Gostkowski

[Kdo5]

Rather than a dumb trick play that made Brady look ridiculous and exposed him to risk... how about the 4th down deep play on 3rd and 5 instead - and then kick what I believe was a 52 yard FG if it doesn't work.

Those 3 points would have been useful.

That dumb trick play was about to result in a first down and probably a 25 yard gain. It barely missed.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

Little things add up to big things.

Like losing Ebner and J. Jones?

 

[Ivan]

That’s it, I’m going to take up an acting career.

 

[luuked]

Checkout his playoff XP rate since the XP was moved back. Then come talk. He drops to %85 in the playoffs under the new rule.

He missed 1 XP this offseason thanks to another bobble on the hold and 2 XPs in the entire season. You are an idiot if you want to replace one of the best 5 kickers in the league with someone in a draft or a street agent over 3m.

 

[luuked]

And in fact he wasn't. He had to completely come to a stop and then try a flat-footed kick. Once I saw him stop my big worry was that it was going to be blocked and returned the other way for six. I was amazed it got as close as hitting the upright!

What kind of moron would disagree with this ? What you said is a fact..

 

[PatsDeb]

Gost does have some untimely misses that infuriate. However, so do almost all the other kickers in the league (Philly's kicker also missed an extra point on Sunday). Plus, the missed FG on Sunday was due to a bad snap, not Gost. Heck, he almost made the kick (doink off the upright), after the ball was on the ground and he had already started his kicking motion and had to re-load. We've had this discussion before and I have to ask the age old question, "Who out there is better?" The answer for a bunch of years now is "nobody." His kick-off skills and mostly accurate kicking are better than anything out there. Bring in a kicker to camp for competition? Sure, but he'll probably win the competition again. There's no way he should be "gotten rid of" unless we have someone on the roster who's better, but usually there is no such person.

 

[JarOfMayo51]

Not sure I agree with such a generalization. All botched snaps aren't equal. Allen actually did a pretty good job of recovering it and getting the ball down, giving Gost plenty of time to make a decent kick. Someone else suggested Allen should have taken off with the ball. No chance. It was an errant snap, bobbled (if you even want to call it that) for a split second and then placed into position for the kick. Yes, timing was off. But, I've seen plenty kickers complete that kick from 26 yards out too. So no chance, if I'm Allen, do I take off with that ball.

I'm not trying to kill Gostkowski here. I'm just pointing out, it was a pivotal point in the game.

You really kind of are trying to kill Ghost over it


That was 100% on the holder (and maybe long snapper). He dropped the ball and it fell between his legs, so it took a long time before he was able to get the ball and place it

Ghost had already started his mechanics, and because the delay was so significant by the holder, Ghost was forced to kick the ball at a complete stand still and still nearly made the kick


If you want to harp on Ghost, beat up on him about the missed extra point. The botched snap/hold is not on him, and no one could reasonably expect a kicker to make a kick in that situation

 

[rochrist]

It's not like he's never gotten a bad snap before. Professional kickers adjust. I mean, I get it, it was a bad snap. No question. It was also a chip shot and he nearly made it, rushing it more than he needed to.

Pro tip: If you're in a hole, stop digging.

 

[Kontradiction]

That was an interesting playcall by Joe Judge going with the classic fake fake field goal. Great call if it goes in, really caught the Eagles off guard.

I think it's pretty clear that the Patriots win the game if that goes in.

 

[Chris Stevenson]

Surprised with all the hammering BB is taking here the past few days that no one is really talking about Gostkowski's misses. I'm not saying the loss is on him, but that missed 26 yarder early was so out of character. I realize the snap was botched, etc etc.. but it's 26 yards and with no defenders near him, he's gotta nail that kick. Makes it a 9-6 game, stems momentum and even if you argue it doesn't, Brady's last drive looks a lot different down 1 point (I'm including the inexcusable missed PAT later) than it does down 5. So maybe we run the ball more, Brady doesn't fumble, etc etc.

I think there is plenty of blame to go around. Just surprised no one is pointing to these missed kicks. It was 26 yards...

I cant' stand the guy.

I have never felt this way about a kicker in NE, ever. Tony Franklin I trusted, veteran Matt Bahr with Parcells (even if he had no leg), Scott Sisson, obviously Vinatieri, heck even Shayne Graham as Gostkowski's fill in during 2010, I trusted more.

He's the most overrated kicker I've ever seen. Then, I read he looked at his form in the offseason (finally!") and made some adjusments, the missed PAT in the 2015 title game and in the SB, are symbolic of just this cloud that hangs over the entire team. The opponent gains confidence, thinks its their day to win, and we lose momentum. It's a killer to miss the gimmes.

How do you completely jerk a 33 yd PAT and drill a 45 yard FG? How many more gimmes will he miss before he is fired? Serious question. At least take a paycut for being so bad at times.

I noticed that he tries to kick thre exact same way on every kick, regardless of distance. In other words, he doesn't have a chip shot style kick like a Matt Bahr/Gary Anderson style kicker would have. And, when he misses, you can tell he missed it the second he kicks it. It usually hangs right, stays right, and then fades. The other one is the complete jerk variety like we saw in the SB.

Kicking is sort of like a 7-9 iron approach towards a green. He has no quick/swift chip shot kick, and he over-kicks with his "Swing plane" so to speak. His kick stroke is way too long on the PATs or shorter FGs.

It also looks like a lack of focus, too, like a pro golfer missing a gimme putt. It happens, but it's very rare.

This is literally the main thing he is responsbile for and he's this bad?

Even that PAT he hit in the SB, on the Sound F/X clip, Doug Pederson can be heard saying "he barely made that"...And, it's true!

And the thing is, his misses come in domes or with no wind involved. They're form misses, not kicks where he's misreading the wind or just strikes it a bit wrong due to a bad hold or snap.

The missed FG clearly was not his fault. I was actually impressed he almost pulled that off.

I also think BB doesn't trust him, but he also probably thinks he can't do much better, but I disagree. There are a lot of good kickers out there. I can rattle of a half dozen names, easily, that are better than him.

Throw in the fantasy based fans' opinions of him benefiting from a loaded offense, and his quality level is even more misleading.

But, I would love to see some competition in there at the very least, starting this year. It's just tiring watching the 2nd highest paid kicker be so mediocre like that.

Did you see his kick off to start the SB? I know what he was trying to do, but it was terrible.

And, the big thing that ticks me off with him, is his excuses and casual attitude when asked about his misses after games. He sort of smirks and says it's not big deal, saying everyone makes mistakes. It's like, dude, you're the second highest paid kicker in the league on a loaded offense!

In short, the guy has ZERO finesse. He's like a bull in a china shop. He'd probably use a driver on a dog leg right that's 250 yards out. lmao

 

[Chris Stevenson]

Umm. . . . If that's so, why has he not faced any serious competition for his job since his rookie year?

Absolutely fantastic question. I sort of stated why in my response and I disagree with BB.

Umm. . . . If that's so, why has he not faced any serious competition for his job since his rookie year?

Absolutely fantastic question. I sort of stated why in my response and I disagree with BB.

I haven't looked a t his dead money cap hit if he was cut last year and they moved on, but that could be tied to it.

It's bizarre that they have never even brought someone in even to rattle his cage a little bit.

 

[1960Pats]

Gostkowski hits kicks longer and more accurately than any Pats kicker ever.

 

[doesntmatter1]

I like Gostkowski but it feels like BB doesn't trust him during the playoffs. Replacing him would be extremely risky. The Bucs did the most idiotic thing and drafted a kicker super early who was supposedly the most accurate kicker ever only for him to be a complete bust. That kicker had whatever Cyrus Jones has(football hiv lol).

We are simply stuck with Ghost unless someone can build a time machine and somehow make Vinatieri a lifelong patriot.

 

[bresna]

We are simply stuck with Ghost unless someone can build a time machine and somehow make Vinatieri a lifelong patriot.

If you look at the numbers: New England Patriots Salary Cap | Over the Cap , I don't think you'd be so confident of his return. His cap savings if cut are $3.5 Million. It would not be out of character for the Patriots to cut or restructure him to save some cap space.

 

[Chris Stevenson]

I like Gostkowski but it feels like BB doesn't trust him during the playoffs. Replacing him would be extremely risky. The Bucs did the most idiotic thing and drafted a kicker super early who was supposedly the most accurate kicker ever only for him to be a complete bust. That kicker had whatever Cyrus Jones has(football hiv lol).

We are simply stuck with Ghost unless someone can build a time machine and somehow make Vinatieri a lifelong patriot.

Remember the jerk vs Arizona in Week 1 of 2012? The miss from 40 in Pitt in 2011? I could go on for days with easy kicks he's missed and BB clearly does not trust him in big spots either. But, it's the gimmes and his lack of focus or disinterest on the easy kicks that have been brutal.

I am not saying he's Blair Walsh, but good grief is he overrated. When you kick for an offense like this, you get a lot of opportunities.

 

[Chris Stevenson]

Gostkowski hits kicks longer and more accurately than any Pats kicker ever.

Too bad it doesn't feel like that.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

Too bad it doesn't feel like that.

That's your problem, not his.

It's also not his problem that he's averaged 91.2% of his kicks over the last 5 years. That's the most of any active kicker. Translation: you're not going to find anyone more consistent in the NFL now, and you basically can't get a better one in the draft.

 

[Chris Stevenson]

That's your problem, not his.

It's also not his problem that he's averaged 91.2% of his kicks over the last 5 years. That's the most of any active kicker. Translation: you're not going to find anyone more consistent in the NFL now, and you basically can't get a better one in the draft.

I'd take Justin Tucker all day everyday, amongst numerous other kickers. Heck, Philly's rookie, Elliott, has more consistency than Gostowski.

Gostkoswski is very blessed to being play for this team. They're a top offense every year, but if they were not, he'd be missing a lot more FGs than he already does.

If you watch enough of the NFL there are superior kickers who make LESS than Gostkowski.

I also laugh when people say "he has a strong leg" as I see BB pass on using him from 45+ out or he shanks one so bad, the distance is irrelevant.

 

[Nehalem]

I'd take Justin Tucker all day everyday, amongst numerous other kickers. Heck, Philly's rookie, Elliott, has more consistency than Gostowski.

So you want to cut Gostowski, who was 11/12 on PAT in the playoffs, and replace him with Elliott who was 7/9 on PAT in the playoffs?

 

[Chris Stevenson]

So you want to cut Gostowski, who was 11/12 on PAT in the playoffs, and replace him with Elliott who was 7/9 on PAT in the playoffs?

Yes. I trust a rookie kicker named Elliott with ice in his veins like I witnessed, as opposed to me holding my breath every time Gostkowski, a veteran, as overpaid and scary as he is.

Yes.

You can show all of his stats all day long and it won't change my sentiments.