Gostkowski extended through 2014

[captain stone]

Sorry, can't help you. Personally, I feel just fine when he steps up to kick.

Maybe in a few years you'll come around.

You still feel just fine?

It's now past time for you - and everyone else - to come around, isn't it?

 

[WhiteWesWelker88]

gHOST will be fine......




we had to sign him. Why waste a draft pick on a kicker?

Not a fan, but he will get it together.

 

[ALP]

gHOST will be fine......




we had to sign him. Why waste a draft pick on a kicker?

Not a fan, but he will get it together.

he had better, the guy really has not been deserving of the extension...

VERY inconsistent with KO's....one will go to the mid to back endzone while the next one will go to the 15 yd line

and lets not talk about FG's....

 

[weswelker#83]

Patriots kicker Stephen Gostkowski sorts through “disaster” start to the season
“I have no idea,” Gostkowski said. “Just went out here, kicked the first one, made it, couldn’t repeat it again. Just didn’t do my job very well.”
BostonHerald.com - Blogs: Rap Sheet Blog Archive Patriots kicker Stephen Gostkowski sorts through “disaster” start to the season

 

[convertedpatsfan]

Kickers have ups and downs, and there's no doubt Ghost is down right now. But he's a good kicker, and he'll rebound.

I hate comparing him to Adam, but it amazes me how people are so critical of Ghost yet give a free pass to Adam. 3 Super Bowls will make us look back fondly, I get that. But let's not forget Adam's struggles. Even if we exclude the first few years of Adam's career and start from the Super Bowl season, here's what we find:

Overall FG
2001: 80%
2002: 90%
2003: 73.5%
2004: 93.9%
2005: 80%

2003 stands out as a significant down-year, especially sandwiched between 2 of his better seasons. 2001 and 2005 were not great years by any means. Meanwhile a lot of people have given up on Ghost after 4 kicks in 2 games.

You only had to look to the other sideline yesterday to see just how quickly fortunes change for kickers. Nick Folk was a Pro Bowl kicker for the Cowboys, got injured, recovered but struggled with his form and eventually got cut, and then wins the job in New York this season after being mocked by his head coach.

Meanwhile, the Cowboys replaced him with Shaun Suisham, a kicker cut by the team that was last in their division, who ended up missing some critical kicks. This season, the Cowboys are trying David Buehler, a kick-off specialist they're converting to kick field goals. He's 2 for 4 on the season, missing a kick each week. So far, Folk is 5/5 this season.

Which is a long way of saying kickers are a fickle bunch. All kickers will struggle, and it's easy to kick Ghost when he's down. But he's a solid kicker, and he'll rebound so long as we don't abandon him early.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

Which is a long way of saying kickers are a fickle bunch. All kickers will struggle, and it's easy to kick Ghost when he's down. But he's a solid kicker, and he'll rebound so long as we don't abandon him early.

A big part of the "problem" is that, by and large, the Patriots haven't needed Gostkowski to make any gamewinners.

In any case, I would take the 56-yarder out of the equation; that was a Hail Mary (and I'm still wondering why they didn't just roll the dice and go for a bomb to Tate or something)—and even then he certainly had the leg, but was just a bit off.

 

[Pessimistic Pete]

I have a feeling Gost will have a lot of field goal attempts today....

Better come through. Points are at a preimium against the Ravens defense.

 

[Synovia]

KicWhich is a long way of saying kickers are a fickle bunch. All kickers will struggle, and it's easy to kick Ghost when he's down. But he's a solid kicker, and he'll rebound so long as we don't abandon him early.

Its been shown many times over that there is little to no correlation between year-to-year field goal numbers on kickers. Simply put, its mostly random year to year crap.


The only thing that does show year-to-year correlation is kickoff distance, and Ghostkowski is one of the best at that.

 

[convertedpatsfan]

Its been shown many times over that there is little to no correlation between year-to-year field goal numbers on kickers. Simply put, its mostly random year to year crap.


The only thing that does show year-to-year correlation is kickoff distance, and Ghostkowski is one of the best at that.

Kickers are a very inconsistent group. But some guys are pretty consistent over their careers, with a bad year here or there. John Carney's been kicking for 22 seasons, and only 4 times has his FG% been less than 75% (once being his rookie season where he was at 40% in only 4 games). Only 7 times has it been less than 80%. Vinatieri has only had one season where he kicked under 77% of his FGs.

There are obviously guys with huge fluctuations like Suisham and Folk, which I pointed out earlier. But some guys are better and more reliable others.

Also, I don't think there's anything Ghost could do to make believers out of the guys who are convinced he sucks, but since he started the season 1 for 4, he's gone 6 for 6. Some of those kicks weren't perfect yesterday, but I don't care if he banks them in off the posts so long as he nails them, which he's starting to do.

 

[Gwedd]

Another thing to consider is that he has a new holder this year. It will take a little time to cement down the timing of the snapper and holder with the kicker, but it's coming along, and nicely if you ask me.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

Kickers are a very inconsistent group. But some guys are pretty consistent over their careers, with a bad year here or there. John Carney's been kicking for 22 seasons, and only 4 times has his FG% been less than 75% (once being his rookie season where he was at 40% in only 4 games). Only 7 times has it been less than 80%. Vinatieri has only had one season where he kicked under 77% of his FGs.

Another important point: 56 times have kickers had at least 16 attempts and converted >90% of them.

When Gostkowski did it in 2008, he was the second-youngest kicker in NFL history to do so. And two-thirds of those were by kickers 30 and over.

In other words, it's not inconceivable that Gostkowski can get better.

 

[Synovia]

Kickers are a very inconsistent group. But some guys are pretty consistent over their careers, with a bad year here or there. John Carney's been kicking for 22 seasons, and only 4 times has his FG% been less than 75% (once being his rookie season where he was at 40% in only 4 games). Only 7 times has it been less than 80%. Vinatieri has only had one season where he kicked under 77% of his FGs.

Right, but Vinateri has been everywhere from 100% to 77%. Thats a huge variance.

Ghostkowski was 77% his rookie year, and has been mid to high 80s since. Is anyone really surprised he missed a couple kicks with a rookie holder and a 2nd year long snapper?

 

[convertedpatsfan]

Another thing to consider is that he has a new holder this year. It will take a little time to cement down the timing of the snapper and holder with the kicker, but it's coming along, and nicely if you ask me.

I agree completely.

Another important point: 56 times have kickers had at least 16 attempts and converted >90% of them.

When Gostkowski did it in 2008, he was the second-youngest kicker in NFL history to do so. And two-thirds of those were by kickers 30 and over.

In other words, it's not inconceivable that Gostkowski can get better.

I've been really impressed with his consistency. A lot of young kickers struggle with that, but he's been really solid and he absolutely could get better.

Right, but Vinateri has been everywhere from 100% to 77%. Thats a huge variance.

Ghostkowski was 77% his rookie year, and has been mid to high 80s since. Is anyone really surprised he missed a couple kicks with a rookie holder and a 2nd year long snapper?

I'd argue that the huge variance for kickers has a lot more to do with the smaller sample sizes compared to QBs and WRs and RBs, though one could (and should) also factor in variables such as distance and weather conditions.

On the sample size issue, for example, in 2009, Ghost finished 18th in FG% with 84%. He made 26 of 31. Had he made just one more kick of those kicks, he'd be at 87% and in the top 10. If he missed one of those kicks, he's barely 80% and drops to 25th.

So what appears to be a huge fluctuation could be only 2 or 3 kicks one way or another. But the point is that they have a sustained track record of success. Ghost has done that in a relatively short amount of time. I just don't understand why so many are down on him.

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

What worries me is Ingram's wildness on a couple long snaps. Unsung hero Zoltan made some nice grabs saving potential disasters.

 

[VJCPatriot]

Re: Gostowski extended through 2014

Great news... we'll have a lot of touchbacks for the next 5 years, not to mention his excellent consistency. Hopefully we're just as good at drafting punters.

Were you even watching that last game against the Ravens? Zoltan nailed a 65 yard beauty of a punt in OT. That followed by the defensive stand set up the Pats for the final game winning drive.

BTW the Space Emperor of Space is #3 overall in the NFL for net punting average. He doesn't get to punt as much as other guys cos our offense is so good this year. But when he does, he makes em count.
NFL Stats: by Player Category

 

[Synovia]

So what appears to be a huge fluctuation could be only 2 or 3 kicks one way or another. But the point is that they have a sustained track record of success. Ghost has done that in a relatively short amount of time. I just don't understand why so many are down on him.

Because Maroney is gone. They need someone else to beat on.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

Re: Gostowski extended through 2014

Were you even watching that last game against the Ravens? Zoltan nailed a 65 yard beauty of a punt in OT. That followed by the defensive stand set up the Pats for the final game winning drive.

Obviously not, because that was written in late August.

I'm assuming what he meant was "I hope Zoltan turns out just as good," not "the Pats need to draft another punter."

And, if not, he shouldn't be surprised if the Space Emperor (of Space) shows up at his door to demonstrate just how good he is.

 

[VJCPatriot]

Gost hit the game winner in OT... twice. For kickers it can be VERY QUICK going from hero to goat and vice versa. In my eyes he's a good kicker now. Of course that can quickly go downhill if he starts missing again. But I think this game will be a confidence builder for Gost and we should see him continue to kick well. The dude has hit 90% on his FGs twice, so you know the talent is there. And watching his kickoffs you know his leg strength is also exceptional. He has the tools, he just needs to focus in. And I think he can do that.