Mike Priefer might have put his job on the line when the Vikings special teams coach convinced General Manager Rick Spielman and coach Leslie Frazier to release a great placekicker in Ryan Longwell and put the job in the hands of a rookie named Blair Walsh, who was coming off a bad senior season at Georgia.
But so far, Priefer has watched Walsh make good on two field goals against the 49ers and five of six against the Bills. So right now, he should be hailed as a hero of the coaching staff.
And as important as his field goal accuracy is, the fact that Walsh has consistently put kickoffs into the end zone is also significant. Walsh, who will be paid $390,000 compared to Longwell's 2012 contract of $2.6 million, talked about the great relationship he developed with Priefer before the Vikings drafted him in the sixth round.
Minnesota Vikings
Record: 10-6
2nd in NFC North
Home: Mall of America Field at H.H.H. Metrodome, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Capacity: 64,111
2nd in NFC North
Home: Mall of America Field at H.H.H. Metrodome, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Capacity: 64,111
Blair Walsh excels so far filling kicker shoes
Minneapolis Star Tribune 8/19/2012
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