Jason Sanders is doing OK mentally.
Physically, nicely, solely time will inform.
It’s been a tough first a part of the season for the Dolphins veteran kicker. But he’s assured the second a part of the season can be smoother.
“I’ve been kicking the ball well,” mentioned Sanders, an All Pro in 2020.
“I just need to get the job done.”
Sanders is 13 of 17 on area aim makes an attempt this season, which is comprehensible when you think about he’s 0 of three on area aim makes an attempt of fifty yards or extra, together with one which was blocked.
The painful missed area aim try is the 29-yarder he pulled huge left within the 35-32 victory at Chicago.
Even extra painful is Sanders’ 27 of 30 exhibiting on further factors, together with two misses in final week’s 39-17 victory over Cleveland.
His 76.5% success price on area aim makes an attempt is second-worst within the league amongst kickers with at the very least 15 makes an attempt (Pittsburgh’s Chris Boswell is 12 of 16 for 75%).
Sanders, nevertheless, is steeled by his personal confidence, and the staff’s confidence, that he’ll be there when wanted, one thing that turns into extra necessary after this week’s sport in opposition to hapless Houston, a time when the Dolphins transfer into probably the most harmful a part of their schedule.
After the Texans, the Dolphins (7-3) have that essential three-game street swing at San Francisco (6-4), on the Los Angeles Chargers (5-5) and at Buffalo (8-3). That’s adopted by a Christmas Day sport in opposition to Green Bay (4-7), a visit to New England (6-5), and the season finale in opposition to the New York Jets (6-4).
It’s secure to say Sanders can be wanted at the very least as soon as.
“The position is pretty blunt,” mentioned the five-year veteran. “Everybody sees it. But as long as you keep doing your job, taking it one kick, one swing at a time, good things will happen.”
Coaches and teammates consider the identical factor. And they’ve been constructive about Sanders.
They take their cue from rookie coach Mike McDaniel, who has been constructive about virtually all the pieces all season, together with throughout their three-game shedding streak.
McDaniel has been unwavering in his assist of Sanders. The Dolphins haven’t introduced in different kickers for tryouts, and so they haven’t publicly criticized Sanders throughout this tough stretch.
“He’s given me no reason to believe that he won’t get the things corrected,” McDaniel mentioned.
That perspective about Sanders is contagious.
“One of the coolest things he told me,” mentioned fullback Alec Ingold, one in every of Sanders’ golf buddies and closest mates on the staff, “is he’s all the time going to be one swing at a time. He by no means lets something earlier than faze him or something after.
“He mentioned that and I used to be like, ‘Damn, I’ve by no means heard that from a kicker.’ But that’s precisely how he ought to be pondering.’ “
Regardless, Sanders is the one kicker this season with at the very least 25 made further factors that has missed greater than two.
Minnesota’s Greg Joseph, a former Dolphins and Florida Atlantic University kicker who attended Delray Beach American Heritage, is 24 of 29 on further factors.
Sanders, Joseph and Chicago’s Cairo Santos are the one kickers to overlook three or extra further factors this season.
But once more, positivity reigns within the Dolphins’ lockerroom, maybe to the purpose of exaggeration.
“I don’t think he’s struggled at all,” heart Connor Williams mentioned of Sanders. “I think he’s been perfect for us. He’s done everything we could have asked. I think we’re lucky to have him.”
And for probably the most half, gamers give Sanders area and permit him to do his factor.
“I don’t personally go up and talk to Jason before or after kicks,” outdoors linebacker Jaelan Phillips mentioned. “I do know kicking is an actual psychological job. You don’t need to say an excessive amount of to him or do something like that. I simply let him deal with his enterprise. That’s simply the character of the sport.
“Sometimes you’re going to be performing well, sometimes you’re going to perform not so well. I have complete trust and confidence in him that he’ll do whatever he has to do.”
Sanders has made a number of essential kicks in his profession. He’s additionally caught a landing cross (from holder Matt Haack in a 2019 sport in opposition to Philadelphia), so you recognize he’s clutch.
The larger query is whether or not he could make the routine kick.
Sanders’ mentality leads you to assume that gained’t be a priority. His latest performances, nevertheless, elevate the priority degree a bit.
Teammates acknowledge the stresses of Sanders’ job.
“That’s the biggest mental game of anybody in this lockerroom,” Williams mentioned.
Miss a kick and also you may not get one other likelihood at redemption for one more week. You may need to dwell with that frustration and aggravation for seven days. Other place gamers can wipe out their frustrations on the subsequent play.
“It’s easy for me to run as hard as I can and take my emotions out on a lineman,” Ingold mentioned.
Kicking is basically a psychological sport, and Sanders says he stays as assured in his expertise as his coaches and teammates. We’ll see what occurs down the stretch.
“You’ve just got to stay locked in,” he mentioned. “You can’t get too high, you can’t get too low. You’ve always got to keep your feet on the ground and keep working at it one at a time.”
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Source: www.bostonherald.com