Kicking System Blog

Mike Scrifres, had one of the best games I have seen for an NFL punter.  His 50 + net average was increadible. It shows how kickers and punters can be weapons for their respective teams. I have the pleasure to meet Mike, numerous times, last time was in pre-season camp when I introduced him to Brian Stohavich, punter for SDSU. 

Article:

By JIM ALEXANDER
The Press-EnterpriseSAN DIEGO – Mike Scifres has been punting in the NFL for six seasons, all with the Chargers. Saturday night’s performance, in which he played a key role in San Diego’s 23-17 overtime playoff victory over Indianapolis, had to be his best as a pro.

“Oh, by far,” he said. “It was my best game ever: high school, college. I couldn’t go to sleep at night and dream about something like that.”

The most visible, most memorable part of Scifres’ evening was his last kick, a punt that bounced out of bounds at the Indianapolis 1 with 2:41 left in regulation, eventually setting up Nate Kaeding’s tying field goal.

Story continues below Frank Bellino / The Press-Enterprise Chargers tight end Antonio Gates, who rested his injured ankle all week, had eight catches for 87 yards.Scifres averaged 52.7 yards on six kicks, including a 67-yarder in the second quarter. He put all six kicks inside the Colts’ 20, an NFL playoff record, and four of them inside the 10.

“It’s always a big deal when you’ve got No. 5 back there punting the ball,” linebacker Stephen Cooper said. “You know you’re going to get field position.

“He’s a Pro Bowl-caliber player, an all-pro punter, and he doesn’t get enough credit. He showed it today.”

Colts coach Tony Dungy called Scifres’ punting “the difference in the game … He just pinned us in the hole all night long.”