Chandler Catanzaro could be the next Mason Crosby

One of the topics we heard brought up during the Green Bay Packers last second win over the Dallas Cowboys was about the fact Mike McCarthy gave Mason Crosby the chance to work out of his struggles with the Packers.

It was McCarthy’s willingness to let his player workout of his own funk that made Crosby and the Packers so confident in their kicker.

It is something similar to what is happening with the Arizona Cardinals and Chandler Catanzaro.

After a season that left many Arizona Cardinals fans scratching their head, the idea that maybe the Cardinals need to bring in a new kicker has come up... quite a bit.

Here are some interesting numbers:

Crosby kicked field goals at a 79.5%, 79.4%, 75%, 78.6% and 85.7% clip in his first five seasons before really bottoming out in 2012 at 63.6%.

Catanzaro meanwhile kicked at 87.9% and 90.3% in his first two years before his “down year” in Arizona at 75%.

Now, extra points have been another story for Catman, who missed five (91.4%0 in 2015 and four (91.5%) in 2016.

If your concern with Catanzaro is his struggles with extra points, then I can buy it, somewhat.

Yet, the Packers have kept Crosby around, when he has never hit at a 90.3% rate in his career, and Catanzaro’s 87.9% would be the second highest in Crosby’s career.

Now, I know that kicking in Green Bay versus Arizona is much different conditions, except...

Crosby’s career home split is 79.9% while his career road split is 80.9%.

Catanzaro’s career home split is 80% and his road split is 90.5%.

Doesn’t really fit that narrative to well.

Maybe it was just a down year for Catanzaro, but giving him a chance to work out of it would likely be for the best.