Gost only 80% this year for FGs

[Brady_to_Moss]

20th in NFL..needs a big finish to this year...

 

[PATSYLICIOUS]

I was thinking the same. Hard to justify his contract with those #'s. Last year he finished right in the middle somewhere. It's not thard to pick up a guy like Shane Graham a couple years ago off the street and have him do the same (or in Graham's case, way better) for way less. He's gotta finish strong IMO if he wants to justify being paid anywhere near what he's getting.

 

[Marqui]

I was thinking the same. Hard to justify his contract with those #'s. Last year he finished right in the middle somewhere. It's not thard to pick up a guy like Shane Graham a couple years ago off the street and have him do the same (or in Graham's case, way better) for way less. He's gotta finish strong IMO if he wants to justify being paid anywhere near what he's getting.

The problem with guys off the street like Graham is that they're horrible at kicking off.

 

[PatriotReign]

He's also been missing a field goal each game for the last couple of weeks. We can't have that in the postseason.

 

[PATSYLICIOUS]

The problem with guys off the street like Graham is that they're horrible at kicking off.

I would have had a big problem with that before they moved kickoffs to the 35 but I would imagine it shouldn't hurt us too bad. Besides, a strong legged kicker can be drafted in the late rounds, Ghost is an example himself. Even if the new guy isn't an upgrade, his cap hit will be 6 figures.

 

[PatsFaninAZ]

14-20 in 30 to 49 yard attempts. That's bad. Six misses in that range, including a game winning attempt. No other kicker has more than 4 misses from that distant rnge if I am reading it right. He does have 2-2 on 50 plus though.

 

[ay-yo]

He's 84.43% coming into the year. So while not one of his better years really not that far off course.

 

[brdmaverick]

He's 84.43% coming into the year. So while not one of his better years really not that far off course.

Good point. Perhaps it's more noticable this year because of the first one that happened on game deciding attempt. After that he's been under the microscope.

Or maybe in other years the misses included 50+ yarders that we could write off as just being difficult attempts.

Whatever the reason, the confidence level is definitely down this year.

 

[Froob]

How bad was the miss today? Didn't see the game.

 

[DocHoliday]

Good thing is that kickers these days coming into the draft are better than ever. They have legit kicking coaches now!

 

[supafly]

The problem with guys off the street like Graham is that they're horrible at kicking off.

That's exactly what it comes down to, even with the move back on KO's there are a lot of kickers whose average kickoff just isn't that great. In a game where field position matters so much, Gost is the best option.

This is also the exact reason why we've seen teams have 2 kickers on the roster, which is stupid in my opinion but has proven to work at times.

I know many will disagree with me, but I have never really felt that extremely confident with Gost and his longer range attempts, although in his defense he has been a lot better than some give him credit for and his numbers have shown him to be pretty accurate despite my personal concerns.

I do feel a bit nervous when the attempt is over 40+ though, particularly this year. As the thread shows he is the worst kicker in the NFL this year in FG attempts between 30-49 yards. When you have a 70% accuracy rate from 30-49 that is not good at all, and could be something that really hurts us in the playoffs.

That all said, it was windy today in MIA, and Gost seems to have a decent knowledge of the conditions and nuances in Foxborough.

Let's hope he turns it around a bit though heading down the stretch.

 

[stcjones]

The problem with guys off the street like Graham is that they're horrible at kicking off.

I don't think your main priority with your place kicker is that he can hit "Wicked long kickoffs". Yes that has importance obviously....but first and foremost your kicker HAS to hit FG's....especially when it counts or under pressure.....and MOST IMPORTANTLY...when THEY Have to WIN the game!!!!! Now every once and awhile (especially when there is alot of wind....or pressure or whatever....ONCE in awhile they should be expected to miss one. Problem with Gost is he misses alot of the "routine" ones. Now in fairness, today's miss was from 49 yards. Problem for Gost is,.....there are kickers out there (like Adam V., Connor Barth, Blair Walsh etc) that can make the clutch kicks. Some of those contracts are coming to a close as well......I like the Ghost...but we MUST HAVE a kicker that can hit the pressure cooker FG's as well as the routine FG's...the MAJORITY of the time. Right now, Gost has NO confidence and really has NEVER been considered a CLUTCH kicker here in the big games the way Viniateri was (Realistically Vinny may NEVER be replaced....traitor bastid was one of the greatest clutch kickers of all time....missed his fair share....but...wait for it...RARELY on the BIG, IMPORTANT kicks.....

 

[QB12]

Agreed. Ghost has no confidence. Team probably has even less in him.

 

[PATSYLICIOUS]

I don't think your main priority with your place kicker is that he can hit "Wicked long kickoffs". Yes that has importance obviously....but first and foremost your kicker HAS to hit FG's....especially when it counts or under pressure.....and MOST IMPORTANTLY...when THEY Have to WIN the game!!!!! Now every once and awhile (especially when there is alot of wind....or pressure or whatever....ONCE in awhile they should be expected to miss one. Problem with Gost is he misses alot of the "routine" ones. Now in fairness, today's miss was from 49 yards. Problem for Gost is,.....there are kickers out there (like Adam V., Connor Barth, Blair Walsh etc) that can make the clutch kicks. Some of those contracts are coming to a close as well......I like the Ghost...but we MUST HAVE a kicker that can hit the pressure cooker FG's as well as the routine FG's...the MAJORITY of the time. Right now, Gost has NO confidence and really has NEVER been considered a CLUTCH kicker here in the big games the way Viniateri was (Realistically Vinny may NEVER be replaced....traitor bastid was one of the greatest clutch kickers of all time....missed his fair share....but...wait for it...RARELY on the BIG, IMPORTANT kicks.....

Yeah I mean finding a guy with a big leg isn't exactly the hardest thing in the world to do. And certainly not worth paying $3-4M or whatever Ghost is making.

If AV wasn't irreplaceable 6 years ago with the # of clutch FG's he made for us, Ghost sure as heck isn't because he can kick hard.

 

[fxkane]

Given that we drafted Gost in the 4th round--very unusual for a kicker, we all have to be somewhat disappointed in him. In fact, it seems like so many college kickers are better, including perhaps Gost himself as a college player.

Also when the 10th best kicker is at 93%, 80% seems just too low.

Mesko is ranked way down too but that may be because he has to kick a lot from mid-field--and gets little onfield practice (ha). In any case, I have always had a lot of confidence in his kicks as compared with Gost's.

 

[RobertWeathers]

Gost has been outstanding since 2006 but man i just hate it when I don't have confidence in a kicker. Hate...it...

 

[PATSYLICIOUS]

Gost has been outstanding since 2006 but man i just hate it when I don't have confidence in a kicker. Hate...it...

I agree that he was outstanding prior to his injury in 2010. But last year he dead center in the league in FG%, and this year he's bottom 10. I fear that the injury may have affected his leg or his confidence because since then he's had one average year and one year (so far) among the worst in the NFL.

 

[Armchair Quarterback]

Vinatieri was at 80% or worse 6 of his 10 seasons and was only at 81.9% career during his time in NE and people consider him a future HOFer.

77.1
86.2
79.5
78.8
81.8
80.0
90.0
73.5
93.9
80.0

 

[Bonzo]

3-for-4 with the lone miss coming from 49yds is really not that bad a day at the office for a kicker.

 

[TinhWoodhead]

3-for-4 with the lone miss coming from 49yds is really not that bad a day at the office for a kicker.

Except the first one wasn't even close, with the wind behind. Its more like he had a 2 for 3 day - the last one is more like an extra point kick.

The Steelers kicker is good.....