Tag: Cody Parkey

Coordinator Mike Priefer offers up a laundry list of Browns special teams woes

Priefer’s units have struggled in 2020 after a great 2019

In 2019, special teams coordinator Mike Priefer was the bright spot of the coaching staff. Priefer’s units improved dramatically over their prior seasons, and it earned the veteran coach a spot with the new Kevin Stefanski regime.

Through the first two weeks, Priefer’s star has lost its luster. Cleveland’s return units have done nothing, while the coverage teams have been nothing short of awful. The quippy coordinator faced the media for the first time since training camp on a Zoom press conference on Thursday.

Priefer did not mince words when asked about the problems on kickoff coverage. Cleveland is surrendering an average of 37.8 yards per return on kicks and 13.0 on punts. Last year the Browns allowed 20.4 and 7.6, respectively.

“We have not covered kickoffs with the same speed and tenacity that we did a year ago. We have lost leverage where we did not lose leverage last year. We have not tackled well, like we tackled well a year ago,” Priefer said.

He also offered no excuses for his unit’s poor performance thus far.

“Does that mean we need some reps under our belt before we get going? That is no excuse,” Priefer explained. “Everybody is in the same boat. No one had preseason games last year so we will never use that as an excuse. We just have to play better. We have to play faster. We have to play more aggressive. We have to keep our hands. We have to keep leverage. We have to do the little things better than we have obviously been doing thus far in order to be a weapon for this football team.”

He did express some pleasure with new kicker Cody Parkey, who was perfect in his extra point efforts in Week 2. Parkey did boot one kickoff out of bounds, and that stuck in Priefer’s craw, too.

“He made his PATs. That was a start. That was huge,” Priefer said of Parkey. “Could he kick off better? Sure. He had a couple nice ones. The one out of bounds is unacceptable. We will never accept that. That was a mistake. Other than that, I thought he kicked off OK – good enough for us to win with. Like I said, his PATs all went right down the middle. Protection was good, and the snap and the hold were good. We have to keep going in that direction.”

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Cody Parkey is already doinking field goals, and it’s only warm-ups

Former Bears kicker Cody Parkey has lived to kick another day in the NFL, but he might not last the weekend with the Browns.

Former Bears kicker Cody Parkey has lived to kick another day in the NFL after signing with the Cleveland Browns this week. But Parkey might not last the weekend if pregame warm-ups are any indication of what’s to come.

Yes, Cody Parkey will be on your television for your viewing displeasure on Thursday Night Football as the Browns face the Cincinnati Bengals in the  Battle of Ohio.

During pregame warm-ups, Parkey was spotted doinking a couple of field goals off the upright, something Bears fans still have nightmares about. Parkey doinked field goals from 37 yards and 46 yards. Hey, it could be worse. It could’ve been 43 yards.

The Browns just waived Austin Seibert after he missed an extra point and field goal in last Sunday’s 38-6 loss against the Baltimore Ravens.

It’s good to know that teams other than the Bears — like the Browns and the Tennessee Titans — are having kicker woes of their own.

Although, to be fair, new Bears kicker Cairo Santos was perfect in his 2020 debut. Santos has been filling in for Eddy Pineiro, who was placed on injured reserve after suffering a groin injury. Pineiro isn’t eligible to return until Week 4. But if Santos continues to be a reliable kicker for the Bears, then it could cause a dilemma for Matt Nagy and the Bears.

Shea’s Favorite Auburn Games – No. 10: Tigers vs Mississippi State 2013

The Tigers matchup against Mississippi State in 2013 served as Nick Marshall’s coming out party as the quarterback at Auburn.

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We’re only ten days away from the start of this football season, so to get that football feeling going I’m counting down 10 of my favorite Auburn games within the last 20 years!

#10: Auburn vs Mississippi State 2013

Why it’s up there:

This game happened my sophomore year at Auburn. The Tigers went 3-9 my freshman year and had lost 10 consecutive conference games in a row. It was Gus Malzahn’s first year as head coach and everyone was desperately looking for a glimmer of hope from this 3-0 Auburn team.

We were still familiarizing ourselves with a quarterback named Nick Marshall who’d transferred from Garden City Community College out in Kansas. All eyes were upon him in his SEC debut against a talented Dak Prescott. Little did we know this would become Marshall’s coming out party.

College football world, meet Nick Marshall.

The game:

Marshall and the Tigers heated up early on offense. With a Cody Parkey field goal and a 76-yard touchdown pass to Quan Bray, the Tigers led the Bulldogs 11-6 at the end of the first quarter.

Dak and the Bulldogs found their rhythm early in the third quarter and you could feel the pressure mounting against Auburn. Two interceptions and fumble looked like they would kill the Tigers and the defense was getting absolutely torched on the ground, but then this play happened and the stadium once again came to life.

Yes, Nick Marshall threw a pass which was deflected by a Mississippi State defender but instead of letting the ball go to the ground the former defensive back turned quarterback caught the ball and rushed for 37 yards. You know who makes plays like that? Freak athletes like Nick Marshall. Unreal, I will never forget this play for as long as I live.

The Tigers settled for a field goal on that drive to make the score 20-17. The score continued to stay at 20-17 until there were only ten seconds remaining in the fourth quarter. The student section was absolutely bananas during this final drive. I’d finished my hotdogs by this point and had been reduced to a nervous wreck. Nobody in that stadium wanted to go to overtime against Mississippi State, especially CJ Uzomah who caught the game winning pass.

This play was the catalyst for Auburn’s success in the 2013 season. I watched it at least a hundred times before going to bed that night because I was still in disbelief that the Tigers were winning again! Football was exciting again on the Plains and this game was just the beginning of a season that eternally lives on in college football folklore.

AUBURN FOOTBALL IS GREAT AGAIN!

Former Bears kicker Cody Parkey lives to kick another day in NFL

Get ready, Bears fans. A familiar face that might still haunts your dreams is getting another shot in the NFL as he joins the Browns.

Get ready, Bears fans. A familiar face that might still haunts your dreams is getting another shot in the NFL.

The Cleveland Browns are signing former Bears kicker Cody Parkey to their active roster, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. And get ready to see Parkey’s face on your television, because he’ll be kicking on Thursday Night Football as the Browns host the Cincinnati Bengals to kick-off Week 2.

The Browns are bringing in Parkey to replace starter Austin Seibert, who they waived on Monday following a missed field goal and extra point in Sunday’s 38-6 loss to the Baltimore Ravens.

Obviously, Parkey needs no introduction for his infamous double-doink missed 43-yard field goal that cost the Bears a wild card win. Chicago released him that following offseason.

Parkey got one opportunity in 2019, where he kicked in three games for the Tennessee Titans. Parkey completed all three of his field goal attempts, including one from 50-plus yards.

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Report: Browns are signing K Cody Parkey to the active roster

Austin Seibert missed both his kicking attempts on Sunday

Minutes after Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski concluded a Zoom press conference with the media where he was noncommittal about the issue, it seems the Browns are indeed making a move at the kicker position after all.

A report by Ian Rapoport of NFL.com indicates the Browns will sign kicker Cody Parkey off of the practice squad. That would spell the end of the 17-game run for Austin Seibert as Cleveland’s placekicker.

Seibert had a rough Week 1. He missed a field goal and an extra point in the 38-6 loss in Baltimore. His struggles with extra points have become a recurring issue; only Adam Vinatieri missed more than Seibert’s five failed conversions in 2019. Despite the struggles, Seibert earned a place on the All-Rookie team.

Parkey was signed to the Browns practice squad last week. He was the team’s full-time kicker back in 2016.

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Browns reveal their protected practice squad players for Week 1

Garrett Gilbert and newcomer Greg Senat are among the first Browns on the protected practice squad

A new rule change for 2020 allows NFL teams to protect up to four players on the practice squad each week. While players are exposed during the aftermath of a game week, once they get back to the practice squad the next week the players can be locked in. No team can sign the protected players until after that week’s game.

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The Cleveland Browns used the protected designation for Week 1 on four players:

  • QB Garrett Gilbert
  • S Jovante Moffatt
  • PK Cody Parkey
  • OT Greg Senat

Senat was signed just before the Browns had to determine the protected members of the practice squad, an indication they value his addition more than fans might expect.

The Browns will also be able to make two practice squad players active on Sunday in Baltimore as a result of another rule change. One of those extra two actives must be an offensive lineman. Based on protecting him, that could very well be Senat.

Buccaneers to add ex-Titans Ryan Succop, Cody Parkey to competition

The Bucs are taking a look at a pair of former Titans kickers.

After seeing lackluster performances in their kicker competition at training camp, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are bringing in a pair of former Tennessee Titans kickers.

According to the Tampa Bay Times’ Rick Stroud, the Bucs will give both Ryan Succop and Cody Parkey a look after they complete COVID-19 testing.

Parkey and Succop were part of the Titans’ kicking carousel in 2019, which led to Tennessee having the worst field goal unit in the NFL.

Succop started off last season on Injured Reserve after his knee still didn’t feel all the way back following offseason knee surgery, but he was ineffective upon his return, making just 1-of-6 field goal attempts. He ultimately landed back on IR to end his season.

Parkey was one of the kickers the Titans brought in to cover for Succop during his initial IR stint, and he was the only one to have any semblance of success. Parkey was 3-of-3 on his tries, but was later cut after Succop returned.

As we revealed on Saturday, the Titans also appear to be exploring their options at the position after working out veteran Stephen Gostkowski, who could get added to the competition between Greg Joseph and Tucker McCann in camp.

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Allen Robinson still isn’t over the double doink heard round the world

Bears fans, WR Allen Robinson feels your pain two years after Cody Parkey’s infamous double-doink missed field goal.

In a century of Chicago Bears football, there’s been a lot of heartbreak that fans have experienced over the years. But there’s nothing quite as painful as the double doink heard ’round the NFL world.

Even two years later, the mere thought of a football doinking off the upright or the mention of “double doink” brings those emotions flooding back. And fans aren’t alone in their heartache.

Sports Center asked people to name a sports moment that made them feel like the infamous Michael Jordan meme. And Bears receiver Allen Robinson couldn’t even finish his response…although it’s easy to infer “the double” refers to Cody Parkey’s infamous “double doink” missed field goal in the final seconds of Chicago’s wild card playoff loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in January 2019.

While it’s easier to laugh it off now, it still hurts thinking about what could’ve been had Parkey connected on that 43-yard field goal. The narrative surrounding quarterback Mitchell Trubisky would’ve been completely different. The Bears would’ve gotten stud safety Eddie Jackson back from injury in time for the divisional playoffs. And perhaps the Bears could’ve made a run for the Super Bowl.

Alas, we’ll never know. But it’s the not knowing that makes it difficult every time the “double doink” is mentioned.

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5 kickers Giants could sign to replace Aldrick Rosas

With Aldrick Rosas facing some serious legal problems, here’s a look at five kickers the New York Giants could sign.

New York Giants kicker Aldrick Rosas was arrested and charged with a hit and run in California earlier this week, but that may be just the beginning of his legal problems.

In addition to a hit and run, Rosas was charged with driving with a suspended license and could also face DUI charges after fleeing the scene of the crash and later being discovered walking roughly a mile away covered in blood.

At the very least, Rosas can expect to hear from the NFL regarding a suspension for violating the league’s personal conduct policy, which means the Giants are in a pickle.

Here’s a quick look at five kickers the team could potentially sign to replace Rosas or bridge the gap on any potential suspension.

George Walker IV / Tennessean.com, Nashville Tennessean via Imagn Content Services, LLC

Ryan Succop

The Tennessee Titans remain open to bringing Ryan Succop back in 2020, but they may have competition for his services now.

Succop was derailed by injuries last season, seeing action in just six games while making two stints on injured reserve. Prior to that, the veteran had not missed a single game in his career and was a fairly reliable placekicker.

Succop has connected on 82.2% of his field goal attempts and 97.1% of his point after attempts throughout his 11-year NFL career.

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Ranking each Bears’ free agency class under Ryan Pace

Bears GM Ryan Pace has had major hits and huge misses in free agency. But how does each of his FA classes stack up against one another?

There’s no doubt that NFL free agency is one of the most exciting time of the year for football fans. It’s the first major opportunity for teams to find new talent, shuffle their roster, and make the necessary changes to contend for a playoff spot in the season to come.

However, while a free agency class can take a team to the next level, another can cripple them financially and pull them down to the bottom of the division. When it comes to the Chicago Bears and general manager Ryan Pace, they’ve experienced both situations.

Pace, now in his sixth season leading the Bears, has had major hits and huge misses in free agency. But how does each of his free agent classes stack up against one another? Below is a ranking from Pace’s worst to best free agent groups between 2015 and 2019.

5) 2017 free agent class

Dennis Wierzbicki-USA TODAY Sports

Key hits – CB Prince Amukamara

Key misses – QB Mike Glennon, S Quintin Demps, TE Dion Sims, WR Markus Wheaton

What a group, huh? When free agency officially opened, Pace inked Glennon, Demps and Sims to three-year deals right off the bat, possibly becoming one of the worst “big three” ever assembled in sports. Glennon, signed from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, was given the opportunity to start but only lasted four games before rookie quarterback and first-round selection Mitchell Trubisky took the reins.

Demps, meanwhile, truly only had one memorable play as a Bear which took place in week one when Atlanta Falcons tight end Austin Hooper stiff-armed the veteran to the ground on his way to an 88-yard score. Demps went on injured reserve just two weeks later. Both only lasted one season in Chicago.

Sims at least made it through two seasons, but was lackluster at best. Other signings such as receiver Markus Wheaton, who caught three more passes than I did for the Bears and cornerback Marcus Cooper, who’s most memorable moment in Chicago was showboating after an interception, turning a pick-six into a pick-three.

The only true standout from the class was cornerback Prince Amukamara, who was a consolation prize for the Bears after other corners such as A.J. Bouye and Stephon Gillmore spurned them for other teams. Amukamara became a solid starter for an eventual playoff team and turned his tryout into a bigger contract. But overall, this class was a colossal failure for Pace.

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