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It appears Green Bay Packers head coach Matt LaFleur does not have much confidence in rookie kicker Anders Carlson.
“Every time he goes out there, I just pray,” LaFleur said of his kicker prior to the team’s 24-21 loss to the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC Divisional round on Saturday night, according to Fox broadcaster Tom Rinaldi.
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Carlson wasn’t the reason Green Bay lost Saturday’s game, though he didn’t make things any easier for the Packers as he missed a 41-yard field goal just before the 49ers took a 24-21 lead on a touchdown from Christian McCaffrey.
Had Carlson made the field goal, the Packers would have gone up 24-17 and McCaffrey’s touchdown would have tied the game instead of proving to be the game-winner.
Regardless, Jordan Love ultimately cost the Packers the game after being picked off by 49ers linebacker Dre Greenlaw with under one minute remaining in the game.
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The Packers selected Carlson in the sixth round of the 2023 draft out of Auburn, deciding to use him and move on from Mason Crosby, who had been with the team for 16 years from 2007-2022.
Carlson’s struggles began during the regular season as he made 27 of 33 field goals (81.8 percent) and 34 of 39 extra-point attempts (87.2 percent). He made just four of eight field goals between 40 and 49 yards and three of five field goals from 50-plus yards.
In Green Bay’s wild card win over the Dallas Cowboys last weekend, Carlson made six of seven extra-point attempts, though he didn’t attempt a single field goals as the Packers won 48-32.
While Carlson struggled this season, it’s possible the Green and Gold will give him another shot in 2024. If he continues to miss the mark next season, then more questions will be asked about who might replace him.
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