Gostkowski doing a pretty good job

[smg93]

I just read that he is now 16 of 20 for FG's this year. An 80% success rate is pretty good especially considering that most of those misses were early in the year. I know that we have attempted fewer FG's then most other NFL teams, and the FG's he made were mostly of the shortish variety, but I can't help but think this helps his confidence.

 

[pats63]

Was is his last miss?????I really think he will do fine in the years to come......GO PATS!!!!

 

[IcyPatriot]

Even if he never reaches Vinatieri level ... if he can repeat what he has done this year for the next 10 years we'll be in great shape. His value for kickoffs is a great asset for the team...underrated by the media even....hang time for a kicker is no small feat in the swirling/sideways winds at Gillette.

 

[shirtsleeve]

....hang time for a kicker is no small feet in the swirling/sideways winds at Gillette.

Nice. Now you're saying he has big feet. Man!

 

[Patriots4Ever]

I agree,He is getting the job done pretty consistently these days.He was 4-4 Sunday.I can't complain..

 

[zippo59]

I heard he was number one in the league on kickoffs. Pretty good.

 

[zippo59]

Even if he never reaches Vinatieri level ... if he can repeat what he has done this year for the next 10 years we'll be in great shape. His value for kickoffs is a great asset for the team...underrated by the media even....hang time for a kicker is no small feat in the swirling/sideways winds at Gillette.

Very few kickers don't improve upon their rookie year, so I wouldn't count on him being any exception. Which is great, because he has looked so good this year.

 

[BelichickFan]

He clearly looks like the kicker of the future. The only reason to reserve judgement (other than no game winners yet) is that most of his kicks have been in the 30s not the 40s (notable exception against Chicago) but his leg is strong enough that there's no reason to think this will be an issue.

 

[DarrylS]

Like the way they have brought him along, not had to use him in pressure situations yet.. great kickoffs, 80% is not bad, anticipate that now he has played 14 games probably on the other side of being a rookie.

 

[RoadGrader]

Gostkowski has made 81% (17/21) FGs and 100% (36/36) XPs with 11 TBs thru 14 games in his rookie year

The Vinatraitor made 77% (27/35) FGs and 93% (39/42) XPs with 9 TBs in 16 games in his 1996 rookie year by comparison.

I liked that SG's leg looked strong in the squirrelly winds during the Texans game

sources:

http://www.nfl.com/players/playerpage/411579
http://www.nfl.com/players/playerpage/1392

 

[Fanfrom1960]

Gostkowski has made 81% (17/21) FGs and 100% (36/36) XPs with 11 TBs thru 14 games in his rookie year

The Vinatraitor made 77% (27/35) FGs and 93% (39/42) XPs with 9 TBs in 16 games in his 1996 rookie year by comparison.

I liked that SG's leg looked strong in the squirrelly winds during the Texans game

sources:

http://www.nfl.com/players/playerpage/411579
http://www.nfl.com/players/playerpage/1392

Did anyone else notice the small roar from the Indy crowd in last night's game when Vinatieri put a KO about three yards deep into the endzone, with no attempt by the Cinci return guy to return it? Sounded like they're not used to touchbacks from Adam.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

Did anyone else notice the small roar from the Indy crowd in last night's game when Vinatieri put a KO about three yards deep into the endzone, with no attempt by the Cinci return guy to return it? Sounded like they're not used to touchbacks from Adam.

I did notice that and had to chastise myself for my biased sneer at his prowess...naughty me.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

I heard he was number one in the league on kickoffs. Pretty good.

At one point, not only was he number one, his average kickoff was over 70 yards--i.e., into the end zone.

Having to deal with the winds in Gillette, as well as avoiding Bethel Johnson and Devin Hester, dropped his numbers a bit, so now he averages fourth, behind the kickers for Detroit, Denver, and Arizona, all of whom have built-in advantages. Interestingly, though, the return average has also dropped, so that the average opponent starting point is their own 26. [For comparison, the Vinatraitor--in a dome--is giving the Dolts' opponents the ball at their 31 this year. Last year, BTW, opponents were starting at their own 29. . . . so, in effect, his KOs have gotten worse this year, despite the dome. :rocker:]

 

[BelichickFan]

FWIW here's the kickoff numbers :

http://www.nfl.com/stats/teamsort/NFL/OFF-KICKING/2006/regular?sort_col_1=3

Gostkowski is 4th in kickoff average. Vinatraitor is 11th. It's worth noting that of those ahead of Gotti, Elam barely counts kicking in the thin air and Hansen gets to kick in a lot of domes. Gotti is the longest kickoff guy who kicks on a bad weather team although the weather hasn't stiffened at all so far this year.

Comparing this year to last, Gotti is averaging 66.7 and Vinatraitor averaged 61.6 last year. That's a little unfair to The Traitor as he had a whole winter of bad weather plus the bad field But that's too bad for him, Gotti's kickoffs are clearly an upgrade

 

[BelichickFan]

Interestingly, though, the return average has also dropped, so that the average opponent starting point is their own 26. [For comparison, the Vinatraitor--in a dome--is giving the Dolts' opponents the ball at their 31 this year. Last year, BTW, opponents were starting at their own 29. . . . so, in effect, his KOs have gotten worse this year, despite the dome. :rocker:]

Yes, every kicker with a higher kickoff average also has a higher (worse) return average. Arizona, in particular, has a better kickoff average but is allowing 28.3 per return compared to our 21.9.

 

[FSUPatsFan]

Lets not forget that 2 of Gost's misses were blocked. I don't really like to count blocks against the kicker. I think the line and the field were more factors of the blocks. So, taking those two kicks away he's 16/18. He's only had two real bad shanks. One of those misses came on the same field that Vinatieri missed.

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

I for one am glad that Kraft fixed the turf. I agree it's helped the Ghost and it's helped Brady. I was really irked to see him trip over turf in the Jets homefield loss.

So much for the myriad posts and threads predicting doom when the Vinitrator raced out of town.

 

[AzPatsFan]

Casper, the friendly Ghost, has had the benefit of a good coaching staff. Belichick has been careful to give him situations in which he could succeed, and chose other options, (punt, or go on 4th) when a premature failure might have spooked him as a rookie.

Its about the same approach that I think Bill is taking with CJ, as well. He is letting both have more exposure when they are more confident that they can handle the situation, and actually contribute.

Like the others have suggested, he should not have the blocks really count against him, as the blocks were a breakdowns on the line. Neither blocked kick was "low". Good penetration created the blocks. If you discount them, then his kicking percentage is around 89% near the best in the league and his KOs have been very good for a bad weather kicker. It shows that the scouting was correct too, and they did not overspend using a fourth rounder for a 10-15 year kicker.

BTW, next season, I'm looking forward to the fake FG by a kicker with a good enough arm to have been drafted by MLB, as a pitcher.

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

BTW, next season, I'm looking forward to the fake FG by a kicker with a good enough arm to have been drafted by MLB, as a pitcher.

Bastardo!
Let's hope opposing ST coaches don't read this Forum!

 

[Fogbuster]

I for one am glad that Kraft fixed the turf. I agree it's helped the Ghost and it's helped Brady. I was really irked to see him trip over turf in the Jets homefield loss.

So much for the myriad posts and threads predicting doom when the Vinitrator raced out of town.

I agree. At the same time I will feel better when the Ghost makes some 40+ kicks in the swirling wind with the game on the line.



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