Being the kicker for the Green Bay Packers inevitably means having to kick a rock-hard football in cold weather outdoor games. For years and years, the franchise’s best and most reliable kickers — Chris Jacke, Ryan Longwell and Mason Crosby, for example — got the job done in the winter conditions at Lambeau Field.
In his first December test in Green Bay, rookie Anders Carlson was perfect on Sunday night against the Kansas City Chiefs.
Not only did Carlson make all three of his extra points, snapping a three-game streak with at least one miss, but he also connected on two late clutch field goals that gave the Packers much-needed breathing room during what ended up being a 27-19 win over the defending Super Bowl champs in primetime.