Chargers’ Nick Novak Deserves More Credit and Respect
By Sam Kweon
The San Diego Chargers won a nail-biter against the Arizona Cardinals in their second preseason game, and that is due to Josh Lambdo’s heroic 47 yard game winning field goal as time expired.
Lambdo also nailed a 53 yard field goal with plenty of distance left earlier in the game, as well as another 43 yarder after that.
The Chargers’ starting kicker Nick Novak went 0/1 for the day, missing an extra point attempt.
When the game ended, “keep lambdo” started trending on Twitter. Many fans wanted to #KeepLambdo and #CutNovak. A rookie kicker, who was formerly a professional soccer player, walked into the game as a nobody and ran out with thousands of fans wanting him as the starter for the season.
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This is called overreaction at it’s finest.
Novak had a 84.6% percentage rate last season, with a 91.9% just the year before. He set a team record with 30 straight field goals made last season. This is a guy that worked his butt off, and got rejected by NFL teams over 40 times.
His only problem has been failure to kick touchbacks, and he ranked dead last in that category last season which hurt the Chargers defense. But this off-season, he worked his butt off and we recently saw him boot touchbacks these past two pre-season games. Novak may be entering 2015 as one of the best kickers in the league, he has it all.
Nick Novak’s road to the NFL has not been an easy one. He has been rejected by NFL teams at least 40 times. And now Charger fans want to cut him?
Let’s have some respect and loyalty. Novak has hit many clutch field goals for the Bolts and won games that other kickers couldn’t have.
Who would the fans pick as the #Chargers kicker? RT- Lambo Fav- Novak
— ⚡BOLT UP!!!⚡ (@Chargersthunder) August 23, 2015
Bye bye Nick Novak… Let’s cut him @Chargers and keep Lambo!!! He is the kicker of the future for SD!!! #sportsjunkies
— Potluck (@PotluckMusic) August 23, 2015
Chargers should cut Nick Novak and just go with Josh Lambo
— Joku Salvatore (@Blanksurface) August 23, 2015
Lambo might have taken Novak’s job tonight.
— #BTHOasu (@haydengaspard) August 23, 2015
@Chargers Fire Novak Keep Lambo or we will lose in the playoffs due to a missed FG
— HM13 (@HarunMo13) August 23, 2015
And I tried by best to defend Novak…
One big thing I really don’t like about a lot of Charger fans is the lack of loyalty for players. Novak has done so much. It’s one damn game
— Sam Kweon (@SamKweonWriter) August 23, 2015
I watched Novak work his ass off on touchbacks, because that was his only problem, all off-season long and now cut him?!? Sickening…
— Sam Kweon (@SamKweonWriter) August 23, 2015
— Sam Kweon (@SamKweonWriter) August 23, 2015