Should we bring in another kicker?

[meatface]

Not sure if you guys watch hard Knocks but I love the guy who sits behind Aguyao and Folk swearing and insulting them while they are kicking, he cracks me up. Aguayos form needs alot of work IMO he kind of abbreviates his follow through which may lead to some of his issues he needs some work.

I don't really get why they cut him, Folk really wasnt any better

 

[Biffins]

Annnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnd................ he hooks the XP.

Sigh.

And lots of head shaking afterwards. So much for the confidence builder from last week.

 

[TommyD4207]

Annnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnd................ he hooks the XP.

Sigh.

And lots of head shaking afterwards. So much for the confidence builder from last week.

Also the game-winner.

 

[supafly]

Gostkowski's obviously working through some type of mental or mechanical issue, having now missed 7 of his last 63 XP attempts.

He's great on kickoffs and seems to do well in the winter weather at Gillette, but he's got to improve on this weakness. Missing a couple/few isn't a big deal, but this has now begun to be a bit of a disturbing pattern.

 

[PittPatriot]

We drafted Gost and let Adam walk in 2006...basically letting a legend walk out the door for more money to draft an unknown commodity.
I still think back to the "what if"of going for it on 4th and 13 from the NYG 32 a 7-3 game.
I truly believe Adam strolls out for the kick but BB was protecting Gost.
I love Gost...he seems like a genuinely likable, hardworking person...but he is not a legend.
We let Adam go after his 10th season and Gost is in his 12th season.
Since then, Adam has earned* an extra $2.7M more than Gost... and alarmingly low figure considering this includes Gostkowski's rookie contract. That's only an extra $226,000 per year over that time.
If the decision to let Adam leave was about money, then we may have miscalculated.

* keep in mind this is earnings, not cap hit.

 

[PittPatriot]

Gostkowski's obviously working through some type of mental or mechanical issue, having now missed 7 of his last 63 XP attempts.

He's great on kickoffs and seems to do well in the winter weather at Gillette, but he's got to improve on this weakness. Missing a couple/few isn't a big deal, but this has now begun to be a bit of a disturbing pattern.

Missing 1/9 of your XP attempts means we may be seeing him miss at least once every 2 to 3 games. What bothers me even more is that his misses are not weather related.

 

[Jackson 2]

In my opinion, you keep Gost because a) he's still a good kicker and, b) there's no better alternative available. I've just come to grips with the fact that he's no longer as reliable as he once was, which was virtually a lead-pipe cinch. I still love the guy, but he isn't the same guy and never will be. Just gotta live with it.

 

[Bruins29]

I love Gost...he seems like a genuinely likable, hardworking person...but he is not a legend.
.

Ghost is still a better kicker than AV. Sorry it hurts the AV lovers but it is what it is. Now that may be changing now but up until this year Ghost was a better kicker.

 

[tasmlab]

I don't know. I'm just happy we let the most clutch kicker in the history of football walk over a measly 500k. I feel so confident with Ghost lining up to kick important FGs and PATs. I'm sure the Giants were pretty happy about in 2007 too.

Bill doesn't miss many, but he missed this one.

The movie version of the Patriots, when they film it, would've been better with AV as the kicker this whole time.

 

[Sciz]

It's impossible to debate Gostkowski vs Vinatieri without telling us who would have been kicking off for the past 8+ years that Vinatieri hasn't done that.

 

[Tuck]

Gostkowski doesn't do well with pressure so I wouldn't try motivating him with another kicker on the roster. I would however look at options in the off season. He's just not reliable enough for this team in big moments IMHO.

 

[Angelpats]

Better averages and better stats is the theme for the unconditional love of our kicker. They love him so much that they fear bringing in some competition would ruin him. If he can't take the pressure from a random kicker how will he handle game time situations. Still, he is the best kicker available so we need him. People seem to forget AV missed more FGs but the ones we needed the most he made. Ghost is the opposite, he makes more points than anyone but when it we really need him he misses. He's partly responsible for ending a couple of Super Bowl runs and last year he made the comeback more difficult but it was more epic the way we had to do it.

 

[ALP]

It's impossible to debate Gostkowski vs Vinatieri without telling us who would have been kicking off for the past 8+ years that Vinatieri hasn't done that.

and, I'd say, even more importantly, who we leave OFF each of those rosters so that two kickers can be on the 53

 

[PatsFan2]

Ghost is kinda strange he makes a 60 yarder looks routine then hooks a 20 yarder.

 

[Ring 6]

Ghost is kinda strange he makes a 60 yarder looks routine then hooks a 20 yarder.

Other than neither of those things have ever happened what is your point?

 

[Ring 6]

Since gostkowski became a patriot and vinatieri left

FG
GOST 308/353 87.3%
VIN. 270/312. 86.5%

PAT
GOST 554/559 99.1%
VIN. 420/427. 98.4%

As far as clutch in the post season
Gostkowski is 31/33 in his career on FGs and perfect in the SB
Vinatieri is 56/68 in the post season,
26/34 with us and 30/34 since.
Vinatieri was 4/6 in SBs.

Gostkowski has missed 3 playoff PATS Vibatieri has not attempted a playoff PAT since it was moved back from the 2 yard line.

Vinatieri made the toughest kick in NFL history. That alone doesn't make him a better kicker.

 

[TommyD4207]

Since gostkowski became a patriot and vinatieri left

FG
GOST 308/353 87.3%
VIN. 270/312. 86.5%

PAT
GOST 554/559 99.1%
VIN. 420/427. 98.4%

As far as clutch in the post season
Gostkowski is 31/33 in his career on FGs and perfect in the SB
Vinatieri is 56/68 in the post season,
26/34 with us and 30/34 since.
Vinatieri was 4/6 in SBs.

Gostkowski has missed 3 playoff PATS Vibatieri has not attempted a playoff PAT since it was moved back from the 2 yard line.

Vinatieri made the toughest kick in NFL history. That alone doesn't make him a better kicker.

Facts. This is the end of the thread. Everything after this is hot-take-hysteria.

 

[Tony2046]

Ghost is fine.

Side Note: This post is not hot-take-hysteria and therefore @TommyD4207 's previous post is incorrect.

 

[PatsDeb]

Let's have it people.
I think we should have someone at least breathing down Ghosts neck.

I think Ghost is breathing down Ghost's neck. It's obvious there is no one better out there or bloodless BB would have already brought him in, during camp. I'm guessing BB has figured out that putting more pressure on a (pretty good) kicker who is already putting pressure on himself is not the way to go once the season starts. Just look at the new kicker, Koo (sp?) in SD/LA. He has now single-handedly lost two games for SD/LA by missing makeable FGs at the end of regulation, two weeks in a row. Believe it or not, SD/LA's coach said he's sticking with him. Why? Presumably because there's nothing better out there, and strategically you need to build up a kicker who's nervous, not make him more nervous.

While the missed XPs are maddening, this past Sunday we didn't even miss it (because NO had two FGs instead of a TD to match our TD) and Ghost more than made up for it by running out & hitting a last second FG as time expired in the 1st half. We were laughing at my house saying they should make Ghost play like that all the time, i.e. on instinct with no time to think, as that sucker sailed right down the middle of the uprights, unlike the XPs which always seem to go dangerously near (or off) the uprights.

 

[BlacknGold77]

Gostkowski doesn't do well with pressure so I wouldn't try motivating him with another kicker on the roster. I would however look at options in the off season. He's just not reliable enough for this team in big moments IMHO.

I love takes like this. People in general love to have selective memory.

"Adam had 2 SB winning kicks..." Yeah, he had one in 2003, but if he doesnt shank a 31 yarder earlier in the game, the GW kick isnt even needed