Why do we give Gostowski a pass for how unclutch he has been in the playoffs?

[Crazy Patriot Guy]

As I said earlier, and others have mentioned, Gost hasn't had the opportunities to be considered unclutch in the playoffs. I would obviously prefer he never miss but look at Adam Vinatieri in 2003. On the season, he went 9/17 from 30 yards and beyond, and 4/7 from 30+ in the postseason. He had 2 misses in the Super Bowl. But he went 1/1 with seconds left and we won it all, so nobody cares. He's clutch and deserves to be in the HOF.

But what if Brady didn't drive us down the field and we go on to lose to Carolina in regulation or in OT? Then those two misses look a lot worse, the subpar season by Vinatieri looks a lot worse and people are questioning if he's lost his clutchness.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

All of that said, if Gostkowski is such a problem, why has Belichick literally made almost zero effort to bring in any competition? He could easily have brought in an extra kicker, but he didn't.

 

[supafly]

All of that said, if Gostkowski is such a problem, why has Belichick literally made almost zero effort to bring in any competition? He could easily have brought in an extra kicker, but he didn't.

I’m guessing that Belichick’s opinion of Gost is much higher than the average fan, simply due to seeing the entire picture of success at the position.

That said, I can appreciate the concern for missing kicks in the season’s biggest game 3 yrs in a row. I just don’t see any better option that’s available, because I don’t think too many other kickers can be as complete as Gostowski is.

 

[Deus Irae]

Other than "The ones he makes", which kicks are not clutch in the playoffs?
Other than "The ones he misses", which kicks are clutch in the playoffs?

The vile heathen Gostkowski:

78 of 82 (95%) XPA
34 of 38 (89%) FGA


Saint Adam of Vinatieri:

66 of 66 (100%) XPA
56 of 68 (82%) FGA

 

[Triumph]

Gostkowski has 89.47% field goal percentage in the playoffs.

In 2017 he was 60% in the post season making 3 out of 5 FGs.

Thats bordering on maybe he makes and maybe he doesnt.

 

[Triumph]

Other than "The ones he makes", which kicks are not clutch in the playoffs?
Other than "The ones he misses", which kicks are clutch in the playoffs?

The vile heathen Gostkowski:

78 of 82 (95%) XPA
34 of 38 (89%) FGA


Saint Adam of Vinatieri:

66 of 66 (100%) XPA
56 of 68 (82%) FGA

Gost was 3 completed of 5 attempted in the 2017 post season = 60% Money in the bank I tell you.

No spin, just the raw hard facts.

 

[Crazy Patriot Guy]

Gost was 3 completed of 5 attempted in the 2017 post season = 60% Money in the bank I tell you.

No spin, just the raw hard facts.

Vinatieri 7/10 in the postseason in 2003, 4/7 beyond 30 yards.

No spin, just the raw hard facts.

 

[Triumph]

Vinatieri 7/10 in the postseason in 2003, 4/7 beyond 30 yards.

No spin, just the raw hard facts.

When the money was on AV he delivered.

Twice in the snowbowl
SB 36
SB 38

The real deal.

 

[Crazy Patriot Guy]

When the money was on AV he delivered.

Twice in the snowbowl
SB 36
SB 38

The real deal.

And as I've pointed out in this thread already, when has Gostkowski ever missed a FG in the playoffs with seconds left with the season on the line? He hasn't had those same opportunistic moments that Vinatieri had, so we point out his every miss but forgive or even forget every one that Adam missed.

I'll bring it up again, Adam was 13/24 from beyond 30 yards for the 2003 season, including the playoffs. Had the Pats not gotten in FG range at the end of Super Bowl 38, if the kick never happens and we go on to lose the game, he would have been 12/23 beyond 30 on the season, and 0/2 in the biggest game of the year. Would we still consider him money after that?

 

[PatsFanSince74]

If there's someone out there today who would be better for the Patriots than Gostkowski, please make a case for him.

Like a lot of others out here, I close my eyes and cross my fingers when he has to make any Kick (PAT or FG) in a big game or clutch situation, but his stats are what they are and I'm not aware of a superior alternative. Also, we should not overlook his stats on making opponents run back a KO from inside the five yard line.

 

[Triumph]

And as I've pointed out in this thread already, when has Gostkowski ever missed a FG in the playoffs with seconds left with the season on the line? He hasn't had those same opportunistic moments that Vinatieri had, so we point out his every miss but forgive or even forget every one that Adam missed.

I'll bring it up again, Adam was 13/24 from beyond 30 yards for the 2003 season, including the playoffs. Had the Pats not gotten in FG range at the end of Super Bowl 38, if the kick never happens and we go on to lose the game, he would have been 12/23 beyond 30 on the season, and 0/2 in the biggest game of the year. Would we still consider him money after that?

That is the concern.

That Stephen will Costkowski the Pats the big game.

 

[Crazy Patriot Guy]

That is the concern.

That Stephen will Costkowski the Pats the big game.

Well it's understandable that people would be more concerned. With the game on the line, Adam didn't miss. Gost hasn't kicked with the game on the line. So he's an unknown. That's a different debate.

But it's not fair to question his "clutchness," when as far as I know he hasn't missed a 4th quarter kick in the playoffs, but because of misses earlier in games. The only reason Vinatieri was clutch was because he had those chances to make the game winner, it certainly wasn't because he never missed in the playoffs.

 

[Deus Irae]

Gost was 3 completed of 5 attempted in the 2017 post season = 60% Money in the bank I tell you.

No spin, just the raw hard facts.

Since the question posed is not about just 2017, that's not just the raw hard facts. That's ignoring his full career and cherry picking one season.

 

[Deus Irae]

When the money was on AV he delivered.

Twice in the snowbowl
SB 36
SB 38

The real deal.

With few exceptions, every kick in the postseason is "when the money was on".

 

[aluminum seats]

As others have said, he hasn’t had the chances to win playoff games in the last few seconds. Hard to judge. He has missed a few in the playoffs.

Guy’s a good kicker. Just going by subjective feeling, I do wish he felt more automatic at times, but not many out there. (There was a game against the Giants that stands out as a great clutch kick awhile back).

I like him. Hope he gets the chance to win a Super Bowl.

 

[Hyped]

How do you know until real competition is brought to TC?

Because he is being paid north of 3.5M a year....and Belichick would love a kicker making the minimum *if* he thought the kid would kick better.

 

[Bruins29]

I am not sure who is more ridiculous:

1. Garapolites
2. AV Lovers
3. Posters who think Brady would intentionally risk losing games because he and his team were not prepared enough in the hopes that his "message was sent"
4. RLKAG and got away with it
5. Chris Simms

Its a tough one.

 

[Ras-IR Dowling]

We’re fortunate to have gone 2 decades with AV and ghost. Just look at Tampa, using a 2nd rounder on Aguayo and cutting him a year later.

 

[Angelpats]

I don’t know why some of you keep on discrediting AV. His two kicks won us two superbowls. You know how hard they are to win. Quit slamming him. Of course he missed a few, but the games played out perfectly that a kick was all we needed to win. If he made those missed the games would have played out differently and it’s likely we lose. You can’t change history, the man made two game winning kicks. Plus the tying kick in the raiders snow game that got us to another SB. Gost is a very good kicker but these missed XPs he keeps missing really alters the course of the game that we end up losing.

 

[Bruins29]

I don’t know why some of you keep on discrediting AV. His two kicks won us two superbowls. You know how hard they are to win. Quit slamming him. Of course he missed a few, but the games played out perfectly that a kick was all we needed to win. If he made those missed the games would have played out differently and it’s likely we lose. You can’t change history, the man made two game winning kicks. Plus the tying kick in the raiders snow game that got us to another SB. Gost is a very good kicker but these missed XPs he keeps missing really alters the course of the game that we end up losing.

Who is "slamming" AV?

Also, how many XPs did AV have to make from the 15 yard line? All of Ghosts XPs for the last 3 years have been 33 yard FGs