Slumping Akers is taking the heat
After 13-plus seasons and 432 field-goal attempts, David Akers apparently forgot an unfortunate part of his job description last week: He’s in the most demand when he’s at his worst.
Yes, NFL kickers, like baseball closers, have thankless jobs. Succeed? That’s expected. Fail? That will inspire a wave of what’s-wrong-with-you questions, from fans and reporters alike.
After missing a 41-yard field-goal attempt in overtime in San Francisco’s 24-24 tie against the Rams, Akers, 37, left the locker room before most reporters arrived. After his absence was noted in accounts of the game, Akers, who said he was in the locker room when the first wave of media entered, took exception this past week.
“No (reporters) ever talked to me,” he said. “And I walked out, and now all of a sudden I’m ‘dodging the media’ and all that stuff. I don’t know who wrote that, but that’s completely false. I’m here. I’ll stand up and talk.
“But the only other time
people wanted to talk to me even from the beginning of the preseason was after the Packers game. If somebody wants to ask me a question, I’m here.”
Akers is right: He was a sought-after interviewee after he tied an NFL record with a 63-yard field goal in a seasonopening win at Green Bay.
Now, however, he’s attracting reporters for all the wrong reasons.
After a record-setting debut season with the 49ers in 2011, Akers has made just 9 of his past 15 attempts dating to Week 3, including 3 of 8 from at least 40 yards. Overall, he’s made 15 of 21 kicks, and his 71.4 percentage ranks 30th in the NFL.
Last year, Akers established league records for field goals (44) and attempts (52), and made 7 of 9 kicks from at least 50 yards, including a 55-yarder that set a Candlestick Park record. Akers wasn’t perfect last year — his 84.6 field-goal percentage ranked 14th in the league — but he never missed when it mattered most.
Last Sunday, he made a 33-yarder to send the game into overtime, but his wide-left miss in the extra session is what was remembered.
“I feel horrible for doing that,” Akers said. “But it wasn’t out of spite or anything like that. I’m trying my best. And I can’t really hang my head because of that. I try hard. I work hard. I put a lot of time and effort into this craft, and it’s been a little different than I’m used to.”
Akers hasn’t missed any chip shots this season — his six misses have come from between 40 and 55 yards — and he hasn’t lost the confidence of his teammates.
Akers is a six-time Pro Bowl selection who ranks 13th in NFL history in field goals made (353) and 23rd in fieldgoal percentage (81.7).
“David is one of the best kickers to ever play this game,” wide receiver Kyle Williams said. “So I don’t think there’s one guy in here who batted an eyelash or looked at David with any type of malice. I think he is probably the hardest guy on himself and that’s about it.”