Posted at 4:59 p.m., Monday, September 17, 2007
NFL: Falcons turn to veteran kicker Andersen, 47
Associated Press
FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — The Atlanta Falcons again are turning to Morten Andersen to solve their kicking woes.One day after Matt Prater missed two field goals in the Falcons' 13-7 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars, the Falcons cut him and signed Andersen, 47, today.
Andersen, an eight-time Pro Bowl selection and the NFL's career scoring leader with 2,445 points, and also the Falcons' leader with 707. He was Atlanta's kicker from 1995-2000 before coming back for a second stint with the team last year.
Andersen was 20-for-23 in field-goal attempts in 14 games with the Falcons last season, including 7-for-8 from 40 to 49 yards.
Despite his continued accuracy on field goals, Andersen no longer has the leg strength for kickoffs, forcing the team to use punter Michael Koenen in that capacity. Koenen also has been used on kickoffs this season.
Prater is 1-of-4 this season, including two costly misses yesterday. He was wide right from 43 yards in the second quarter and wide right from 26 yards in the third.
"This was really tough," Prater said after the game. "I put it all on my shoulders. I feel like I let the team down. I didn't do my part or my job. So I feel pretty bad about it."
Andersen has made 540 of 681 field goals in his career. He set an Atlanta record with a 59-yard field goal in 1995, when he also set the team record for most 50-yard field goals in a season with eight.
