I hope punter Paul Ernster wasn't getting comfortable in Denver because two days after a dreadful effort against the Chargers, he was cut. And this comes a week after Todd Sauerbrun got, uh, the boot, for some weird taxi-cab-related issues.
Merry Christmas, everybody!
Unlike Sauerbrun, who was a pretty good punter, Ernster was released strictly for his on-field performance. He averaged 35.6 yards per kick on Monday night, including a 17-yarder that led to Denver's first touchdown, as well as 31- and 33-yarders that resulted in two Nick Kaeding field goals.
Granted, Ernster wasn't the reason the Broncos loss -- they only managed three measly points -- but he didn't help things either. Whatever, my favorite Ernster moment from the 2007 season wasn't on Christmas Eve, but way back in Week 1. At the time, he was playing for the Browns, a late-week replacement for the injured Dave Zastudil. On Cleveland's first punt of the year, Ernster muffed the snap, before finally booming a 15-yarder. Oh, and the Browns committed four penalties on that one play. Good times.
