On Tuesday, the Green Bay Packers kicker competition got whittled down to two. On Thursday, some distance was created between the two remaining competitors.
This is no longer a three-way competition. Rookie James Turner was released on Tuesday.
During the final practice before Family Night, veteran challenger Greg Joseph finished a perfect 7-for-7 — with makes from 41, 42, 45, 47, 49, 51 and 58 yards. Incumbent Anders Carlson, meanwhile, went 4-for-7 — with misses from 45, 47 and 49. Like Joseph, Carlson made the 58-yarder to end the practice.
Through nine practices, Joseph has taken a noteworthy lead in the on-field competition.
Joseph, who was the Minnesota Vikings kicker over the last three seasons, is 29-of-31, or 93.5 percent.
Carlson, who started strong as a rookie but went through miserable ups and downs late, is 25-of-31, or 80.6 percent. Overall, Carlson made 81.8 percent of his field goals last season.
Any distance Joseph has made ahead of Carlson could be made up Saturday night at Lambeau Field. Kicking inside the stadium creates a far different environment than practice, and it can be assumed those kicks will be weighed more heavily in the kicking competition. Thousands of fans will be in attendance and the winds blow differently inside the bowl of Lambeau Field.
Can Joseph stay steady and accurate at Family Night? And can Carlson pull out a mini-funk? Both are important questions, given some of Joseph’s inconsistencies during his NFL career and the repetitiveness of Carlson’s funks to start his own career.
Packers kicking competition tracker
Greg Joseph: 29-for-31 (93.5%)
Anders Carlson: 25-for-31 (80.6%)