Eagles kicker David Akers finds the strength to keep working through field-goal problems
By DAVID WEINBERG Staff Writer, 609-272-7186
Published: Saturday, October 04, 2008
PHILADELPHIA - David Akers couldn't sleep.It was after midnight on Dec. 16, 2007, a few hours before the Eagles' 10-6 victory over the Dallas Cowboys at Texas Staium. Akers tossed and turned in his hotel bed, unable to even doze off. Exasperated, he turned on the flat-screen TV above the desk and flipped through the channels.None of the pay-per-view movies interested him. He was never been one to watch ESPN's "SportsCenter" at any time of day, let alone the wee hours. And if he had to see David Caruso take off his sunglasses one more time on "CSI Miami," he was going to scream.Finally, he stopped at an infomercial that featured a dark-haired, well-muscled guy leading three other people through an intense, no-nonsense workout. In between exercises, he listened to the testimonials from people who now had six-pack abs where their beer guts used to be."I really had not been feeling that great and I wanted to try something different," Akers said. "I figured I would start in January and if it didn't work after 90 days, I'd have plenty of time to start something else to get ready for training camp.
"But it worked great. I dropped from 200 pounds to 185 and I'm holding strong at 181. That's the lightest I've been since my freshman year of college (at the University of Louisville). And since I'm hitting the ball so much better, it's just a matter of aiming (field goals) at the right place."***It turns out Tony Horton might be the one to blame for Akers' two missed field goals in Chicago last Sunday.If Horton, a famous fitness guru, had not developed his popular "P90X" workout series, Akers would not have increased his leg strength to the point where he actually struck the ball with too much force."I think it's just the deal where Dave has to trust his leg strength," Eagles special-teams coordinator Rory Segrest said. "He's a different kicker this year than he was last year because he just got so much more powerful over the offseason."Akers, who missed from 50 and 47 yards in the Eagles' 24-20 loss to the Bears, said his aim was off at Chicago.The left-footed kicker aimed his 50-yard attempt about a foot outside the right upright at Soldier Field in hopes that the right-to-left wind would push the ball over. When it didn't, he adjusted slightly during the 47-yarder only to see it carom off the right upright."I couldn't believe they didn't move over," Akers said. "Both (holder) Sav (Rocca) and I were positive it would. I even got a text message from (Tennessee Titans kicker) Rob Bironas after the game and he said he couldn't believe it, either."My problem was that I hit those balls so hard that I cut through the wind. To put it in golf terms, it's like hitting your putts through the break."The breaks haven't been going Akers' way lately. Including those two misses in Chicago - he also hit two shorter kicks - the 10-year Eagles veteran is 3-for-13 from 40 yards and beyond since making a 48-yarder against the New York Giants in the playoffs two seasons ago.Had he made at least one of those kicks against the Bears, the Eagles likely would have earned a victory. Their failure to score a touchdown from inside the 1-yard line late in the game might not have happened if the Eagles were trailing by one point instead of four - they could have gone instead for the go-ahead field goal."I'm a very competitive person, so I was pretty upset," Akers said. "It was not a good feeling to know that I definitely helped the outcome go to the Bears the other night."But at the same time, I can't let it get to me. I know I'm not the greatest thing since sliced bread and I'm not the worst kicker in the world either. I have to focus on the positive."Despite his recent struggles, Akers is still among the league's most reliable kickers, having made 205-of-254 field goals (80.7 percent) and 320-of-324 extra points in the regular season. (In the playoffs, he's 21-for-25 on field goals and 33-for-33 in PATs). He enters today's game against Washington with 922 career points, good for fourth place in the NFL since 2000.And he has usually come through in the clutch. Twelve of his field goals either tied the game or put the Eagles ahead with under five minutes left in the fourth quarter.Akers is hoping for another chance against the Redskins. The quickest way to forget about a missed field goal is to make one. "The way I look at it is if my career ended today, I will have been blessed to have played 10 years in the NFL and blessed to have played for coach (Andy) Reid for 10 years. I have been to three Pro Bowls and I have a healthy wife and (three) healthy kids who love me. So am I going to let two (missed) kicks in one game destroy me? No way."***Practice had just ended on Thursday and some of the Eagles headed to the weight room to work out with strength coach Mike Wolf and his staff.Akers headed back to the trainer's room along with punter Sav Rocca, long-snapper Jon Dorenbos and a few other players. Once there, they joined trainer Rick Burkholder and his staff for a "P90X" routine that they perform five days a week. Some days are devoted to weights, some to cardio. There are even routines that feature yoga, kenpo (martial arts), plyometrics and stretching.An hour before working their bodies, Akers, Rocca and Dorenbos headed over to Lincoln Financial Field with Segrest. Akers attempted field goals from all angles and distances in an effort to gauge the wind. On the last one, he swung his left leg and sent the ball over the crossbar from 55 yards away.He can only hope he has the same success today. Otherwise, he's in for a sleepless night that TV won't cure.E-mail David Weinberg:DWeinberg@pressofac.com
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