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3 Takeaways From Arizona Cardinals Preseason Game (Week 2)

By Casey Pazzalia

NEW ORLEANS, LA - AUGUST 17: Head coach Steve Wilks of the Arizona Cardinals against the New Orleans Saints at Mercedes-Benz Superdome on August 17, 2018 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)
NEW ORLEANS, LA - AUGUST 17: Head coach Steve Wilks of the Arizona Cardinals against the New Orleans Saints at Mercedes-Benz Superdome on August 17, 2018 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images) /
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GLENDALE, AZ – AUGUST 11: Kicker Phil Dawson #4 of the Arizona Cardinals kicks a extra point held by punter Andy Lee #2 during the preseason NFL game against the Los Angeles Chargers at University of Phoenix Stadium on August 11, 2018 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
GLENDALE, AZ – AUGUST 11: Kicker Phil Dawson #4 of the Arizona Cardinals kicks a extra point held by punter Andy Lee #2 during the preseason NFL game against the Los Angeles Chargers at University of Phoenix Stadium on August 11, 2018 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) /

A Potential Kicker Controversy?

I think a lot of Arizona Cardinals’ fans are thinking this after what we saw against New Orleans.

Incumbent kicker Phil Dawson, now in his second season with the Cardinals and 20th overall, missed a 46-yard field goal at the end of the first half. Before that, however, he did make a 41-yard try to give Arizona a 17-3 lead.

This wouldn’t even be a conversation had something major not went down in the second half. Rookie kicker Matthew McCrane, the NCAA’s2014  leader in field goal percentage, banged a beautiful 53-yard bomb in the third quarter.

McCrane signed with Arizona after the NFL Draft out of Kansas State. While with the Wildcats, he missed only one PAT (133-134) in four years, was a Freshman All-American in 2014, a Lou Groza Award semifinalist as a senior in 2017, and a three-time All-Big 12 selection.

Head coach Steve Wilks loves competitions in practice. It wouldn’t surprise me if this kicker battle heats up behind the scenes, with Wilks putting them against one another in kicking challenges.

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Even if Dawson wins out, which I’d probably bet on, McCrane could be the successor to Dawson in future. If placed on the practice squad, though, some other team could come and scoop him up. That, my friends, would be a shame.

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