Kevin Huber: 'I Know I Can Still Punt'

The longest tenured Bengal is at the bottom of most NFL punting metrics.

Author:
Russ Heltman
Updated:
Nov 15, 2022 1:22 PM EST
Original:
Nov 15, 2022

CINCINNATI — The Bengals are one of the worst punting teams in the NFL, and signs are pointing to Kevin Huber's aging leg as the biggest reason why.

Huber is 30th out of 31 qualified players in net punting yards (37.4) and 29th in average punt distance (43.2 yards).

It's not up to the Bengals or Huber's standard, and the coaching staff is using this whole week to see if Drue Chrisman is the answer.

"We get a chance to take it day-to-day and make any decisions as the week goes on," Taylor said about the punting situation this week.

Chrisman has been waiting in the wings on the Bengals practice squad for over a year now. Huber knows he has to step it up to avoid getting replaced by the Ohio State product.

“It’s no secret to anybody. I haven’t punted well in a game," Huber told reporters in his first comments off the bye week. "I haven’t been transferring over what I’ve been doing in practice and pregame to the game. So, when I talk to people, practice and pregame is like I’m a driving game scratch golfer. Then I get in the game and I’m trying to tee off of No. 1 at Augusta as a 20-handicap. It’s just a little disconnect right now between practice and the game and it’s been tough. It hasn’t been a great year so far. It’s just something I’ve been trying to work with.”

Huber had trouble describing the reason for this "disconnect" between practice and game action. A quizzical issue given he has more game experience than any player in Bengals' history.

“It’s really not trying to change anything (mechanically)," Huber said. "It’s trying to apply in a game what I’m doing in practice. It’s like two different punters right now. For whatever reason, I’m getting into a game and it’s sometimes survival mode and I’m not trusting what I’m doing in practice. It’s just a little bit of a disconnect right now, mentally, and carrying it over to the game.

"I know I can still punt," Huber continued when asked about the positives. "I’ve been punting really well in practice. I’ve been punting really well in pregame and as a positive, it’s there. It’s not like everything is gone. It’s just in the game, which is obviously the most important. Practice, at the end of the day, doesn’t really matter. It’s what I do in games.”

Punt distance shouldn't be too big of a factor against Pittsburgh. The Steelers punt return duo of Gunner Olszewski and Steven Sims are ranked 30th and 39th in average punt return yardage.

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