SDUT: Chargers' Nick Novak in kicker paradise

[Robin Miller]

Chargers' Nick Novak in kicker paradise

By Michael Gehlken

Saturday, November 17, 2012

DENVER — The Chargers team plane landed in Colorado shortly before 5
p.m. local time Saturday, just as a sunset of orange and red sunk behind
the shadowed Rocky Mountains.

Maybe this isn't paradise.

For kickers, it's pretty darn close.

Chargers kicker Nick Novak hopes to take advantage of the thin air
Sunday when the team faces the Broncos. It's been a friendly site for
those at his position this season, and Novak had the best game of his
career here in his last trip.

In 2011, the veteran was 5-for-5 in Denver, including a 51-yard
conversion that was then his NFL personal best. He's since pushed his
career high to 53.

Novak also had a career-high seven touchbacks on his eight kickoffs.

"I remember some of the kickoffs I toed them — fast spinners," Novak
said. "They were still out of the end zone. When you can do that, I
think the altitude helps. But you don't want to go up there and overkick
anything because you want to see how far the ball goes or kick too much
during warmups. It doesn't matter how far the ball goes through. Just
put it through."

This will be the sixth game of the regular season to be played at Sports
Authority Field at Mile High.

So far, the kickers have been perfect, converting all 13 tries. Of the
43 kickoffs, 35 have been for touchbacks.

It will likely be a quiet return day for the Chargers' Curtis Brinkley,
presuming he'll be called upon to return kickoffs for the third straight
game. Broncos kicker Matt Prater has allowed returns on just two of his
26 attempts.

A Chargers kicker has converted at least four field goals in Denver the
past three years.

Nate Kaeding hit four in 2008 and 2009. During his Chargers tenure, he
was 16-for-17 when kicking in Denver, his long from 51 yards.

Novak is 9-for-10 since replacing the two-time Pro Bowler.

While this is kicker haven, other players on the team can't quite bask
at being thousands of miles above sea level.

At least, not without taking some precautions first.

"I'll tell you, my rookie year, I struggled up there in the first
quarter," center Nick Hardwick said. "But since then, I figured out it
was all about hydration. The altitude dehydrates you, so you have to be
incredibly well hydrated. We just drink a ton on the way there, and you
can get IVs at the stadium. Get your body ready to go."

Nuts 'n' Bolts

• The Chargers had three fourth-quarter sacks in the season opener.
They've had two in the fourth quarter of their eight games since, tied
for fewest in the league over that span. The Broncos lead the NFL with
31 sacks. Of them, 22 have come in the second half and 14 in the fourth
quarter, both leading the league.

• Colorado was once home for Chargers defensive coordinator John Pagano,
35, and linebackers coach Joe Barry, 32. They both went to the
Boulder-Fairview High, where Pagano's father Sam coached them in
football. "It's like my little brother I can beat up on," Pagano joked.