Brooks: "I Know I'm on the Line"
From Jason Reid
After his poor performance against the Saints, rookie punter Durant Brooks figures his job could be in jeopardy if he struggles again this week. "I know I'm on the line," Brooks said, "with probably guys coming in here and working out if I don't have a good game. Who knows what'll happen?"
Brooks, given the job after battling veteran Derrick Frost in the preseason, had a rough game, averaging 33 yards (with only a 5.5-yard net average) on two punts. Brooks's poor second punt late in the third quarter contributed to Reggie Bush's 55-yard touchdown that helped New Orleans take a 24-15 lead. Brooks also botched a hold on a short first-half field-goal attempt that place kicker Shaun Suisham missed.
Special teams coach Danny Smith told Brooks he has to "do better," Brooks said. "I know what I did, he knows what I did, [and] he knows it was a bad game. I've got to come out and have a good game and show improvement." Brooks, a sixth-round pick from Georgia Tech, won the Ray Guy Award as college football's top punter in the 2007 season. Brooks had a 40.6-yard net average as a senior, and a 42.8-yard average on 13 punts -- of which five were downed inside the 20 -- in the preseason.
"It's very difficult," Brooks said. "You have to wait a week for another game to play good. It's a good thing we have practice all this week to get a lot of punts in, a lot of work. Once I get going again, I think I could put it behind me."
Not JLC this time. It's Jason Reid. How about it?