The Aussie Taking The NFL By Storm

"He is a weapon"


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He's usually on the field for no more than a dozen plays a match but that hasn't stopped the New York Giants' Australian punter Brad Wing being labelled a weapon by his NFL head coach.

A lot of names come up when people start talking about the success of the Giants' defence, but one that rarely gets mentioned is Wing, a guy who is never on the field with the D.

Wing has been good all year, and absolutely in the zone in recent weeks.

The 25-year-old Australian who played at Louisiana State University was named the NFC special teams player of the week after punting nine times last weekend for averages of 43.2 yards gross and 42.9 net.

Five of his kicks were downed inside the 20-yard line.

Dallas gained three yards on three punt returns in last week's 10-7 win over the high-flying Cowboys.

"He is a weapon," head coach Ben McAdoo.

"He is coming into his own, realising how good he can be. He is executing on the field, doing a fantastic job."

For the season, Wing is ninth in the NFL with a 46.5 gross average, and 10th with a 41-yard net.

"A lot of it is rhythm and timing," Wing said.

"It's getting into a zone and getting into a groove. It's always a little tougher to get into that zone in these colder months and we are doing a good job of that."

Wing is quick to point out his success is more than him.

It's Zak DeOssie making the snaps. It's Dwayne Harris covering his punts, including two that he downed at the Cowboys' three-yard line, the last on Dallas' final drive.

Statistically, Wing is averaging 1.5 yards more on his gross and more than two yards more on his net.

The third-year punter who spent his first season with the Pittsburgh Steelers also is getting better with his boomerang punt.

It's an old-fashioned pouch punt that seems to check near the goal line like a golf ball on the green when it hits right.

"That punt is more like a change-up punt," Wing said.

Wing said his only focus was punting well on Sunday against the Detroit Lions who, like the Giants, have a 9-4 record with three weeks left in the regular season.

- AAP

17 December 2016




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