The Oft-Times Overlooked Gem In Lambeau Field

 When it comes to the Green Bay Packers, the biggest diamonds in Green & Gold uniforms are, without a doubt, quarterback Aaron Rodgers and his favorite target, wide receiver Davante Adams.

But true Packer fans know there's another gem on that Packer sideline, one whose reliability in recent weeks has been a bright spot. That's 36-year-old kicker Mason Crosby, who signed a three-year contract worth $12.9 million in the off-season.

That keeps the kicker around Lambeau Field, not the easiest of places to perform in the late stages of an NFL season. Perhaps management learned it's lesson when, just a after the 2005 season, it let Ryan Longwell exit -- to the hated Minnesota Vikings, no less!

A sixth-round draft pick out of Colorado, Crosby has never missed a game in this, his 14th season. He entered the year the club's all-time leading scorer (1,575 points) as well as the franchise leader in field goals (329), 50-yard field goals (35) and extra points (588).

Crosby has been absolutely stellar this season. He nailed a 56-yard field goal in Sunday's 31-24 win at Detroit and is a perfect 15 for 15 in field goals. In fact, his own kicking mishaps have come on PATs, where he's 47 of 50.

It wasn't that long ago, remember, that a LOT of fans were calling for the team to move on from Crosby. This outcry came after a 2018 game at Detroit, when Crosby missed five kicks (one PAT and field goals from 41, 42, 38 and 56 yards). Those kicks cost Green Bay a win, and the trolls on social media went crazy.

But then-head coach Mike McCarthy and the Packers stayed with Crosby.

All Crosby has done since is put the ball through the uprights at an amazing rate. From that dismal day in Detroit in 2018 through today, Crosby has hit 57 of 61 field goals (93.44%) and 115 of 119 PATs (96.64%).

I dare you to find another, more reliable kicker in the NFL today. Consider that he went through a personal challenge with his wife's cancer a year ago, but didn't let it affect his on-field performance, and you can see why Crosby is special.