No Excuses: Browns Kicker Breaks Down Costly Error
The Cleveland Browns lost 17-16 to the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 1 in a game that Cleveland had a chance to win.
The Browns had the ball late in the fourth quarter, but Joe Flacco threw a pick after it was tipped by a receiver. But a key reason why Cleveland lost was the missed kicks by Andre Szmyt. Szmyt went 1-for-2 on field goals and also missed an extra point, which proved to be costly.
Following the loss, Szmyt says he rushed the kicks, which is why he missed the two kicks.
“Similar to the extra point, I rushed my approach and pushed the ball. I got to do better and I expect better out of myself. Just try and forget about it and move on to next week,” Szmyt said… “Watch the film and see what went wrong. That’s kind of what it felt like. Forget about it and give myself 24 hours, analyze what happened and move on.”
Although Szmyt missed two kicks, he says the team was supportive of him, as he says he’s confident he will hit the next kick.
“Supportive, obviously, these guys are here for me. I know I have to do my job, and I’m going to do it next time.”
Szmyt went undrafted in 2023. He signed a reserve/future contract with the Browns in January and beat out Dustin Hopkins for the kicking job.
Joe Flacco Backs Szmyt Despite Struggles
After the loss, Browns quarterback Joe Flacco backed his kicker.
Flacco was asked about the missed kicks, and he defended Szmyt. The veteran quarterback says it is a team sport, and the blame goes to everyone, not just the kicker. But, he expects Szmyt to get back on track next week and have success.
“I think the problem is that you forget this is a team sport sometimes, because there’s such a spotlight on you because of certain points in the game and what happened,” Flacco said. “And what you’ve got to remember is that we’ve all been in a situation where we’ve all made mistakes before that have been a big part of costing us a football game. You got to shake it.
“It’s not just on you. It’s a team sport. We’re all going to be in there and rally together. Nobody wants to be in that situation and not come up for your team,” Flacco added. “But we’ve all been there and can understand not doing it. I think if you’re able to kind of take that in, then you can use it to make you better in the future. So hopefully that’s, we can help him do with it.”
Szmyt was making his NFL debut in Week 1.
Analyst Urges Browns to Cut Szmyt
Despite Cleveland backing Szmyt after Week 1, one Browns analyst believes the team needs to cut the kicker.
NFL analyst Ken Carman made it clear that Cleveland needs to bring in kickers and sign a new one for Week 2.
“You have to cut him and get him out of here is what you have to do,” Carman said… “I’ll keep trying kickers… find a different one. It’s not ridiculous, that’s just the business that they’re in. That’s what makes the position so difficult.”
Carman believes the Browns need to address the kicker position as Szmyt can’t be the long-term answer.
Packers Star Xavier McKinney Unfazed by Controversial Taunting Flag Against Lions
Early in the second quarter of Sunday’s showdown with the Lions in Green Bay, Packers star safety Xavier McKinney did something so many players in the history of the league have done before him. He blocked an opponent to the ground, and subsequently stood over him.
The opponent was Kalif Raymond, and neither he nor McKinney was involved in the play, which saw Kiesean Nixon push lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs out of bounds. But as Raymond got up to engage in a minor confrontation with McKinney, something odd happened. A flag came in and McKinney was whistled for a 15-yard penalty on a pretty innocuous play.
The play was was unusual to say the least, and met with much disdain by fans on social media. but it is part of the new “respect for opponents” emphasis the league has enacted this season. It didn’t hurt the Packers in their 27-13 drubbing of the Lions, but it could have.
Xavier McKinney ‘Probably’ Did Taunt
McKinney admitted after the game that he did stand over Raymond, and did not seem too concerned about it. The Lions ended up with a field goal on the drive.
“I probably did,” McKinney said when asked about standing over Raymond. “But hey, it is what it is. I had to set the tone not just for our team but for our defense of how we want to play. I’ll take the flag, I’ll live with it, it’s all right.”
LaFleur was livid with the officiating crew when the play unfolded. After the game, he was being diplomatic but clearly disagreed with the call. When he was first asked what he saw on the play, he shot back at a reporter, “What did you see?”
But he went on: “Worst case scenario, they should’ve been offsetting (penalties). But they saw it differently.”
Packers Known They Must Keep Composure
Still, the league has made plain its attempts to clean up unsportsmanlike behavior on the field, and even sent a memo to each team to hammer home the point last month. LaFleur said his team is aware of the point of emphasis.
“We’ll definitely address that again. We can’t do that,” LaFleur said. ‘We’ve got to be better than that. Football is an emotional game, and I understand. I love these guys getting excited about playing. There’s a lot of stuff that goes on on the field, but you’ve got to keep your composure and your poise, especially when you’re playing a really good football team.”
McKinney added: “Going forward, I’m going to toe the line. If I get a flag, I’ll learn from it, but I’m going to toe that line. Obviously, I’m a smart player so I understand when I can and can’t do it, but this type of game, I had to set the tone and that’s just what it was. And we’ll live with it.”
