The Green Bay Packers suffered a serious bump in the road in Week 9 when they were handed a shocking 16-13 defeat to the Carolina Panthers. Several notable issues popped up in this loss, and for the second straight game, kicker Brandon McManus missed a kick that ended up costing the Packers an opportunity to come out on top in this game.
It hasn’t been a great season for McManus, as he’s missed five of his 16 field goal attempts in the six games he’s played in. While he has been battling a quad injury as of late, head coach Matt LaFleur made some interesting comments that made it seem like some changes could be made at this position. On Saturday, however, he took a second to clear the air on the situation.
Matt LaFleur Addresses Brandon McManus Situation
For much of his career, McManus has been one of the most consistent kickers in the NFL. Things haven’t gone as smoothly for him this season, though, and if his struggles continue, the team could be forced into making a change. Earlier this week, LaFleur made comments that seemed to insinuate that a competition was taking place at the position.
When McManus was forced to miss time earlier this season, Green Bay turned to Lucas Havrisik for two games. Havrisik was perfect for the Packers, making all four of his field goal attempts and all six of his extra point attempts during his brief stint with the team. While McManus is the starting kicker for the time being, it is worth noting that Havrisik is still on the active roster, creating a rather unique dynamic.
On Saturday, LaFleur immediately found himself getting asked about the potential competition between McManus and Havrisik, based on his recent comments. The head coach quickly shot down the notion that there was a competition, though, simply saying his comments were misconstrued and that McManus will be the team’s kicker in Week 10.
“Packers coach Matt LaFleur said Brandon McManus is the kicker and too much was read into his remark about it being a competition, saying ‘Every spot is a competition,’” Rob Demovsky of ESPN shared in a post on X.
Packers Looking to Get Back in the Win Column in Week 10
GettyQuarterback Jordan Love of the Green Bay Packers.
The kicker may not seem like the most important position for the Packers, but the team is leaving points on the field with McManus right now. Given how solid Havrisik looked during his brief two-game stint filling in for the veteran kicker, it’s fair to say that McManus is kicking for his job in Week 10, even if LaFleur is shooting down the notion that there’s a competition brewing.
Getting back on track is going to be easier said than done, though, because Green Bay has a tough matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles on its hands in Week 10. With this game scheduled for Monday Night Football, kickoff is scheduled for 8:15 p.m. ET, and all eyes will be on this heavyweight NFC matchup to see who comes out on top.
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