Back up Place Kicker?

[Charlotte Pats Fan]

Do we have one on the roster? Watching the LA backup miss the net makes me wonder. Who is our backup kicker?

 

[VegasGuy]

I don't know who it is but watching that was hilarious.

 

[fxmallon]

It's a good thing the Chargers brought their A game to Dallas because they gave up around 9-12 points in the kicking game alone.

A very impressive game for Rivers and Allen.

 

[Palm Beach Pats Fan]

My guess is our rugby guy, Ebner, is the emergency kicker

 

[NG Pats Fan]

Do we have one on the roster? Watching the LA backup miss the net makes me wonder. Who is our backup kicker?

 

[Brick27]

I’d imagine Ryan Allen in a pinch.

 

[meatface]

I dont know, now that Vince Wilfork and Wes Welker are gone.

 

[TheBostonStraggler]

During high school sometimes players fill multiple roles. If a Patriot player did some field goal kicking in his earlier years or was just a general punt-pass-kick winner type, he may be considered an emergency fill in. Otherwise I'd assume Allen.

If there is no functional backup K:
-use any player X that has a powerful leg for a kick into the EZ/touchback, If no one can then high arc kicks that come down in the 20 area
-go for 2 point conversions in all circumstances (conversion rate already suggests you don't net loss too many points)
-35 to 30 yard line, if 4th and shortish then go for it otherwise punt.
-30 to 15 yard line go for it under all circumstances.
-Inside the 15 I assume even an unused backup can make a FG chance slightly more likely than not. Go for it when the yardage needed is smaller (conversion rates give you a fair shot that the net loss won't be too bad)

 

[maineman209]

And then, there's THIS guy ...

 

[Grimmy]

My guess is our rugby guy, Ebner, is the emergency kicker

I'm surprised this doesn't happen more. Pat Richards, for example, is done as a rugby player but surely would offer loads to an NFL team as a kicker. Ok it would be a new sport to him, but he has the experience of kicking match winning goals under pressure in front of big crowds, and can tackle well if things go extremely wrong. Surely not many backup kickers have that kind of big game experience? (I'm not his agent by the way )

 

[PittPatriot]

I don’t know how much Ryan Allen practices place kicking, and I hope to never see him in game action doing so.
I think it would be especially hard to be the placeholder for Allen if you are not accustomed left footed kickers.

 

[Fixit]

My guess is our rugby guy, Ebner, is the emergency kicker

My thoughts exactly. Wouldn't even need a holder!

 

[Gwedd]

Who knows who else on the team might be able to kick.

I DO remember watching Flutie drop kick, the last one ever done in the NFL, live. What a highlight THAT was!

 

[FreeTedWilliams]

I think it's a bad idea to use the punter as the replacement kicker because, it also means you are then using a back up holder.

 

[brdmaverick]

I don't know who it is but watching that was hilarious.

I bet someone in the stands was surprised to get a football to the side of the head.

 

[brdmaverick]

Who knows who else on the team might be able to kick.

I DO remember watching Flutie drop kick, the last one ever done in the NFL, live. What a highlight THAT was!

I recall that play very clearly as well and it has me thinking..........

-The NFL could entice THAT play more often IF that would still count as a point when run from the 2 yard line (now that extra points are from further back).

-Why would BB ever have Flutie do this play? At the time PATs were from the 2 yards line and therefore had a 99% success rate. Was there really a need for add trickery to a 99% successful play and actually lower your chances. Yes, lower, I suspect Flutie's drop kick success rate to be much lower than Gost's PAT success rate.

But then I recall the circumstances and think that BB must've been throwing "Flutie a bone" and letting him screw around with this try given that the Pats not only didn't care about winning, but probably WANTED to lose (a win would have meant a first round game against the Steelers).

 

[Palm Beach Pats Fan]

back story:
Doug Flutie's Drop Kick

The Patriots had been practicing it in recent weeks, a result of a conversation among ESPN's Chris Berman, Patriots coach Bill Belichick, and Flutie. Berman remembered seeing Flutie execute a drop kick while playing in the Canadian Football League.

'We had a couple tryouts out there and Doug shanked a couple, but he hit a couple good ones, so I thought if we had an opportunity to do it in one of these last couple of games, we'd give him a shot,' said Belichick, who smiled as Flutie hugged him after the kick. 'I think Doug deserves it. He is a guy that adds a lot to this game of football running, passing, and now kicking. I'm happy for him.'"

Tom Brady, now a legend himself, said about the play, "Doug was so nervous for three weeks because that's been in the plan. I think he was probably more worried about drop kicking than he was about quarterbacking. He was so excited when it went in. I think everyone was. He just adds to his legend."

Although Flutie did not discuss whether 2005 would be his final season, Pats' coach Bill Belichick commented about the drop kick, suggesting that the play was a retirement present of sorts for his veteran quarterback. On May 15, 2006, Doug Flutie announced his retirement from the game at age 43.

 

[SammyBlueCat]

A friend of mine tried. He was cut.

 

[TheBostonStraggler]

I think it's a bad idea to use the punter as the replacement kicker because, it also means you are then using a back up holder.

That's a good point, hadn't thought of that. It's possible Allen may be good for kickoffs though.
Looks like the emergency FG kicker will be the guy who did a little kicking in his HS career or similar. Of course once you lose your K then you go for 2 as well as play to score TDs/go for it on 4th down in the under 35 yard line area in most circumstances. So using the backup to try a FG is gonna be for very infrequent scenarios (I'd assume).

 

[long distance]

one option is injured: Chris Hogan


New England Patriots WR Chris Hogan is a freak athlete
What to know about WR Chris Hogan, likely to join the New England Patriots
Monmouth's Chris Hogan goes from little-known receiver to buzzed-about NFL Draft prospect