Being the incumbent in any job is an advantage, but you still have to perform well to keep said job. That’s especially true in football, where results mean everything.
For Anders Carlson, his hold on the Green Bay Packers’ kicking job is tenuous at best. His rookie season was marked by inconsistency and some particularly ill-timed misses, including his final attempt of the season in the Divisional Playoffs. Now facing a serious challenge from NFL veteran Greg Joseph, he needs to elevate his performance above the level of play that he put up last season.
On Thursday, however, the two players trended in opposite directions, putting the kicking competition under the spotlight when the Packers head out onto Lambeau Field on Saturday evening.