Marvin Lewis on Brad St. Louis: "We have to take into consideration what’s best for the team"

by Josh Kirkendall on Oct 6, 2009 10:35 AM EDT in Analysis

If there were to be a goat nominated through the first quarter of the season on a team that's 3-1 and tied for the lead in the AFC North, then you have to assume it's Bengals' snapper Brad St. Louis. Joe Reedy writes that St. Louis has had "four errant snaps in three games that have led to eight missed points (two field goals, two extra points)."

Marvin Lewis did comment on St. Louis Monday.

“Well, we have to take into consideration what’s best for the team. I’ll continue to say those same things on this subject,” Lewis said. “I’m comfortable that we need to do better. I’m confident in that, and we’re going to leave it at that.”

That's how you sidestep a question.

I also believe that an argument could be made that both blocked kicks against the Cleveland Browns could be blamed just as much on Shayne Graham as St. Louis. Both snaps were wild, but Kevin Huber did a good job catching the football and setting it up. Both blocked kicks were incredibly low and easily blocked, mostly because the delicate timing of the snap, hold and kick were thrown off.

I'm not letting St. Louis off the hook. But Graham should be able to deal with bad snaps also, if the holder gets the football and properly sets it up. He is, after all, our franchise guy. And the franchise guy can't require that every play be perfect or we're not seeing the last of our low field goal attempts get blocked.

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Brain ready to explode

by featherman on Oct 6, 2009 10:49 AM EDT reply actions

Graham

I agree, Graham deserved more blame then he is getting. A bad snap can throw off the timing on a long kick, but a NFL kicker should be able to lean back and chip an extra point or 25 yarder in, with one step, regardless of the timing.

And the winning kick could not have been any closer.

by R.F. Mehl on Oct 6, 2009 11:06 AM EDT reply actions

Re:

“And the winning kick could not have been any closer.”

Actually, if you see the kick from Graham’s angle, it went through without much of a problem.

by IFChris on Oct 6, 2009 11:21 AM EDT up reply actions

RE:

Yea, but if remember when it happened lived, you’d remember that sensation that we all turned into people that sound like the Hulk. ARGGGGG!

Blogger at CincyJungle.com -- SB Nation Cincinnati Bengals blog.

by Josh Kirkendall on Oct 6, 2009 11:29 AM EDT up reply actions

Yeah, I was sure it was wide. Thank God for bad TV camera angles.

by Todd G on Oct 6, 2009 11:39 AM EDT up reply actions

yea I wasn't sure

because the ref on the right side of the goal post didn’t put his arms up right away. He checked with the ref on the left side first.

by featherman on Oct 6, 2009 1:06 PM EDT up reply actions

"Well, we have to take into consideration what’s best for the team." Lewis said.

If this were true, st louis would have been cut before the cleveland game.

by palewook on Oct 6, 2009 11:48 AM EDT reply actions

I was at the bar with my dad...

And the game was on mute with no subtitles. There weren’t any other Bengals fans there (Michigan) so I thought we didn’t get it and it was a tie game. Me and my dad took separate cars home and when I got back I logged on CincyJungle to see we had actually won… after a pissed off drive home thinking we had tied the game. How embarrassing… Of course, if the sound or subtitles had been on I would’ve known.

by WhoDeyDerek on Oct 6, 2009 12:16 PM EDT reply actions

lol wow thats hilarious

good story. i totally thought the kick was wide. i thought the refs screwed up big time when they called it good.

by GrooveLeg on Oct 6, 2009 12:26 PM EDT up reply actions

i thought it was wide also

in fact, i still havent seen an angle that made it look good to this day

"I have found me a home"

by obc2 on Oct 6, 2009 9:39 PM EDT up reply actions

I sitting here watching NFL primetime

and they are talking about the kicks. They showed the replays and I have got to say that it was Grahams fault. He should’ve been able to adjust and get the ball higher in the air. I Know St Louis’ snaps were terrible but Huber handled the ball perfectly. It’s up to Graham to seal the deal. St Louis still needs to work at it and get it right. I was blaming St Louis, for the bad snaps, but after reviewing it , it was both of them. I’m starting to think Graham needs to get it together!!!!!! Especially after that close field goal that was made at the end of OT. God I’m glad I’ve calmed down.

by WHYUS!! on Oct 6, 2009 2:34 PM EDT reply actions