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Suisham, Redskins Ready for Final Leg
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"If I didn't like that, I don't think I'd like my job very much. It seems that we're always in tight games, and field goals are very important. I understand that, and that's why it is frustrating when you miss a kick. It's my job to line up and make the next kick."
In the second half of the season, several of Suisham's directional kickoffs have come up short. Some have been fielded around the 20-yard line, which has helped opponents gain good field position against the Redskins. Seahawks return specialist Josh Wilson had a 24.8-yard average on five kickoff returns against the Redskins, including one for 55 yards to open the second half.
"In some cases, not to take nothing away from Suisham, we called some of those directional kicks and he didn't get the ball over there," special teams standout Rock Cartwright said. "And sometimes when we don't do that, you get guys crossing and doing the things we have to do, then you leave holes, and that's what happens. But that guy [Wilson] is a great returner and it's hard to stop him."
Special teams coach Danny Smith uses a color system to inform Washington's coverage team of the planned direction of kickoffs. Smith makes calls based on a variety of factors, and he relies on Suisham to angle the ball far enough outside the hash marks and deep enough to help the unit execute its assignments.
"Sometimes when we want a red kick or blue kick, we need the ball outside the numbers, and it's hard to do that," Cartwright said. "Not many kickers can do that, and Shaun's a great kicker and we definitely depend on him. Hopefully, he can get things rolling again and we can continue to get better as a special-teams unit."
Suisham said he does not have a "tired leg" or an injury that has adversely affected his kickoffs. "My leg's fine," he said, but his production has dropped.
"They were definitely better early on, and that's something I need to remedy and get back to," Suisham said. "As the year gets later, there's maybe more that goes into [strong kickoffs], but I don't attribute it to any one thing.
"It's just important for me to make solid contact with the ball and get in down the field. I have to have a better week."
Staff writer Jason La Canfora contributed to this report.
