3 bold predictions for the Buffalo Bills’ preseason game against Packers
Matt Haack averages 50 yards or more per-punt
Is this the first bold prediction you’ve ever seen for a punter?
Probably.
Last week was not a great effort from the accurate Haack, and he was actually just one of a handful of Bills who had a poor performance in Buffalo’s rout of the Chicago Bears. His first punt of the game traveled only 29 yards, setting the Bears up at its own 40-yard line. The rest of his day was just OK, and nothing that got Buffalo Bills fans excited (if you’re the sort of fan who gets excited at standout performances from punters). He averaged 41.0 yards on four punts and pinned Chicago inside its 20-yard line just once.
Against the Packers, Bills fans should be looking to see if the veteran can put last week’s performance behind him and have a strong outing. Haack’s predecessor, Corey Bojorquez, wasn’t a stranger to showing off his big boot. Bojorquez averaged 50.8 yards per punt last year, leading the NFL while also tying Shane Lechler for the fourth-longest distance in any season.
Haack has shown that he has a strong leg in the past, evidenced by his four games last season of 50.0 yards or more in average distance. If he can really get behind some of his punts against Green Bay while also maintaining his precision, it’d be an encouraging sign for Bills fans.