National Football League

Eagles find a gem in rookie kicker Cody Parkey

Published Sep. 21, 2014 10:42 p.m. ET

Ross Jones

One offensive series after a fourth-quarter brawl between the Washington Redskins and Philadelphia Eagles went down, rookie kicker Cody Parkey stood by to hear his number called.

Scratching their way back from a 10-point deficit for the third straight week, the Eagles were looking to extend their lead in Sunday’s 37-34 win.

Facing a fourth-and-8 inside Washington territory, the Eagles (3-0) opted for the first-year wunderkind to attempt a 51-yard field goal.

“I was waiting on coach [Chip Kelly] to make the call and he said field goal,” Parkey told FOXSports.com in a telephone interview while driving home from the stadium. “Just hearing him say ‘field goal’ and not thinking twice about it let me know that he has extreme confidence in me and my team believes in me. I just knew I had to go out there and execute.”

Half the battle with kickers is mental. Good ones keep cool in the moment and zero in on their target. Others allow their nerves to get the best of them.

For Parkey, an undrafted free agent who was acquired by the Eagles in a preseason trade with the Indianapolis Colts, keeping calm is an art he aims to perfect.

Snap tight. Hold down. Field goal good.

“I've got total confidence in him,” Kelly said, via the team’s transcript. “I've seen him kick 50‑yarders since he's been here, and it's well within his distance.”

While Redskins running back Roy Helu Jr.’s 1-yard touchdown would narrow the lead, Parkey’s three points proved to be crucial in the win.

Conditioned by raucous SEC crowds each week, the former Auburn kicker has been reliable through three weeks. Despite missing a field goal against the Colts in Week 2, Parkey has been sharp.

“I missed a kick last week and I never want to feel that feeling again,” Parkey said. “So I need to keep working hard so we can keep winning.”

Resiliency is a key component in the success of a kicker. The position is a unique fraternity in the NFL.

Before arriving to the stadium, Parkey learned on social media of the tragic news that former Auburn – and Tennessee Titans -- kicker Rob Bironas had died in a car crash on Sunday morning.

While the two had never met, stories regarding Bironas would continue to echo inside the university’s walls.

“I heard nothing but good things about Rob,” Parkey said. “He was an Auburn man and I respect that. A lot of the guys had nothing but good things to say about him. It’s sad to see a guy of that caliber pass away. “

Despite the sorrowing developments, Parkey is reminded of the unique opportunity he has in front of him.

“We’re very lucky and very blessed to do what we do,” Parkey said. “There’s not a lot of jobs out there that are like ours.

“The three games have been pressure-packed. I kick every kick like it’s my last kick. I just need to go out there and execute for my team.

Notes around the league

*The aforementioned brawl, which included several players from each team, caused Eagles offensive tackle Jason Peters and Redskins defensive tackle Chris Baker to be ejected from the game. Each player should expect to be penalized monetarily, too. The league’s schedule of fines notes that such acts are met with a hefty price tag of $27, 562. Baker’s fine could be a bit steeper and even include a possible suspension as his shot on quarterback Nick Foles could be ruled as a hit on a defenseless player.

*Rams tight end Jared Cook apologized for shoving quarterback Austin Davis on the sideline during Sunday’s loss against the Cowboys. Cook, releasing a statement to FOXSports.com via his agent Christina Phillips, expressed remorse of his undoing.

“My actions from today's game were truly a mistake -- unintentional and in the heat of the moment,” Cook wrote on his Twitter account. “There is never an excuse for unsportsmanlike conduct and I apologize to everyone. I want to thank my teammates again, Austin Davis and William Hayes for their support on the sideline -- the Rams organization and especially to all of our fans for whom we fight so hard for your love and continued support.”

*All the offseason talk surrounding Cowboys running back DeMarco Murray has been justified. After Murray’s 24-carry, 100-yard performance on Sunday against the Rams, the fourth-year slasher leads the league in rushing with 385 yards. What’s alarming, though, is Murray’s fumbles in each of the first three games. He’s tied for the league lead in that department, too.

*During the preseason, no rookie quarterback was penciled to start for a team this season. In Week 4, three rookie quarterbacks will be under center. For the Vikings (Teddy Bridgewater), Jaguars (Blake Bortles) and Raiders (Derek Carr), the future is now.

*Chargers running back Danny Woodhead’s potential season-ending injury, according to FOX Sports 1’s NFL insider Alex Marvez, has completely opened things up for Donald Brown. While Brown was the lead back entering Sunday’s 22-10 tilt against the Bills, he finished the game with a whopping 36 touches. It seems like the Chargers’ questionable offseason decision of signing another experience running back has paid off. “I have a great deal of confidence with him back there both in protections and run games,” quarterback Philip Rivers said, via the team’s transcript. “He understands all the checks and he is a true pro.”

*Is it a stretch to say the Bengals own the best defense in the AFC? Allowing a conference-low 33 points through three games, first-year defensive coordinator Paul Guenther has this unit humming.

*Six teams enter their bye in Week 4: Bengals, Browns, Broncos, Rams, Cardinals and Seahawks. Enjoy your breaks responsibly.

*Through three weeks, veteran wide receiver Steve Smith continues to lead the Ravens’ wide receiver corps with 31 targets. Smith, who finished with five receptions for 101 yards, was on the end of a 45-yard catch-and-run to set up Justin Tucker’s go-ahead field goal. Smith looks awfully spry entering the Week 4 “blood and guts” showdown against his former team -- the Carolina Panthers.

*Lions linebacker DeAndre Levy has become a mainstay the past few weeks in Teryl Austin’s defense. Once veteran linebacker Stephen Tulloch exited with an injury, Levy assumed the duties of relaying the calls to the defense in the huddle. “I had to make some of the play calls,” said Levy, via the team’s transcript, finishing with a team-high 10 tackles. “The first couple of series were a little rough, just trying to get familiar. Hearing is so loud in there and the headset wasn’t working the best, but I wanted to just keep us level.” Levy, also, accounted for one of the league’s five safeties on Sunday.