I'm not a Koolaid drinker, obviously, and I'd still point out that
- Switching from "but XPs" to "But playoffs" to "But 2007" is a way to kill any valid argument you might have.
- Ignoring the current situation (new holder who's learning on the job, backup QB who's still learning QB, nevermind holding) is a way to kill any valid argument you might have.
- Claiming you're looking at his performance with 20/20 vision, while ignoring context and the reality of the new XP distance, is not looking at his performance with 20/20 vision. It's being needlessly biased.
One of the issues here is that we, as Patriots fans, don't pay enough attention to the rest of the league. Every other team "sucks". Every other coach "sucks". Almost every other player "sucks". So, we forget how extraordinary it is to have had about 20 years with
- BB
- TB
- Scar
- 2 kickers, both of whom have been high end at their craft
In the span since the XP was moved, Gost has hit on 130 out of 147 FGAs (88.4%). Justin Tucker, widely considered to be the best kicker in the game, has hit on 145 out of 160 FGAs (90.6%). So, essentially, people are gnashing their teeth over being about a 2% less successful than the best in the game.
There is no question that Gost has struggled more than we would expect he would on XPAs. But, even there, the issue has been largely overblown around here. Again, comparing him to Tucker, Gost is 202 out of 211 (95.7%) and Tucker is 142 out of 143 (99.3). That difference is certainly noticeable, but part of that is the significantly higher number of attempts that Gost has made. It's a difference of 2 more misses on 17 more attempts, per season, which should not have people going as crazy as some of them are.
Or, to put it another way: while I don't claim the following to be in any way definitive, I note that major difference in approach we see on the national level compared to what we see on this board and hear on the local airwaves. I'll post the tweet, understanding that it was from prior to last season but also that it was still included in the article (I take that to mean that it was still valid. If it's not, people can take that up with the story's author), and leave the rest for people to read.
Top 10 kickers and punters in NFL: Justin Tucker's at the top, and here's who else made the list for 2019