538 praises Stephen Gostkowski, tweaks mediots in one graph

[ctpatsfan77]

Skeptical Football: For Once, My MVP Isn’t Peyton Manning

tl;dr: Gostkowski alone is worth about an extra 2–3 points per game.

 

[neuronet]

What is the def of expected point added from a kickoff?

 

[everlong]

He was worth at least three important points last night.

 

[SHOWTIME15]

i really wish belichick allowed Gost to kick that 50 yarder in SB 42 instead of going for it on 4th and 18. it seemed like BB didn't have the confidence in him at that point.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

What is the def of expected point added from a kickoff?

I don't know the exact formula, but the idea is that a kicker who consistently gets touchbacks or forces the opponents into bad starting positions is hurting their opponent's scoring chances, and therefore helping his team. In addition, the article (which I'll add in a moment) notes that having a successful onside kick creates an extra possession, and therefore more expected points (even if they didn't actually score).

 

[Fencer]

I thought Gould was better than that, but it was an assumption; I'm not actually paying attention to other teams' kickers.

Although I do note that Green Bay lost by 2 points yesterday when a game-ending 52-yard try was "woefully short". I further note that the Lions missed 2 XP tries in the same game, even as they made FGs of 49 and 51 yards.

 

[Fencer]

i really wish belichick allowed Gost to kick that 50 yarder in SB 42 instead of going for it on 4th and 18. it seemed like BB didn't have the confidence in him at that point.

One of BB's weirdest decisions of all time, and certainly one of the weirdest of the relatively few of his decisions that seem to have turned out very badly.

 

[Fencer]

Jags seem to have major kicker issues as well -- Jason Myers' kick snapped Jaguars' road losing streak, likely saved his job.

And that makes at least 3 games Sunday that ended with a slightly more than 50 yard for-all-the-marbles FG try.

 

[mosi]

i really wish belichick allowed Gost to kick that 50 yarder in SB 42 instead of going for it on 4th and 18. it seemed like BB didn't have the confidence in him at that point.

No, I said this at the time and still believe it. For a young kid, if he misses hat attempt, his career is over. He will be haunted by that and it could doom him. Belichick knows that and won't put his players in a position such as that - unless it is absolutely necessary. Brady could handle it. At that point, he was a veteran with 3 SB wins. The GOAT. Ghost was just a kid.

I am always arguing with people that Belichick is more of a players coach than people like Rex Ryan. He looks after these players.

 

[Froob]

 

[Mark.]

Gostkowski has been incredible this year. Cardona has been a huge upgrade at the long snapper position too.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

i really wish belichick allowed Gost to kick that 50 yarder in SB 42 instead of going for it on 4th and 18. it seemed like BB didn't have the confidence in him at that point.

I don't know that it was "simply" a lack of confidence.

Remember that one of BB's hallmarks is "Thou shalt not throw players/teammates under the bus."

And as Gostkowski said yesterday, "You're one play away from trending on Twitter as the No. 1 loser in America."

Quite simply, I believe BB was protecting Gostkowski, the same way that he intentionally kept the media away from him in 2007 when the Pats were going to play the Colts. If that kick had ended up being the difference between losing and tying/winning, Gostkowski's career in NE, and possibly the NFL, would quite likely have been over.

 

[meatface]

Kinda happy the game ended with a game winning field goal

Sent from my KFSOWI using Tapatalk

 

[Bobsyouruncle]

i really wish belichick allowed Gost to kick that 50 yarder in SB 42 instead of going for it on 4th and 18. it seemed like BB didn't have the confidence in him at that point.

What play are you talking about? The fourth quarter one? The Giants drove from the 12 for the field goal. Whether Gost makes that 59ish yard FG or not the Giants start with better field position than the 12. I can't see any reason to think they wouldn't have driven for the field goal from the 20 or the 44 if they did it from the 12. In which case Patriots still lose by 1.

 

[Wordsmyth]

Gostkowski is Polish for "boo-yah!"

 

[SHOWTIME15]

What play are you talking about? The fourth quarter one? The Giants drove from the 12 for the field goal. Whether Gost makes that 59ish yard FG or not the Giants start with better field position than the 12. I can't see any reason to think they wouldn't have driven for the field goal from the 20 or the 44 if they did it from the 12. In which case Patriots still lose by 1.

no the third quarter. it was 4th and 13 from the giants 31 or 32 yard line. bb decides to go for it in an inexplicable decision. if ghost makes that field goal the best eli could have done at the end was send the game to OT with that td drive. at least we could have had a chance in OT.

Analyzing Belichick's Insane Decision Not To Kick

I agree belichick was probably protecting ghost since he hadn't made a 50 yarder that year (we were always scoring touchdowns). but it's the super bowl.....can't worry about the kicker's psyche.

 

[BradyFTW!]

My biggest surprise takeaway is that Gould is apparently terrible on kickoffs.

 

[meatface]

My biggest surprise takeaway is that Gould is apparently terrible on kickoffs.

I had no idea he was so bad