Billy Cundiff. Support him or not.

[Dallas31]

IMO Dallas needs a reliable kicker inside 40 yards, worse than a big legged kicker who can connect from 56 yards.

This team would be better with Morten Anderson. Morten doesn't miss from under 40, but can't hit them much longer these days.

 

[SilverStarCowboy]

This team would be better with Morten Anderson. Morten doesn't miss from under 40, but can't hit them much longer these days.

Morten Anderson COME ON DOWN to big D!!

We need you man.

 

[MapleLeaf]

After tossing the ping pong back and forth with Nors I found out that top kickers in the game had career percentages in the high 70's for their FGs. Impressive guys were Vinatieri, Elam, Vanderjagt and Wilkins.

They were impressive for a high completion percentage at 50 yds+.

Cundiff has been perfect except for one kick inside the 40. It's very good if you just read it as a stat, but that's not how the game is played. Things are situational and reviewed in game perspective.

The problem with Cundiff's three points is:

First kicks under 40 have to be relatively easy points to compared to any other method of acquiring points. TDs and touchbacks require serious effort. See Jones being turned back three times at the one in the Detroit game for a primary example.

Kicks are made in the methodical fashion with very little variables to worry about when you are kicking in the southern U.S. in a domed/partially domes stadium. The only variables are the rush to block a kick and a bobbled snap, but we all know what the success rate of that is.

I didnt count all the blocks for the year, but what I found for the month of September was it was less than 1 measly %.

This year 85% of kicks inside the 40 were successful. If you exclude four kickers from the stats Edinger, Mare, France and Carney the league average jumps up to 91%. The worst culprit is Edinger who may actually be the worst kicker in the league beside Cortez. Next up are Carney and Mare.

Oddly enough only three kickers have missed from inside the 40 on artificial turf- Lindell, Cundiff and Edinger. The rest of the missed FGs were on grass by kickers who lay in grass stadiums.

What does this mean? If you take away the missed FGs under 40 yards on natural turf then the completion average goes up to a whopping 98%!!!

Cundiff was on turf, kicking a FG that had a extremely high probability of success. It was the 4th quarter. The game was tied. There wasn't alot of offensive success by either side in the last half of the fourth and these were "go ahead" points.

The game situation, the unfolding of the game up to that point, the field conditions and the league average for success dictated that he should have beared down and made this kick.

He didn't and that is the principle for the missed opportunity to take the lead in the game. He would not have won the game for us. There was still four minutes to go and other team members would still be relied upon to contribute to a win, but he had the best opportunity to gain "go ahead" points.

In this league you don't throw those away and hence the common frustration with kickers. If you miss a 58 yarder for the win in the last seconds the guys come up to you and pat you on the head for a good attempt.

If you miss a 38 yarder in a close battle in the last few minutes of the 4th you won't have many friends on the bench. It's the scale of reasonable expectations.

 

[Drederick Tatum]

Since the title of this post is "Billy Cundiff. Support him or not", I would have to say "NOT". As I said when others on this board were high-fiving each other with re-signing Cundiff, I told everyone that they had a short memory. This is exactly where Cundiff left off and I was content to never ever see him in a Cowboys uniform again. I had seen enough a year and a half ago. I was willing to go with the rookie "ride or die".


For all you Cundiff supporters, get use to it. He may make some FG's, but I wouldn't bet the superbowl on it, I even worry about PAT's with this guy.

 

[MapleLeaf]

...last long post. The stats I am quoting are for FGs from 30-39 yards. There are obviously more kicks missed under 30 yards of which Cortez holds a trophy for one. The others were Lindell, Carney and Feeley. Not a real fantastic bunch IMO.

 

[dontpush]

I see way to much blame going to Billy Cundiff. In that Denver game so many other things went wrong it is just lame to say Cundiff cost us the game. I guess I will go over AGAIN just some of the other things that also are to blame.

Our OL did a horrible job of opening holes for our running game. Our running game was nothing. THe OL also did a horrible job of protecting Bledsoe. Maybe if they did their job we win.

Terry Glenn dropped some key passes in the game. Maybe if he catches those we win the game.

Drew Bledsoe threw 2 INTs. One was returned for a TD that gave Denver 7 points. Maybe if Bledsoe did not give Denver 7 points we win the game. Maybe if on the 2nd INT Bledsoe completes the pass or throws it away we win the game.

Or maybe if T-New catches that on INT right to him we win the game.

There is just to many things that went down to say Cundiff cost us the game.


Last game he was a hero in here. He went 2-2 hitting a 56 yarder. Get me a list of all the Kickers who have hit a 56 yarder. Yeah I expect it to be a kinda short list.

Until we find a truly BETTER kicker the Cundiff I back the man. I guess if he goes 3-3 and nails 2 50+ yarders some of you wanting him gone will be saying he is the best Kicker in the NFL.

After seeing what garbage we had in Cortez I will back Cundiff till we get a kicker who is PROVEN BETTER.

I have said what I am gonna say and if some of you can not see that there were all kinds of other things that cost us the game then you are hopeless.

count me as a cundiff supporter.

 

[DLCassidy]

I support him because I have no choice- he's our kicker. The minute his sorry butt is kicked to the curb I will cease supporting him.

 

[Cowchips]

I'll support him if he doesnt blow any more chip shots. Are they using the same holder for Cundiff that they did for Cortez?? Maybe there is a deeper issue here. These guys don't normally miss chip shot field goals..especially knowing Parcells is on the sidelines!!

 

[MapleLeaf]

I'll support him if he doesnt blow any more chip shots. Are they using the same holder for Cundiff that they did for Cortez?? Maybe there is a deeper issue here. These guys don't normally miss chip shot field goals..especially knowing Parcells is on the sidelines!!

...good snap, good hold, he wheeled it too much with his leg and put up a slight hook. It started inside the left upright and kept inching left.

 

[wsmith_1972]

It wasn't a hugh miss...he just misjudge it....a little rusty.

He has a long leash at the moment, but have Larry Allen on standby.

He's better than anything we can get.

 

[VirusX]

I support him, he just came off a leg injury and a while without in-game situations. His 56 Yarder proves he can play in this league let him work on his consistency.

 

[Dawgs0916]

I support him, he just came off a leg injury and a while without in-game situations. His 56 Yarder proves he can play in this league let him work on his consistency.

Your absolutely right. He can definetely play in this league. And if he doesnt kick for us next year, it will be for someone else. Give the guy some slack. If it happens again though, watch out.

 

[big dog cowboy]

Yes. But he is on a short leash and I am in favor of JJ geting a big name kicker in here next year.

 

[Nors]

after watching Tampa and Giants kicker today.

We are not alone in pain.

 

[yesfan]

If Cundiff missed 3 in a row,they'd probably want
to hang him.

 

[MapleLeaf]

after watching Tampa and Giants kicker today.

We are not alone in pain.

...this is going to be a critical part of the run for the playoffs. Points left on the table by a kicker can be the difference in golfing early or playing in January.

 

[HTownCowboysFan]

Cundiff just came back. Cut the dude some slack. It happens - although it was a kick in the you-know-what at the time.

 

[dbair1967]

If Cundiff missed 3 in a row,they'd probably want
to hang him.

yeah but the guy who missed 3 today had missed only 2 all yr, and at least the 3 he missed were long ones, outside in the wind at a tough place to kick

he didnt miss a 33yd fg with no wind or rain

David

 

[MapleLeaf]

yeah but the guy who missed 3 today had missed only 2 all yr, and at least the 3 he missed were long ones, outside in the wind at a tough place to kick

he didnt miss a 33yd fg with no wind or rain

David

Where was the wind coming from? I didn't watch the game.