Oakland Raiders kicker Sebastian Janikowski has been dealing with a nagging hamstring injury the last few weeks that has cost him some distance on his kickoffs and limited him at times on field goals. It looks and sounds like he might finally be getting closer to 100%. Janikowski sat out Wednesday and Thursday practices but he has apparently been booming kickoffs during Friday's practice session.
Janikowski was able to test his leg quite frequently this past Sunday as he booted a Raiders record six field goals in the team's 25-20 victory over the Chicago Bears. None of the kicks was over 50 yards but four were 40+ yards. The next big test for Seabass is taking a shot at 50+. Against the Chargers, the Raiders opted to punt instead of attempt a 51-yard field goal. At this point, it sounds like Janikowski would get the chance to kick the long field goal.
A healthy Seabass is a monstrous weapon for a Raiders team that is dependent on strong special teams. When he is healthy, there is nobody with his combination of distance and accuracy. If the Raiders get to the opponent's 40-yard line, they are virtually guaranteed points if they don't turn the ball over.
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