Momentum Blowing Strong for Carlson

So far, Green Bay Packers rookie kicker Anders Carlson seems to be a quick study on the deceiving winds at Lambeau Field.

GREEN BAY, Wis. – When Green Bay Packers rookie kicker Anders Carlson lined up for a 57-yard field goal just before halftime on Saturday, the wind was blowing from the north-northeast. That meant Carlson should have been kicking into the wind.

But Lambeau Field can be a strange place.

“It was a little behind my back,” he said. “I was kind of teetering with that post, and the last 10 yards it kind of dove in.”

Carlson’s field goals of 43 and 57 yards helped the Packers beat the Seattle Seahawks 19-15 in the preseason finale. The result of the game was irrelevant. The results of the kicks were important. While Carlson endured a roller-coaster ride of a training camp, he’s generally come through when it’s mattered.

Including extra points, Carlson went 9-of-10 on Family Night, 4-of-6 at Cincinnati (two missed extra points), 3-of-3 against New England and 3-of-4 against Seattle (a blocked extra point). That’s 19-of-23 (82.6 percent) in games or game-like situations, including 4-of-4 on field goals in the preseason games with makes of 52 and 57 yards.

Up next: Week 1 of the NFL season at the Chicago Bears on Sept. 10.

Anders Carlson (Photo by Tork Mason/USA Today Sports Images)

“I feel good,” Carlson said. “I think there’s always things to grow from and learn from. I think there’s been a lot of good. There’s been some bad, too. Every day is a learning lesson, no matter how good or bad I did. Just get back with the coaches, get back with the guys in my room and learn and get better every day.”

The Packers drafted Carlson in the sixth round because of his power rather than his reliability. From a marksmanship perspective, he had only one good season out of five at Auburn. However, many of the NFL’s best kickers were mediocre in college. While there will be peaks and valleys, the Packers are in it for the long haul.

“I thought he did an outstanding job,” coach Matt LaFleur said. “That was really encouraging to see, a 57-yarder right there. It looked so casual when he kicked it. He’s got a big-time leg, so I think he’s shown improvement. Like any young player, there’s going to be some ups and downs, but I think we’ve got total confidence he’s got the ability to be able to play in this league for a really long time.”

Part of making kicks is figuring out how to navigate the winds at Lambeau Field. Through 16 seasons, former Packers kicker Mason Crosby knew how to hit the right ball in the right moment. Carlson, who said he has not practiced in Lambeau, is learning as he goes.

“I’ve learned that the flags on the very top of the stadium, you can’t trust them at all. Those are going to mess with your mind a little bit,” he said.

“Ground level’s what I trust the most. Obviously, as the ball goes up, there might be a switch. I think the punters might experience that, too. You’ve got to trust where you’re at. The flags on the post, I trust those for the most part.”

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Patrick Taylor: https://t.co/GLTaIXpwBX
Emanuel Wilson:https://t.co/gqmlcI7RYU

— Bill Huber (@BillHuberNFL) August 26, 2023

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