After missing two of the first six field goals attempted this season, a lot of people started pointing the finger and new starting punter Marquette King.
As arguably one of the best kickers in the NFL today, Sebastian Janikowski is known for being a go-to guy for the Oakland Raiders when this team needs to put points on the board. Many believe the Raiders might have been able to beat the Indianapolis Colts in Week 1 had Janikowski hit the one field goal attempted and missed against Andrew Luck and company.
Although King has taken a lot of criticism over the last few weeks for being a root of the problem, Shane Lechler’s replacement is more confident than ever via Vic Tafur of the San Francisco Chronicle:
“He’s one of the best kickers of all time,” King said. “I am not going to be the one to screw him up. Can’t wait until Monday.”
Heading into the matchup with the bitter division rival Denver Broncos on Monday night, the Raiders will likely have to call upon Janikowski at some point in order to either put the game in the fridge or at least make it competitive. King will continue to receive a lot of grief if Janikowski continues to miss field goals, but so far seems to be on the same page with the future Hall of Famer after connecting on four consecutive against the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 2.
Only time will tell if King and truly step out of Lechler shadow and emerge as a legitimate threat for this team both as a holder and a punter. Backup quarterback Matt Flynn recently received reps as the holder for Janikowski this week leading to speculation that the coaching staff may be willing to make a change, but it seems as though King will continue to get the nod unless disaster strikes in Week 3 against the Broncos.
