2005: The year of the missed field goal

[jesusphreak]

Situation: Washington Commanders @ Dallas Cowboys
Final score: 14-13 Washington
Kicker: Jose Cortez
Effect: if Cortez doesn't miss a rather short field goal, the Commanders are down 16-0 with 4 minutes left to play and the chance of them having 3 scores is next to impossible

Situation: Dallas Cowboys @ Seattle Seahawks
Final score: 13-10 Seattle
Kicker: Jose Cortez
Effect: if Cortez doesn't miss a field goal late in the 4th quarter, the Cowboys lead is 13-3, and a Seattle comeback is very unlikely with less than 4 minutes remaining

Situation: Denver Broncos @ Dallas Cowboys
Final score: 24-20 Denver
Kicker: Billy Cundiff
Effect: if Cundiff makes a field goal with 7 minutes left in the game, the Cowboys take a 3 point lead and its likely they do not go to overtime

Situation: Dallas Cowboys @ Carolina Panthers
Final score: 24-20 Dallas
Kicker: Billy Cundiff
Effect: if Cundiff makes a field goal, the game is another one which is extremely difficult for the opposing team to come back in; on the other hand, if he kicks his final field goal accurately, the field goal is blocked and the Cowboys lose the game

Situation: Atlanta Falcons @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Final score: 27-24 Tampa Bay
Kicker: Todd Peterson
Effect: if Peterson makes a 28-yard field goal in overtime, the Buccaneers have 6 losses, and a Cowboys win against St. Louis gives the Cowboys automatic entry into the playoffs

I hope field goals aren't what do us in. As you can see, that much underappareciated player that scores 3 points can make or break a season.

We can only hope it doesn't break ours.

 

[big_neil]

Thanks for the summary. I didn't know Atlanta came that close to beating Tampa. 28 yards is nearly an extra point. That is about the 10 yard line.

 

[DB_Cooper]

To be fair, don't forget the 3 the Giants missed against the Seahawks which would have put them two games ahead of us...

Regardless, not a great year for kickers in the NFC.

 

[MapleLeaf]

... a sore spot of ineptitude on this team and will be our achilles heel until we properly address the situation.

I've been harping on this and not just because it was the position I played. The NFL with parity ensure a level field of talent and whne you spout the words "On any given Sunday" you have to have the elements in place to win the close games.

Teams who ignore the kicking game are doomed to perpetually being next year's team.

I have never said anything that I felt was a "truth" on this board, but I will say you can "book" this in your memory.

Cundiff, Janikowski, Akers, Longwell and Edinger are all on next year's teams.

The only kicker who is breaking the grain is Josh Brown of Seattle, but a propensity for inaccuracy from the 40-49 yd range is going to haunt the Seahawks in the playoffs.

 

[TunaFan33]

Honestly-I blame Parcells and Payton for their conservative playcalling in those games more.

Gibbs did in the 2nd game what Parcells didn't do in the first-provided the KO punch when he had the opportunity. We had the Skins down and out in that first game, and if we DID provide that KO punch, that game would have been over early. Same with the Hawks game-1st and goal TWICE, but didn't even have the will to hit the EZ.

Yeah-I agree with everyone here that you can't leave pts on the field like this. However-there are many variables why teams lose.

 

[MapleLeaf]

Honestly-I blame Parcells and Payton for their conservative playcalling in those games more.

Gibbs did in the 2nd game what Parcells didn't do in the first-provided the KO punch when he had the opportunity. We had the Skins down and out in that first game, and if we DID provide that KO punch, that game would have been over early. Same with the Hawks game-1st and goal TWICE, but didn't even have the will to hit the EZ.

Yeah-I agree with everyone here that you can't leave pts on the field like this. However-there are many variables why teams lose.

...is the opposing team. You can't believe that your team will always roll over people like they are puffed wheat.

When the landslide hits you like it did Philly, it was easy for us to put them away. Similarily the Skins game when you do nothing right. Most of the time you will be in for a dog fight. Those are the games you don't want to lose because you actually have a chance to win them.

If we don't miss the FG in the first Skins game we are up by three scores. You can't leave points on the field. Not in this league.

 

[THUMPER]

Honestly-I blame Parcells and Payton for their conservative playcalling in those games more.

Gibbs did in the 2nd game what Parcells didn't do in the first-provided the KO punch when he had the opportunity. We had the Skins down and out in that first game, and if we DID provide that KO punch, that game would have been over early. Same with the Hawks game-1st and goal TWICE, but didn't even have the will to hit the EZ.

Yeah-I agree with everyone here that you can't leave pts on the field like this. However-there are many variables why teams lose.

I also blame Parcells for those losses more than the kicker. When we were up 10-0 in the 3rd quarter against the Skins he was playing for the FG rather than the TD. Stupid move by a guy who should know better.

Trying to win games close is foolish and it has cost us several times over the past couple of seasons under Parcells. He plays "not to lose" rather than playing to win and is a sign of his age more than anything else IMO.


BTW, if I were a HC I wouldn't even have a kicker or punter on my team, I'd just use some player to kickoff after we score TDs. That would free up 3 roster spots (kicker, punter and deep snapper) for depth at more important positions. Having to rely on some foreigner who comes onto the field for a handful of plays each game is just domb to me.

 

[MapleLeaf]

I also blame Parcells for those losses more than the kicker. When we were up 10-0 in the 3rd quarter against the Skins he was playing for the FG rather than the TD. Stupid move by a guy who should know better.

Trying to win games close is foolish and it has cost us several times over the past couple of seasons under Parcells. He plays "not to lose" rather than playing to win and is a sign of his age more than anything else IMO.


BTW, if I were a HC I wouldn't even have a kicker or punter on my team, I'd just use some player to kickoff after we score TDs. That would free up 3 roster spots (kicker, punter and deep snapper) for depth at more important positions. Having to rely on some foreigner who comes onto the field for a handful of plays each game is just domb to me.

...dumb until you come up against a superior defensive team and it comes down to a defensive struggle that culminates in field position and the opportunity to win the game from 43 yards out with 5 seconds to play.

Does anyone in this fourm think in their right mind that defensive and offensive players take the abuse through the entire game just to have the game come down to the kickers?

No one wants that least of all the kickers. But when the opposition is on their game you aren't guaranteed a TD whenever you feel like it.

The concept of a FG is to give you offence a second chance at points when they have failed to advance the ball into the opposing endzone.

The FG kicker has two positives. First he can score from a long distance away from the opposing endzone, and second he makes something out of nithgin by salvaging points when the offence has stalled.

Those fans who ignore the value of a kicker will never understand football.

 

[jesusphreak]

BTW, if I were a HC I wouldn't even have a kicker or punter on my team, I'd just use some player to kickoff after we score TDs.

And that's why you aren't a head coach. What happens when the its 4th and 11 on your own 24 yard line? You sure as hell don't go for it. What happens when its 4th and 8 on the opponents 38 yard line? Instead of a possible 3 points or even punting, you either have to convert or you give the other team excellent field position. There is a reason kicking and punting have been around so long in the NFL, and its not because they are foolish things to do. Kickers regularly are the highest scorers on their teams.

 

[kdog]

I agree that Prehistoric Bill is the reason for the late game losses. BP and Payton are horrible in their playcalling duties. Please don't tell me that payton is allowed to call these plays and parcells has'nt okayed them for the game. BP is a controll freak and has his mitts in every facet of the game. We destroy these teams when we are dominating them and this thread is a moot point.