get blown out by the bills?
    __________

    No, they just beat the Super Bowl champions. You don’t follow the game that closely, do you?

    —–

    Poor deflection. You did get humiliated by the Bills. In your own words to Aaron Rodgers,

    “Why can’t you just own it?”
    __________

    Thanks for pasting all my comments on your bedroom wall.

    He asked, “Didnt your team just get blown out by the bills?” That was two weeks ago, so no, it didn’t just happen. It was the worst game the Vikings ever played, but things have been different since then so I choose to focus on what they “just did” when answering the question rather than on what they did two weeks ago. And his question was the original deflection because it was in response to a commenter pointing out problems the Packers are having (right now, by the way, not two weeks ago). What does what the Vikings did two weeks ago have to do with the Packers?

  49. Rob I can’t believe you didn’t add this to your list.

    Christian Ponder beat the packers.

  50. Rob Brzezinski is a Magician says:
    October 9, 2018 at 2:48 pm
    andrwken says:
    October 9, 2018 at 1:03 pm
    Rob Brzezinski is a Magician says:
    October 9, 2018 at 11:25 am
    pkrlvr says:
    October 8, 2018 at 10:24 pm

    Didnt your team just get blown out by the bills?
    __________

    No, they just beat the Super Bowl champions. You don’t follow the game that closely, do you?

    —–

    Poor deflection. You did get humiliated by the Bills. In your own words to Aaron Rodgers,

    “Why can’t you just own it?”
    __________

    Thanks for pasting all my comments on your bedroom wall.

    He asked, “Didnt your team just get blown out by the bills?” That was two weeks ago, so no, it didn’t just happen. It was the worst game the Vikings ever played, but things have been different since then so I choose to focus on what they “just did” when answering the question rather than on what they did two weeks ago. And his question was the original deflection because it was in response to a commenter pointing out problems the Packers are having (right now, by the way, not two weeks ago). What does what the Vikings did two weeks ago have to do with the Packers?

    ——

    Right.

    I don’t need your posts on the bedroom wall. I have a good enough memory based on your incessant posting to Aaron Rodgers/Packers articles. You have the guy all dialed in like a stalker.

    So don’t get all pouty when someone rings you up on yet another Packer story.

    So if it makes you feel better,

    Didn’t the bills just crush your team in the last two weeks?
    Did you not tell Aaron Rodgers to “just own it” when he speaks his mind?
    Should you not take your own advice right now?

  51. This is called KARMA pack fans! They were insufferable when we went through the Blair Walsh days. Now, it happens to them.

    This is YUMMY.

    Wide right, Wide left, wide…..ahh forget it. Gt Walsh on the line!

  52. I try to watch the Packers when the Vikings are not on and more times than not Bing hits his FGs. So watching him miss “5” kicks was really weird. You could tell by his reactions as the kicks piled up how embarrassed he was. I’m sure he will be okay going forward, but Viking fans said that about Walsh also.

  53. stellarperformance says:
    October 9, 2018 at 9:55 am

    The Vikings didn’t bring in Cousins to win a SuperBowl. They brought him in for one reason and one reason only. Beat the Packers, They know it. We know it. Everybody knows it. The Viking road to the SuperBowl goes through Green Bay, as usual.
    ###

    You make it out as if beating the Packers is something tough to do. We’ve only lost to the Packers once in the last 6 games.

    We’ve been to the Super Bowl 4 times – and the Packers weren’t even in the playoffs in any of those SB runs.

    In 1969, 1973 and 1974 the Packers were 3rd in the division and in 1976 they were dead last in the division. The Packers averaged 6 wins per season in those years and the Vikings won 7 out of 8 games against the Packers in those 4 SB runs.

    It wasn’t until the playoffs for the 2004 season that the Vikings met the Packers in the playoffs. January 9, 2005 the Vikings defeated your Green Bay Packers in the first ever playoff meeting by a score of 31 – 17.

    Don’t you just hate it when the truth doesn’t match up with your lies.

    Why don’t you just QUIT…

  54. Have they even kicked the tires on another guy yet this week?

    What if Crosby has a repeat performance?

    You want a repeat of Bad Crosby 2012 while fighting for your playoff life?

    McCarthy must be calling the shots. I find it hard to believe a competent GM would operate this way.

  55. The only reason Viking trolls show up with such frequency is because they know the Packers have what it takes and they want it too. They hate being reminded how successful the Packers have been, in the face of their own record levels of futility. They want badly for us to be down at their level. They try in vain “to put us in our place!”

    Good luck with that. Oh……by the way……did you read the news? Another sell-out season at Lambeau added to the consecutive sell-out record. Good times.

  56. Well, that’s 2. Mike McCarthy and Mason Crosby’s mother. Is he married? It might be 3.

Leave a Reply

You must be logged in to leave a comment. Not a member? Register now!

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.