Alex Henery has been quite consistent throughout training camp.
Actually, he’s been terrific.
But through the first three preseason games, Henery has missed two field goals.
That’s not overly alarming, but kickers are remembered for the ones they missed.
Henery outdueled rookie free agent Carey Spear, and now he’s competing against Cody Parkey.
For Henery, it’s about competing against himself. The job is clearly his to secure.
“That's probably the most frustrating part, is that I'm hitting good balls in practice,” Henery told the Philadelphia Daily News. “It's just those two that popped up in the games. Those aren't the ones I'm happy about.”
Henery, a fourth-round pick in 2011, doesn’t seem overly concerned.
“My first training camp here, my camp was terrible,” Henery told the Daily News. “But I kicked good [once the season started]. I guess it's just whatever you read into that. When training camp's over, you make sure you're ready for the season.”
Henery is also remembered for missing a crucial 48-yard field goal in last season’s playoff loss to the New Orleans Saints. The Eagles wound up losing 26-24.
Do the math.
If Henery had converted that field goal, the Eagles might have advanced.
Punter Donnie Jones understands what it’s like to go through struggles. He stepped in to vouch for Henery.
“Let me help Al out here,” Jones told the Daily News. “I've played a long time. This is year 11 for me. Obviously, I'm a punter and Al's a kicker, but throughout the course of 11 years, I don't know how many bad games I've had, bad weeks of practice … you don't know why. This guy's a good kicker. He knows he's good. He'll bounce back from it. I know it's frustrating, because I've been through the same thing -- that's what I try to tell him. We all go through it. It's a matter of dealing with it and keeping your confidence. That's the first thing that goes. Today I had a [expletive] day at practice. It [stunk]. Why? I don't know.
“I remember one year, back in 2007, [the Rams] had just signed me to a multiyear deal,” Jones added. “I had, like, two or three games, I couldn't hit a ball. Don't know why. But I [stunk] in a game, I went back the next week at practice and worked and worked, came back next week in the game, [stunk] again. Coach said, 'What the hell's wrong with Donnie?' 'Don't know, coach. Wish I could answer it.' It took me three weeks, but I finally got that groove back."
