Tag: lucas havrisik

Sean McVay explains why Rams won’t work out kickers despite Lucas Havrisik’s struggles

Lucas Havrisik has struggled lately, but Sean McVay said the Rams aren’t bringing in kickers to compete for the job

Lucas Havrisik has been the Rams’ kicker for eight weeks. In five of those games, he missed at least one field goal attempt, including Thursday’s win over the Saints.

He’s now 2-for-6 from 40-49 yards and 2-for-3 from beyond 50, raising some concerns about the Rams’ constantly struggling special teams unit. They considered making a change when they brought in Mason Crosby a few weeks ago, but they’ve since cut him and leaned on Havrisik.

Since then, Havrisik has missed two more field goals, both from 40-49 yards.

Don’t expect the Rams to bring in any competition at that spot, though. Sean McVay told reporters Friday that the team isn’t considering bringing in kickers for a workout and will instead look at the entire kicking operation before moving on from Havrisik.

He seems to be indicating the snaps and holds may not be as consistent as they need to be.

The Rams have been without long snapper Alex Ward in the last two games after he landed on injured reserve. Carson Tinker has stepped in as the long snapper and while he hasn’t had any obviously bad snaps, McVay believes that change from Ward to Tinker has had an impact on Havrisik’s struggles.

Ward will be out for at least two more weeks so the Rams have to manage until he can return, but regardless of who’s snapping the ball, Havrisik has to be better.

The Rams have missed 11 field goals this season, which is already the most by any team since 2015.

Sean McVay still optimistic about Lucas Havrisik despite missing ‘a big kick’ vs. Commanders

Sean McVay remains optimistic about Lucas Havrisik, even though his miss on Sunday was “a big kick”

One week after earning the Rams’ continued confidence with a great performance in Baltimore, Lucas Havrisik is in danger of losing it again. In Sunday’s win over the Commanders, Havrisik missed a 43-yard field goal in the fourth quarter that would’ve put the Rams up 31-7, a much more comfortable lead with less than 10 minutes to play.

He pushed the kick wide right, giving the Commanders great field position down three touchdowns. Washington found the end zone a minute and a half later, and then again with less than two minutes to play.

It may not have impacted the game in the end because the Rams still won, but Washington nearly came back and would’ve had a chance to tie it if Kyren Williams didn’t successfully milk the clock in the final minutes.

Sean McVay expressed optimism in Havrisik Monday despite another shaky outing, acknowledging it was a “big kick” that he missed.

“Obviously the one that stands out,” McVay said. “I thought because of the magnitude of that kick, especially given the circumstances where you are inside of 45, you got a chance to really go up where it’s a three-possession game there. Thirty-one points in that situation would have made it a totally different feel towards the latter part of the game. I think you want to be careful to overreact to one kick, but it was a big kick. I do know that this guy has shown the ability to respond. We saw that against Baltimore so I’m optimistic that is what we will see this Thursday.”

McVay said that while the Rams have asked Brett Maher and Havrisik to attempt a lot of long kicks this season, it’s the kicks from inside 45 yards that they must be consistent on. Havrisik has missed three of his last four attempts from 40-49 yards, which is such a critical range in close games.

The Rams don’t appear likely to make a kicking change before Thursday’s game against the Saints, so it’ll be Havrisik in the spotlight again in a contest that has massive playoff implications.

“I do know this, when you look at a lot of these really successful kickers, especially the young ones, there are some growing pains that you go through and usually you end up working through it,” McVay added. “A lot of these guys that are having a huge amount of success experience some form of adversity early on in their careers, but it is about how do you respond and that’s why there is a confidence and an optimistic approach as it relates to Lucas. I think he’s shown some good things and I just think you always evaluate your process. But the kicker position in general is a very fickle one.”

Sean McVay was happy to see Lucas Havrisik respond to adversity in loss to Ravens

Sean McVay was happy to see Lucas Havrisik bounce back with an efficient outing vs. the Ravens in Week 14.

The Los Angeles Rams signed veteran Mason Crosby ahead of the team’s showdown with the Baltimore Ravens, showing that there could be a change made at kicker with Lucas Havrisik struggling. Following an efficient performance from Havrisik in the overtime loss to the Ravens, Sean McVay was glad to see the young kicker respond well to adversity.

“I saw a guy respond the way that I would want him to from some adversity, from a challenge where you bring in a guy that’s been a veteran, has a lot of credibility and has a lot of previous production comes in,” McVay said. “I thought he just continued to handle that situation like a pro’s pro. He kicked really well throughout the week and earned the right to be up and active for us on game day and then I thought he delivered in a big way and I think that says a lot about a young guy. It’s easy when things are going well, but when you have a little bit of a challenge, how do you respond? And that’s where you really learn the most about people. And I was super pleased with him. I think that’s a true testament to the mental toughness that he has. And he came through in a big way and he definitely had a winning performance for us yesterday with what he was able to do specifically in those elements and then coming off of some of the challenges from the previous week. I was really proud of Lucas.”

Havrisik became the starting kicker for the Rams in Week 8 after the team elected to move on from Brett Maher. In his first five starts, Havrisik connected on seven of his 10 field-goal attempts and 10 of his 11 extra-point tries.

With a miss in three of his five starts and a miss on an extra-point attempt, the Rams signed Crosby to the practice squad ahead of their matchup with the Ravens. During the overtime shootout against the Ravens, Havrisik made all three of his field-goal attempts, including a 51-yarder, and both of his extra-point tries.

It was impressive to see Havrisik deliver on the road in Baltimore in rainy conditions. Ahead of a home game against the Washington Commanders in Week 15, Havrisik has seemingly earned himself at least another week to be the starting kicker for the Rams.

Rams undecided on kicker for Sunday, leaning toward Havrisik over Crosby

Sean McVay said the Rams are still deciding on who will be their kicker Sunday, but it’s likely to be Lucas Havrisik over Mason Crosby

Lucas Havrisik has struggled a bit in recent weeks, missing three total kicks (two field goals, one PAT) in his last two games. As a result, the Rams brought in veteran Mason Crosby by signing him to the practice squad this week, giving them a couple of options at a position that has suffered from some inconsistency in 2023.

Sean McVay said on Friday that the Rams aren’t sure who will be their kicker this weekend against the Ravens, but it sounds like they’re leaning toward sticking with Havrisik instead of elevating Crosby from the practice squad.

“We haven’t decided that yet. More than likely, we probably will not go that direction. But we’ll see,” he said of potentially elevating Crosby.

Havrisik has gone 7-for-10 on field goal attempts and 10-for-11 on extra point tries, with all three of his field goal misses coming from 40-plus yards. He has a strong leg, but there have been some accuracy issues lately, which are concerning with the Rams likely to play some close games down the stretch in their playoff push.

Sean McVay explains decision to sign Mason Crosby, what it means for Lucas Havrisik

Sean McVay explained why the Rams signed Mason Crosby, despite the fact that they don’t plan to cut Lucas Havrisik

The kicking carousel continues to turn in Los Angeles with the Rams bringing in yet another kicker, their fourth since the start of the offseason. They signed veteran Mason Crosby to the practice squad this week, but they still have Lucas Havrisik on the 53-man roster.

Havrisik has struggled in recent weeks, missing three kicks in his last two games, so Sean McVay was looking for outside help and a veteran presence in the special teams room. McVay explained the decision to sign Crosby during his media session Wednesday and he indicated it doesn’t mean they’re going to immediately cut Havrisik.

“It’s kind of a unique opportunity where you still end up having Lucas, feel like he’s a guy that we want to be able to continue to work with,” McVay said. “But to have a veteran that has his experience, some of the success, some of the crunch time moments that he’s had and the unique opportunity to be able to bring somebody in on the practice squad and potentially flex them up. Those are things that we felt like we wanted to be able to explore when you have 16 spots on the practice squad and so that’s what we’re doing.”

McVay said “there’s a possibility” Crosby will be activated from the practice squad as early as this Sunday against the Ravens, and he said the Rams “do not anticipate” releasing Havrisik. So for the time being, the Rams will carry two kickers between the active roster and practice squad.

Crosby hasn’t played in a game this season, but he went 25-for-29 in 17 games with the Packers last season, while also missing two extra point attempts. In just five games this season, Havrisik has missed three field goals and one PAT, including two attempts from 40-49 yards.

With Los Angeles pushing for a playoff berth, it needs to find some stability at kicker soon.

Sean McVay: ‘Way too early’ to hit panic button on K Lucas Havrisik

Sean McVay wants to see Lucas Havrisik improve, and he expects him to, but he’s not hitting the panic button yet

The Los Angeles Rams didn’t exercise much patience with Brett Maher this season, cutting him after seven games and seven total misses. There’s no doubt he was struggling, but four of his six missed field goals were from beyond 50 yards.

His replacement, Lucas Havrisik, has endured his share of kicking trouble, too. In four games, Havrisik is 5-for-7 on field goal attempts and 6-for-7 on PATs. Havrisik missed a 48-yarder in the Rams’ win over the Cardinals on Sunday, as well as an extra point, raising some questions about whether Los Angeles might consider another kicking change.

Sean McVay was asked about sticking with Havrisik during the “Coach McVay Show” on Monday and he said it’s way too early to hit the panic button. He loves what he’s seen from Havrisik thus far and expects him to bounce back.

“I think you got to be able to learn from it. I like his resolve. There is a lot of things to really like about him and what we’ve seen in a short amount of time and the confidence, the swagger. Just the overall ability where the ball jumps off his leg,” McVay said. “That’s not the sturdiest surface where you don’t always necessarily trust your plant leg in some of those situations and scenarios, but I think it’s a great learning opp. ‘Hey, man. Trust your technique. Trust your fundamentals. Let’s be as consistent as we can with our approach and our stroke as it relates to when we’re getting into those extra point or field goal attempts.’ I’m confident he can rebound the right way. I think it would be way too early to press the panic button, but we do want to see an improvement, but also an ability to be able to move on.”

The Rams were fortunate to have Greg Zuerlein and Matt Gay kicking for them for several years. They’ve been two of the best kickers in the league during the last decade, and while Havrisik has a long way to go before he’s in their class, McVay sees similarities between him and the Rams’ two former star kickers.

“There’s a legitimate, like, swag that he has and I felt that same thing from Zuerlein, I felt that same thing from Matt Gay,” he said. “You’re talking about two guys that have done it at a really high level that we were fortunate enough to have here. The more that you do this, the more you realize you don’t ever want to take for granted some of the consistency and the production at a position like that that we’ve been so fortunate to have as it relates to Greg and Matt. And I think Lucas has a chance to be in alignment with that conversation, but let’s respond the right way as we move forward into next week.”

The Rams are making a push for the postseason and they’ll need someone reliable kicking for them down the stretch. The hope is that Havrisik can be that guy, but the jury may still be out.

Rams K Lucas Havrisik thought he made PAT, not game-winning FG vs. Seahawks

“I was so blanked out that I thought we actually scored and I hit a PAT”

Rams kicker Lucas Havrisik isn’t technically a rookie, but he has very little NFL experience. Sunday against the Seahawks was only his third career regular-season game and he had only attempted four field goals before the game-winner in the fourth quarter.

It was just a chip shot from 22 yards out, so there wasn’t much pressure on him to make it. But he still delivered and gave the Rams a 17-16 lead with about a minute to play, which went on to be the final score.

Havrisik was so focused on the sideline late in that drive that he didn’t even realize he was coming onto the field to attempt a game-winning field goal. He thought the Rams scored a touchdown and he was coming in to make the PAT.

It wasn’t until he saw the score was 17-16 that he knew he just made a field goal to give the Rams the lead.

“We got the first touchdown and we were only down, I think, 7-13, at that time, so I realize it’s going to be a closer game,” he said after the game. “You just have to be prepared for all those times. Games pan out in a weird way. Like, I was so blanked out that I thought we actually scored and I hit a PAT. I looked at the score and I was like, ‘Oh, dang, we’re only up one, so they only need a field goal.’ That’s how, like, blurred out I’d be. And I was like, ‘Oh, crap.’”

So far this season, Havrisik has made 4 of 5 field goal attempts and both PATs, though he hasn’t exactly been tested from distance. He went 1-for-2 from 40-49 yards and made his only attempts beyond 50 yards, a 52-yarder against the Packers.

So far, so good for the 24-year-old Riverside native.

Rams sweep Seahawks as Jason Myers misses from 55

The Rams thwarted a last-gasp drive by the Seahawks to earn a series sweep

A great story fell apart on the last play of the game as Jason Myers missed a 55-yard field goal attempt that would have given the Seahawks victory over the Rams.

Instead, LA wound up with a season sweep, 17-16, ruining an injured Geno Smith leading drive that set up the field-goal attempt.

Smith had been knocked out of the game with an injury to his throwing elbow after taking a massive hit.

Drew Lock came on and the Seattle offense stalled.

The Rams overcame a 13-0 deficit and scored 10 unanswered points in the fourth quarter.

The difference in the game was a Lucas Havrisik field goal from 22 yards that capped a 14-play, 75-yard drive with 1:31 left.

Myers had hit 15 field goals in a row before the miss from long range.

Lucas Havrisik was Rams’ only bright spot in awful special teams performance

The Rams had a dreadful day on special teams, but new kicker Lucas Havrisik was the lone bright spot in that department

It’s been a frustrating year for the Rams’ special teams unit. There have been lapses in kick coverage, missed field goals and a severe lack of big plays made in the return game. Brett Maher drew a lot of criticism for his missed kicks this season but wasn’t the only issue with Chase Blackburn’s unit.

A lot of those problems were on display Sunday in the Rams’ 43-20 loss to the Cowboys. Ironically, it was the kicker, Lucas Havrisik, who was the only bright spot on special teams for Los Angeles.

The second-year kicker made his NFL debut and drilled field goals of 47 and 33 yards. He didn’t attempt a PAT because the Rams went for two twice, but he did show off a strong leg on the 47-yarder by booting it high up the net on a kick that may have been good from 60-plus.

Everything else about the special teams performance was downright terrible. Early in the second quarter, Ethan Evans’ punt was blocked and went out of the end zone for a safety, padding the Cowboys’ lead to 19-3.

On the very next play, the punt following the safety, KaVontae Turpin returned it 63 yards to the Rams’ 13-yard line. Two plays later, the Cowboys were in the end zone with a 10-yard touchdown by CeeDee Lamb, giving them a 26-3 lead.

In the fourth quarter, Evans had his best punt of the game, a 58-yarder, which was returned 87 yards for a touchdown by Turpin. Fortunately for the Rams, Dallas was called for holding so the touchdown didn’t count, but it was another lapse in coverage by Los Angeles.

In addition to having one punt blocked, Evans’ other kicks went for 48 yards to the Dallas 20, 40 yards to the Dallas 37 and 37 yards to the 50. Those are not the types of punts we’re used to seeing from the rookie.

It was an all-around dreadful day from the special teams unit, with the exception of their new kicker Havrisik. But his two field goals weren’t enough to overcome a long return and a blocked punt.

Lucas Havrisik will be Rams’ kicker vs. Cowboys, making his NFL debut

Sean McVay confirmed Lucas Havrisik will be the Rams’ kicker on Sunday in what will be his regular-season debut in the NFL

After cutting Brett Maher this week, the Los Angeles Rams signed Lucas Havrisik off the Browns’ practice squad. They then worked out five kickers, including Mason Crosby, but they have yet to sign anyone to compete with Havrisik.

For the time being, the Rams are rolling with the former Colts and Browns kicker.

Sean McVay said Havrisik will be their kicker on Sunday against the Cowboys, which will be his NFL debut. He’s kicked in preseason games before, but this will be the first time he plays a regular-season contest as a pro.

McVay expressed confidence in the second-year player, saying “he’ll be ready to go” for Sunday’s game.

“He’s done a good job. He did a nice job yesterday,” McVay said.

Havrisik went 2-for-2 in the preseason but he did miss one extra-point attempt with the Colts. He was then cut by Indianapolis and landed on the Browns’ practice squad before the Rams signed him to their active roster this week.

Los Angeles hopes this will be an upgrade after Maher missed seven kicks (six FGs, one PAT) in seven games this season.