Super Bowl XLIII Preview

With two weeks until Super Bowl XLIII in Tampa Bay, we will take a daily look at the factors that will affect the game.

#6 Kickers

Most people think of kickers as the small foreign guy at the end of the bench. In reality, he is now the large foreign guy at the end of the bench.

The kickers, even though mocked by media, teammates and fans are one of the most important players on the 53 man roster. They provide points when offenses stall and very often decide close games. During the season, many games come down to the final seconds with the only thing between a team and a victory is a field goal from that "weird little kicker".

In championship games kickers are very important. Even though Vegas has the Steelers as 7 point favorites, this game could very well come down to either a Jeff Reed or Neil Rackers field goal. So who would I like to have on the field in the final seconds of Super Bowl XLIII? Give me Neil Rackers! Rackers has the stronger leg, is more accurate from over 40 yds, and slightly more accurate overall. This might have something to do with Reed playing on one of the worst fields in the NFL and Rackers kicking in a (almost) dome stadium, but I am going with Rackers anyway.

Being a kicker isn't easy, if the game does come down to the final seconds and you are out on the field, you know you are walking off the field either the hero or the goat...as long as you don't have Tony Romo as your holder, than it is his fault.