Consistency isn’t a word that is repeatedly associated with the Minnesota Vikings’ offense. Performance problems at various positions starting with quarterback have resulted in the Vikings offense scoring 15 touchdowns in eight games. Rookie phenom Adrian Peterson has deservedly been much written about and has scored nine of those touchdowns. The team’s other reliable point producer, just as expected, is field goal kicker Ryan Longwell.
In a Vikings’ career that began with the 2006 season, Longwell is 25-25 on field goals of 45 yards or less. He has made 11 of 14 field goals this season, including a career long 55 yarder that beat Chicago. That kind of accuracy continues a trend that Longwell has been establishing for years. He came into this season, his 11th in the NFL, with the seventh best percentage in career field goals in the NFL (tied with John Carnery of Jacksonville at 81.8 percent). Longwell started this season third in NFL scoring since 1997 and fourth in total field goals.
Vikings’ special teams coach Paul Ferraro was asked if he was surprised about Longwell’s 25-25 streak. “I am not surprised, no,” Ferraro said. “If you were to see the kicks that I see day in and day out in practice, I know it’s different than in the live situation, but. … He’s a very accurate kicker. He pays attention to his detail. He works hard. He worked very hard in the off-season. …”
The off-season work is part of what Ferraro and Longwell said has contributed to him kicking the ball deeper on kickoffs, resulting in more touchbacks. “Really it’s a result of three things,” Ferraro said. “Part of it was he changed some of his routine in the off-season, some of his strength training and some of his endurance training. We (also) limited his kicks in training camp. He had kicked a little bit more the year before in training camp. And we changed a little bit of his practice routine during the season. …”
Longwell believes his right kicking leg is stronger now than it has been and increased flexibility helps improve performance, too, but there’s also the mental element to kicking. “The good Lord has blessed me with a mind that doesn’t take things too seriously, whether it (the ball) goes through or not,” Longwell explained. “I’ve said many times I think there’s a million guys that can kick at this level but there’s only a few of us that have the mind to do it. That’s what I think the biggest difference is, is having the right mind set.”
On Sunday Longwell returns with the Vikings to Green Bay where he played from 1997-2005. Earlier this season he kicked three field goals, including two from over 40 yards, in a 23-16 loss to the Packers. Longwell said he isn’t one for “moral victories” after being asked if a Vikings win over the Packers Sunday will be a big highlight if Minnesota wins only a few games this season.