Riggo's Rag » Graham Gano

Final 53: Can Gano kick it?

Kevin Mawyer II — Thu, 02 Aug 2012 16:55:56 +0000

Yes he can, and if he can’t then Washington shouldn’t be too bad off anyway. The Redskins brought in kicker Neil Rackers, formerly of the Houston Texans, this offseason. Rackers will challenge the incumbent, Graham Gano, who has now had to secure his own job more times than Tom Coughlin before the Super Bowl. You may recall last preseason when the Redskins brought in Shayne Graham to push Gano into improving on a mediocre 2010 campaign. Gano hit all three of his attempts while Shayne Graham missed both of his and was subsequently released. Here’s a pound-for-pound comparison of the two kickers battling it out in August.

Graham Gano

: July 30, 2012; Ashburn, VA, USA; Washington Redskins kicker Graham Gano (4) walks onto the field prior to Redskins training camp at Redskins Park. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-US PRESSWIRE

Age: 25
Years Pro: 3
College: Florida State
Height: 6’2″
Weight: 196 lbs
Career FG %: 73.8
2011-12 FG %: 75.6
Career XP %: 96.7
2011-12 XP %: 96.2
Longest Made: 59
Field Goals Blocked 2011-12: 5

Neil Rackers

: July 30, 2012; Ashburn, VA, USA; Washington Redskins kicker Neil Rackers (1) walks onto the field prior to Redskins training camp at Redskins Park. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-US PRESSWIRE

Age: 35
Years Pro: 13
College: Illinois
Height: 6’1″
Weight: 202 lbs.
Career FG %: 80
2011-12 FG %: 84.2
Career XP %: 98.4
2011-12 XP %: 97.5
Longest Made: 57
Field Goals Blocked 2011-12: 0

If you simply stack the numbers against each other, Neil Rackers is clearly the better kicker and the favorite. Gano has tenure in DC and although he does have the occassional kick blocked, he makes up for it with sheer power. Rackers is one of the more reliable kickers in the NFL but has also benefited from playing in Arizona and Houston for nine of his now 13 years in the league. The Washington weather could be something that the Redskins take into account. The only issue is that they will have to judge how a kicker is going to do when the ball is half-frozen while it’s 100 degrees out. This competition appears to be very much in the air and will likely come down to a critical made or missed field goal. The battle for the kicker position will begin in Buffalo when the Redskins take on the Bills in a preseason rematch of last year’s 23-0 debacle in Canada.

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All statistical data courtesy of Redskins.com.

Gano lets it go

Joey Billhimer — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 22:40:58 +0000

Graham Gano, left, reacts to his over-time missed attempt

And then it was six… Since defeating the St. Louis Rams almost two months ago, the Redskins have failed to win a game since. On Sunday, they were defeated by the Dallas Cowboys a second time this season in an overtime thriller. Facing a 10 point deficit in the 2nd quarter, the Redskins stormed back to overtime. Graham Gano lined up to kick the potential winner, half-way through the extra period. But the 52 yarder went wide right, and the 2nd year pro wagged his arm in disappointment.

Sunday was, however, a rather productive day for the Redskins offense. Rex Grossman went 25 of 38 on passes for 289 yards with two touchdowns and one interception, a nice outing. His top receiver, Jabar Gaffney, caught 7 passes for 115 yards and an impressive TD grab late in the first half. Also, newly re-acquired wide-out Donte’ Stallworth looked great, with his most notable highlight in the last minute of regulation. Grossman took the snap and threw right at the left side, landing the ball perfectly in Stallworth’s hands as he tip-toed in the corner of the end-zone. (more…)

Redskins vs. Dolphins: An in-depth preview

Kevin Mawyer II — Sat, 12 Nov 2011 06:04:44 +0000

Image courtesy of Rob Carr/Getty Images North America

Article by guest contributor Joey Billhimer

In what looks to be a ‘must-win’ game, John Beck leads the Washington Redskins (3-5) to South Beach to take on the Miami Dolphins (1-7). The Dolphins are coming off a much needed blow-out victory, defeating the surging Kansas City Chiefs. On the other hand, the Redskins have lost in four straight contests, having won their last game in early October against the depleted St. Louis Rams. Both teams have the power and tools to win this match-up, but only one will prevail. Here are some key statistical comparisons for Sunday’s game:

Quarterback

This is a category that has haunted both teams all season long.

WSH: Rex Grossman lost his starting position to John Beck in Week 6. So far, neither have looked impressive. John Beck has a 60.6 completion percentage, having thrown for 858 yards, 2 TD’s, and 4 interceptions.

MIA: The situation isn’t much prettier in Miami either. Losing starter Chad Henne to what may be a season-ending shoulder injury was a major blow. His replacement Matt Moore, did not please Dolphin fans too much, until his 3 touchdown performance last week against the Chiefs. Moore has thrown for 950 yards, completing 61.6% of his passes, with 4 touchdowns and 4 interceptions. Look for both quarterbacks to stick with short, simple passes to their go-to guys.

Running Back

Although both teams have a lot talent at this position, the “groove” just hasn’t been found. The Dolphins acquired Reggie Bush from the Saints this offseason, and the Redskins drafted rookie Roy Helu from Nebraska and Tim Hightower from the Arizona Cardinals. With Hightower on IR for a knee injury, the rookie Helu is starting in D.C. In his first start last week against San Francisco, the former Nebraska star set a Redskins record with 13 receptions for 104 yards. For the year, Helu has rushed for 172 yards, averaging just 4.6 yards per carry. In Miami, Reggie Bush has finally gotten the chance to be “the man.” After a rough start, Bush has run the ball 88 times for 427 yards, averaging 4.9 yards per carry with one T.D. With both offensive lines looking better last week, expect both teams to have a decent running game. (more…)