In a way,Losing Vinatieri DID kill us

[PATRIOTSFANINPA]

People say because Gostkowski had a solid season that losing Adam was no big deal,But sit back and think about it for a minute, Adam can find no resolution with NE and goes to the AFC Champ Colts - The Colts can do nothing on offense in the Baltimore playoff game and Adam goes on to kick 5 FGs in that game plus some crucial ones in the NE/Indy playoff game - Probably only a select few kickers would have made all 5 in a pressure packed situation in Baltimore and definately Vanderjerk or Gramatica would not have been one of them if the Colts kept or signed either one of them for all season, If another kicker had been in that game one wonders of the Colts would have advanced,I have no doubt we would have beaten the Steve McErr Ravens.

Did losing Adam hurt the 2006 NE Pats cahnces to go to the Super Bowl? - In a way you could day so without argument.

 

[PatsSox363804]

You could say that if you feel like using the mother of all reaches and ignore the fact that we had the Indy game in the freakin bag until our defense got hurt and exhausted in the second half and after that we STILL would have won if we could have converted a 3rd and 4. Losing Adam is reason #903 behind Bruschi forgetting to shave on Sunday and Seymour tripping during his pre game dance, if he's on the list at all.

 

[Bella*chick]

That assumes that any kicker Indy had in Adam's place would have blown all those FGs.

Adam didn't need to make 5 FGs to get by Baltimore. He only needed three. And I am getting really tired of the notion that Adam Viniatieri is the only kicker who can make a FG in the playoffs.

 

[JediMind]

And I am getting really tired of the notion that Adam Viniatieri is the only kicker who can make a FG in the playoffs.

Haha, Amen.

 

[PatsSox363804]

That assumes that any kicker Indy had in Adam's place would have blown all those FGs.

Adam didn't need to make 5 FGs to get by Baltimore. He only needed three. And I am getting really tired of the notion that Adam Viniatieri is the only kicker who can make a FG in the playoffs.

I know. I'm still waiting to find out who was filling in for AV in the first half of Superbowl 38. Furthermore, why was Adam late for the game?

 

[BelichickFan]

It's not like it was Vanderjagt or Vinatraitor - they weren't bringing back Vanderjagt, as Bella*chick said, whoever they had would have likely have been competent enough. The only tough kick he made was the 51 yarder that hit the crossbar.

Gotti lives.

 

[IcyPatriot]

Did losing Adam hurt the 2006 NE Pats cahnces to go to the Super Bowl? - In a way you could day so without argument.

Don't you have better things to do than dwell on another person's life. Adam is happy being a Colt ... move on already.

 

[MDD]

All great responses.

Losing Vinatieri hurt us in no way, shape or form for the entire 2006 season. Period.

 

[dhamz]

Probably only a select few kickers would have made all 5 in a pressure packed situation in Baltimore .

Nearly every kicker in the NFL makes 3 of those 5 kicks and that would have been all it took to win the game for the Colts.

 

[The Gr8est]

Actually having Gostkowski was one of the developments that I was happiest about after the season was over. He made every kick in the post-season and remains an asset on KOs in a way that Adam will never see again. Sure I was worried that the Pats-Indy game would come down to a last second kick by either Adam or Ghost, but it didn't happen, and now we have a good, young, "tested" kicker at a contolled salary and a bright future.

Adam will go to the HOF for sure, but the Pats made the right choice

 

[363839]

You could say that if you feel like using the mother of all reaches and ignore the fact that we had the Indy game in the freakin bag until our defense got hurt and exhausted in the second half and after that we STILL would have won if we could have converted a 3rd and 4. Losing Adam is reason #903 behind Bruschi forgetting to shave on Sunday and Seymour tripping during his pre game dance, if he's on the list at all.

Great comeback post 363804.

"...mother of all reaches.."
I loved that one.

 

[PatsFan24]

Adams loss had no effect on our play this year

 

[Rob0729]

That assumes that any kicker Indy had in Adam's place would have blown all those FGs.

Adam didn't need to make 5 FGs to get by Baltimore. He only needed three. And I am getting really tired of the notion that Adam Viniatieri is the only kicker who can make a FG in the playoffs.

Well, Vinatieri isn't the only kicker who can make kicks in the playoffs, but he is the only one who can make clutch kicks. Any other kicker with the game on the line is more likely to have their leg get ripped off at the hip and go through the uprights than kick a successful field goal with the game on the line with less than a minute left. I defy anyone to find another kicker in NFL who has ever kicked a game winning field goal. It has been proven that every other kicker in the league is a direct relative of Scott Norwood.

 

[Bella*chick]

Well, Vinatieri isn't the only kicker who can make kicks in the playoffs, but he is the only one who can make clutch kicks. Any other kicker with the game on the line is more likely to have their leg get ripped off at the hip and go through the uprights than kick a successful field goal with the game on the line with less than a minute left. I defy anyone to find another kicker in NFL who has ever kicked a game winning field goal. It has been proven that every other kicker in the league is a direct relative of Scott Norwood.

LOL, that Norwood Superbowl was on NFL Network the other night. I still cringe for the guy.

 

[SoonerPatriot]

Arguing losing Vinitraitor hurt us by helping our chief rival is legit. However, as someone pointed out, when you look at specific game situations, you are assuming that whoever the Colts got instead of Vinitraitor would have missed all those FGs at Baltimore.

Regardless, we hit the jackpot on Gostkowski IMO.

 

[RayClay]

Indy beat baltimore 15-6. Had to make 5 field goals???? Try 3.

I bet Vinatraitor could have made that 4 point field goal we needed to tie indy too.

That's why a kicker is just a kicker.

 

[MrTibbs]

To date the loss thats come back to haunt us was Deion Branch without a doubt. Deep pass plays were far and few in between.

 

[DarrylS]

To date the loss thats come back to haunt us was Deion Branch without a doubt. Deep pass plays were far and few in between.

The Deion Branch and Adam Vinateri longing and pining posts are truly a reach, Deion would not honor the last year of his contract and if the Pats voided it they would have destroyed the salary structure of this team. How would that sit with the other 52 under contract?? He left was not anticipated, bet this year there will be contingencies all over the place and much will be settled before the start of TC.

Adam left, because he wanted to, he can now kick in a dome and extend his career a few years... it is about the money pure and simple, Gostowski did a very good job for us and is a pretty good replacement.

 

[MDPATSFAN]

Gotta wonder how the deeper kickoffs this year translated into helping the defense?....The defense did yield the lowest point total in Pats history, but didn't appear as dominant as some of the previous seasons....

 

[Patsfanin Philly]

Did losing Adam hurt the 2006 NE Pats cahnces to go to the Super Bowl? - In a way you could day so without argument.

Sorry buckaroo but I have to disagree. Let's suppose that the Pats did resign AV and for $2.0 million more than they paid Gostkowski (Miguel and others can correct me if I'm wrong), where are you going to cut the $2.0 million and replace them with lower paid players??? How do we know that those middle tier players didn't allow the Pats to perform as well as they did?????
I see your point but not all kickers are Scott Norwood. NFL Network has been replaying SB XXV (?) and if you look at Norwood before the kick, he has the deer in the headlights look, not exactly helped by PArcells calling a timeout to freeze him. In addition, Norwood wasn't exactly a good kicker in the first place, making only 1/5 over 40 yards on grass that year before his infamous miss.......