Welcome to the Monday edition of The Cooler, where sometimes the stars are misaligned. Let's get to it:
*Of course Blair Walsh is getting another chance in the NFL, this time as late competition in Falcons camp for the kicking job in Atlanta. And of course every story about Walsh this weekend referenced his 27-yard miss against Seattle in the playoffs.
But most of all: Of course if Walsh wins the job, he will be kicking against the Vikings in Week 1 of the regular season at U.S. Bank Stadium.
This is how it works with Vikings and kickers, or at least how it seems to work. Like a shortstop going through a streak of bad fielding, the ball always seems to find them.
It's not enough for the Vikings to struggle with the kicking game. The latest, in case you missed it: Kaare Vedvik, the big-legged kicker/punter acquired for a fifth-round pick a couple weeks ago, missed both his field goal tries in Saturday's 20-9 preseason win over Arizona. That was hardly the biggest concern (hello Kirk Cousins and the first-team passing offense), but it did lead Vikings coach Mike Zimmer to say in regards to Vedvik and the kicking game "I'm at a loss on that."
But no, it's not enough for the Vikings to have their own struggles. They must be reminded of past failures — potentially with Walsh in Week 1 and almost certainly in their second home game during Week 3 when they face the Raiders and second-year kicker Daniel Carlson.
Carlson, of course, was a fifth-round pick in 2018. He missed three field goals during a Week 2 tie with the Packers, and he was dumped. The Raiders scooped him up and he went 16 for 17 the rest of the way. Dan Bailey, the seasoned veteran brought in to replace him (with pretty much the 100 percent backing of everyone who follows the Vikings) missed seven field goals last year and was shaky enough in camp this year to usher in the Vedvik trade and competition.
Maybe the Vikings will make what proves to be the right decision this time, but history suggests otherwise.
