Feagles and Tynes enjoy job security

ALBANY, N.Y. - With no other kickers in the New York Giants' training camp, Jeff Feagles and Lawrence Tynes can enjoy some job security.

But even job security has a down side. For the Super Bowl champion punter and place-kicker, that means competing against themselves.

Of course, that's something both have done before.

Feagles has punted only a few times in the first two weeks of camp. Most of the time, he will take snaps from Zak DeOssie, take a few steps forward and then stop as a machine behind him sends a football downfield in a perfect spiral for the returners to handle.

"Right now, the machine is a lot better than I am. He can kick all day," said the 42-year-old Feagles, entering his 21st NFL season.

When the team practices twice a day at the University at Albany, he spends the mornings inside the gym, stretching, swimming and doing little drills that he has done for years.

"I just have to maintain what I've developed up to this point," he said as the Giants prepared for their preseason opener against the Lions in Detroit on Thursday. "For me I'm ready to go."

Tynes isn't as fortunate. The 30-year-old, who is in his fifth year, is on the field for both practices. He usually kicks off about 10 times a day and attempts at least eight field goals.

But during the morning sessions, he usually works by himself.

"It's just me out there," Tynes said. "It's boring. I don't have a snapper or a punter to hang out with."

Fifty to 60 times a day, Tynes will retrace the steps he will take on a field goal attempt and then swing his leg through an imaginary ball.

Of course, every kick is down the middle, splitting the uprights, like the one in overtime in Green Bay in January that sent the Giants to the Super Bowl and set up their stunning win over the previously unbeaten New England Patriots.

"It was a great memory for me but I want to move on. As great as that was, I still have room to improve," said Tynes, who missed two other game-winning field goal attempts in the NFC title game before converting.

Since last season ended, Tynes has been adjusting his kicking motion toward more explosive kickoffs and field goals. He said the changes are subtle, but there has been more pop to his kicks.

His accuracy is better than in camp a year ago when he was pushed for the place-kicking job by Josh Huston; this year, Tynes hit his first 19 field goal attempts.

However, there is also another reason for the improvement this year , Tynes got a chance to prepare for camp.

A year ago, his wife had a difficult pregnancy and delivered twins the day Tynes was leaving for camp. He struggled early, but made the team and hit 23 of 27 field goals attempts during the season. The game winner against Green Bay was his only game winner of the year.

"People say what a difference a year makes, and they are right," Tynes said.

During training camp, the thrill for Tynes and Feagles comes in little competitions, like the one coach Tom Coughlin set up last Friday.
Feagles represented the defense and Tynes the offense. The winning group got an extended curfew that night.

Feagles' goal was to punt inside the 10-yard line. Tynes had to make 40-something-yard field goals. Both missed on their first three tries.

Feagles got one down at the 5-yard line on his fourth, leaving Tynes with a make-or-come-home-early kick.

With curfew at stake, Feagles , the holder for Tynes , considered his options.

"I was thinking of Charlie Browning him on one," Feagles quipped. "But he was representing the offense and they would've probably piled me on."
Feagles didn't pull the ball away from Tynes on his last kick and it went through the uprights. Everyone got an extra hour added to their curfew, which made Tynes and Feagles popular with everyone.

"It was a good time," Feagles said.

(philly.com)