Raiders' Janikowski still kicking his way into record books

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ALAMEDA – Sebastian Janikowski missed 10 field goals his rookie year. That only cemented detractor’s belief that Al Davis reached by drafting a kicker in the first round. That was then, just after the turn of the century.

Fast forward over a decade and a half, and it looks like Davis made a good call.

Janikowski is kicking strong in his 16th season and, on Sunday against the Denver Broncos, will break the franchise record with his 241st game played in Silver and Black.

The 37-year old has made all seven field goal attempts this year, is built like a truck, and has no intention of slowing down.

“I feel great,” Janikowski said. “The key is staying away from the injuries. Maybe six, seven, eight more years. You never know. I’ll still be kicking.”

Janikowski has been kicking strong for years, with an 80.5-percent conversion rate that is 12th-best among kickers with at least 400 attempts. He is the Raiders’ all-time scoring leader at 1,605 points, and is just the 16th player to reach 16,000.

He has 12 game-winning field goals and is four long-distance field goals away from breaking Jason Hanson’s record for conversions from 50 yards and out.

Janikowski has several records, with more in his sights.

“He came in as a first-round draft pick and has maintained his leg strength,” Raiders long snapper Jon Condo said. “He’s aiming for a bunch of records, and there’s a lot he’s striving for. He wants to be the best kicker in the league; that’s what drives him for more. “

It also keeps Janikowski in great shape. He’s a muscle-bound 265 pounds at age 37, a weight designed to maintain the power he’s known for.

"I always pick on him and say he needs to get that barb wire tattoo on his arm,” Condo said.

It isn’t the size and strength that has teammates believing he can convert each attempt. It’s something more.

“The guy’s been here for a long time, and the new guys already know who he is,” Condo said. “The confidence is built in because of his track record. We all think he’s going to make every kick he takes. There’s a real trust factor there and I know that (Derek Carr) thinks that, when we get across the 50, there’s only a few yards to go to get three points. There’s nothing out of the question with (Janikowski) on your side.”

New Raiders head coach Jack Del Rio wanted big kicks and reliability. That’s why he asked Janikowski to be a full participant in the offseason program, of which he normally skips sections. Janikowski showed up for work every day and has shown the type of commitment you’d expect from a kicker fighting for his job.

“He’s a guy that cares a great deal about what he does as a pro,” Del Rio said. “He’s a powerful guy, he has good work ethic, he has been a good teammate. Those are all the things I’ve been looking for.”

That’s what Davis was looking for in the 2000 draft. He shocked many by drafting a kicker in the first round, as he did when using a first-rounder on punter Ray Guy in 1973. He found dependability in a position that puts points on the scoreboard. For the past 240 games.

“It’s always a surprise with the kicker going in the first round, but I think at the end it pays off,” Janikowski said. “Sixteen years later, you look at all the records, and this is another record in the books.”

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