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TSR’s Punter of the Week
Steve Weatherford – New York Giants

Who is he?
Weatherford has a cocky streak in him and he can be kind of a wild child and a prankster.  He’s brash.  He’s imposing physically and he has a Super Bowl ring.  His warm personality and on-field contributions during last season’s magical Big Blue playoff ride made him a celebrity on a team loaded with interesting characters.  Weatherford’s antics can get him in a bit of trouble however.  During this past summer’s training camp, Giants coach Tom Coughlin got livid about a Weatherford Twitter post linking to a video showing two teammates engaging in reckless horseplay.  After Big Blue won a dramatic NFC title game in San Fran earlier this year, Weatherford could be seen on national television mouthing the words “I’m Going to the Mother-Fucking Super Bowl!” as he celebrated victory on the field.  Not exactly something the staid Giants brass wants from its punter.  But Weatherford has been great as a Giant. At  29 years old, Weatherford has a steady punting job after bouncing to and from four teams starting with the Saints in 2006.  A four-year starter at the University of Illinois, Weatherford grew up in the state of Indiana and maintains close charitable ties with organizations in Terre Haute.  Weatherford is an active cheerleader during games which is a little unusual for a punter.  He appears to have a close working relationship with kicker Lawrence Tynes.

Weatherford’s stat line against the Panthers on 9-20-12:
2 punts.  76 yards total.  Avg. 38.0 yards per. 38.0 net.

The punts in detail:
1.  Weatherford’s first of only two punts in this game came with 46 seconds left in the first half and the Giants up by 20.  There was concern in the run-up to this Thursday night contest in Charlotte that Big Blue would struggle without Nicks, Bradshaw and Diehl.  Instead, they coasted.   Neither Weatherford punt was a pressure kick.  Standing at midfield, Weatherford’s first punt bounced at the five and came back high in the air.  Teammate Chase Blackburn snared it at the eight.  Weatherford walked off the field with a big grin on his face. He received a high five from Tynes.  The NFL Network showed replays of Giants QB Eli Manning chastising Martellus Bennett after the latter stopped his route prematurely on the previous play.  By pinning them so deep, Weatherford forced the Panthers to kill what was left of the first half clock.  Carolina walked to its locker room to a cascade of boos.  Officially, it was a 35 yard punt with no return.

2. It was garbage time when Weatherford came on for his final punt late in a blowout.  Again standing near midfield, the 4th and 13 play from the NYG 40 called for a pooch.   The replacement officials working the game had to halt play just before the kick.  They convened a discussion when one of the stripes realized the game clock was winding down with the play clock off.  After that was straightened out, the Panthers sent the house and tried for a block.  Weatherford sniffed out the heavy rush and expedited the kick, a 41-yarder to the Carolina 19.  Rookie Carolina returner Joe Adams muffed the catch and the fumble was recovered by Justin Tryon of the Giants in the red zone.  Adams took his eye off the ball just before catching it and it slipped right through his hands.  There didn’t appear to be any special knuckling action or English on Weatherford’s ball.  Adams had earlier fumbled a kickoff return leading to a NYG TD.  This one led to a Giants FG.  The long delay before the punt meant Weatherford stood on the field for a solid three minutes before being able to launch it.  While the officials bungled clock administration, Big Blue wideout Ramses Barden could be seen on the sidelines leading Lets Go Giants chants coming from a huge contingent of fans who made the trip to Carolina.

The Sound of a Punt:
Bob Papa and Carl Banks call Big Blue on radio and their description of the Adams muff on Weatherford’s second punt was spot on.  Competent but largely passionless is how I’d describe Papa’s calls these days.  I used to like him a lot more.  Over on the NFL Network on the same play, Brad Nessler mistakenly told the audience that Tryon’s dash with the ball into the end zone was a TD.  The NFL Network’s production truck put the points on the board before Nessler’s partner Mike Mayock correctly asserted that you can’t advance an opponent’s muff.  Unrelated point:  my cable system Time Warner finally added the NFL Network the day after the Giants game and I’ve been watching a lot of it since it appeared on my system.  The audio clip below is Papa and Banks calling the punt and muff on WFAN here in New York.

The Punt-osis:  
Weatherford is basking in the glory and pride of a championship and performing at a high level.  He was given a generous, front-loaded contract extension before the current season.  Included is an unusual amount of guaranteed and first-year-of-the-deal dough (for a punter).  It’s said to be seven-plus million in the bank if Weatherford completes this season with four more at a mil-per (non-guaranteed) going forward.  Weatherford’s two seasons with the Jets (preceding his free agent signing with Big Blue) were solid but special teams coach Mike Westhoff’s type A didn’t seem to mesh with a type A punter.  The two have sparred verbally in the media since Weatherford left.  You’d have to say Weatherford’s future as a Giant is pretty secure given the money already doled out.  The Giants don’t put up with much nonsense so Weatherford likely knows the limits on acceptable behavior and will have to remind himself of that on occasion.  I saw Weatherford at the parade up the Canyon of Heroes and it was great to see so much love showered on a punter.  He clearly enjoys the attention and adulation.

Next week’s Punter of the Week:  Chris Jones – Dallas Cowboys

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TSR’s Punter of the Week
Andy Lee – San Francisco 49ers

Who is he?
After a stellar college career playing on solid Walt Harris-coached teams at Pitt, Lee was taken by the Niners in the sixth-round of the 2004 NFL draft. He’s become one of the best punters in the history of the NFL while playing every single regular season game since winning the punting job as a rookie. Now in his ninth season, Lee has only been blocked three times while launching 731 regular season punts. He’s made the Pro Bowl three times. Lee’s 2011 season was off the charts. His 44.0 net yardage per punt last year is a NFL single season record. Last season’s 50.9 yards per punt gross is pretty amazing, too, given the swirling winds that are famous at the Stick. Before the current season, Lee signed a six-year extension worth $20.5 million on top of the $1.1 mil he was set to earn this year. It’s not all guaranteed obviously, but assuming Lee stays healthy, he’ll likely be right up there with Shane Lechler as the highest paid punter in the sport. Lee is moderately active on Twitter. He has expressed fondness for In-N-Out burgers, playing golf and reading the bible. On May 9, 2012, Lee issued this tweet: “I wish fingernails would just stay at a perfect length of pretty much nothing and not grow!”

Lee’s stat line against the Lions on 9-16-12:
3 punts. 109 yards total. Avg. 36.3 yards per. 33.0 net.

The punts in detail:
1. Lee’s first punt came late in the first quarter. He stepped onto the field wearing a white, long-sleeved undershirt below his jersey. Lee wears uniform number 4, the same numeral favored by 49ers head coach Jim Harbaugh during his playing days. Lee’s right thumb was heavily wrapped for this game. White medical tape criss-crossed his hand and thumb to secure a thin splint aimed at projecting an injury suffered during the opener in Green Bay. Lee dove with hands extended at Randall Cobb during a failed, last-ditch attempt to stop Cobb’s 75-yard punt return for a TD. On the NBC broadcast of Sunday night’s Niners/Lions tilt, Cris Collinsworth said Lee’s injury may be more serious than the team and player is letting on. “I don’t think he’ll (Lee) admit it, but I think he has a broken thumb,” said Collinsworth who later noted that Lee appeared bothered with pain while holding for practice kicks by teammate David Akers before the game. From my vantage point watching on television, Lee did indeed seem a bit distracted by pain in his right hand. He rubbed it. But it didn’t impact his execution. His first punt was a boomer. After three unhurried steps forward with the ball, Lee launched it high and far. 52-yards gross. 42-yards net. Niners cover man CJ Spillman missed a tackle on the play. That allowed a ten-yard return which was later negated on a block-above-the-waist call on the Lions.

2. With three and a half minutes gone in the second quarter, Lee came on for a pooch. Unshaven and lanky, Lee had to tilt his frame left to field the snap. It was 4th and 5 on the Detroit 39 which made it fake punt territory. But Lee is solid on the pin job so he put it up. It landed in the hands of Lions returner Stefan Logan at the 14 yard line. Not ideal considering Lee punted the ball from midfield. You’d want it a little closer to the goal line without going in, if possible. Harbaugh could be seen mouthing the words: “Damn. That sucked.” It’s not clear if he was reacting to the punt – or the stalled drive that led to it. Call it a 25-yard punt. Same on the net.

3. Lee’s third and final punt came with a couple minutes left in the first half. There was more hand licking for grip purposes. It was a pooch from about the same spot Lee punted the earlier softie. This one was better. Logan downed it at the 9 after signaling fair catch. 32 yard punt. 32 yard net. The nose of the football was pointing straight down when Lee struck it. That would have created backspin had Logan let it hit the ground.

The Sound of a Punt:
There are few broadcasters better than Niners play-by-play man Ted Robinson. TSR had the good fortune of meeting Robinson on the 7 train after a Met game a few years ago and he was as nice as can be. The clip below is Robinson’s KGO-AM call of Lee’s third punt which effectively stuck the Lions deep in their own zone. Robinson is joined in the radio booth this year for the first time by ex-Niner Eric Davis. I should point out that I was up late the night before this game watching the PAC-10 Network’s telecast of UCLA/Houston at the Rose Bowl. It was Ted Robinson who called that game, too. I can only assume Ted rose early on Sunday with little sleep to make the trip up the coast for a kickoff that came less than seven hours after the UCLA game ended.

The Punt-osis:
At the age of 30, Lee has quietly joined Shane Lechler as the best punter in the NFL. It’s nice he’s now locked in for a long time to come contractually. Lee fits perfectly with a Niners team that fights stout field position battles week-in, week-out. Both the team and the punter are a pleasure to watch. Harbaugh loves Lee and likely had a big say in the rich deal inked by Lee. The Niners need to abandon the ridiculous dance routine performed before kickoffs. It caused them to go offisides on the second boot by David Akers. Lee’s insistence he’d play through the thumb injury says lots about his toughness. As the holder on the record-tying 63-year-yard Akers field goal in Green Bay, Lee added another distinction to an already great career. There’s little doubt Lee will be around a long time if he can keep his lower extremities out of harm’s way.

Next week’s Punter of the Week: Steve Weatherford – New York Giants