Do you replace Zuerlein?

[RonnieT24]

Pretty sure he gave us the lead, so what next? "Greg you gave us the lead after a rought start for you, so we're cutting you". I need to start day drinking

If he had made that 31 yarder and the extra point he would not have needed to give us the lead at the end. That drive would have been run, run, run, eat clock and punt with 10 seconds left on the clock. Instead of being up 30-28 and in control like we should have been were were down and needing to score.. because of him. Yes he made the clutch kick but he's the one who necessitated that kick.

 

[glimmerman]

I'm somewhat uncertain that Zuerlein is destined to be replaced, although, I'm reasonably confident that he'll be allowed more time to adjust his kicking skills to be more in line to what they've been in the past. If his problems continue, however, something will need to be done to correct it. It bears notice.

He will be allowed half a season of missing fgs before he will be replaced.

 

[Cmac]

Jimmy Johnson would have taken care of this by sun up, and Zuerlein would have been jumpy/nervous every time his phone rang or the Ring buzzed.

 

[INCowboysFan]

Seems like the wheels fall off quickly for kickers. I'm not sure that's the case with Z. Probably has more to do with him doing very little kicking in the off season after his surgery. Probably more rust than anything.

 

[RonnieT24]

Seems like the wheels fall off quickly for kickers. I'm not sure that's the case with Z. Probably has more to do with him doing very little kicking in the off season after his surgery. Probably more rust than anything.

Who was the guy we brought a couple of years ago when we FINALLY pulled the plug on Maher? Forbath? All he did was go 10 for 10 or something crazy like that.. So we discarded him for Zuerlein.. What we don't like perfection from a kicker? We gotta have drama for some reason? Anybody remember how drama free the kicking game was for like 8 years with Bailey? I miss those days..

 

[Beaker42]

I don't think he's ready...that said, he's probably still better than anyone available....tough call.

Yes - with the water boy.

 

[jnday]

Forbath was great in Dallas when MM and friends took over. He never had a chance because the special teams coach was determined to bring in his guys, even if his guys was not as good as the players that was here when he was hired.

 

[jnday]

Who was the guy we brought a couple of years ago when we FINALLY pulled the plug on Maher? Forbath? All he did was go 10 for 10 or something crazy like that.. So we discarded him for Zuerlein.. What we don't like perfection from a kicker? We gotta have drama for some reason? Anybody remember how drama free the kicking game was for like 8 years with Bailey? I miss those days..

10/10 was not good enough. A long snapper that had never had a bad snap was not good enough either.

 

[CyberB0b]

Yes. I have seen enough. He's a career 82% kicker. He isn't very good.

 

[maryquality]

Who was the guy we brought a couple of years ago when we FINALLY pulled the plug on Maher? Forbath? All he did was go 10 for 10 or something crazy like that.. So we discarded him for Zuerlein.. What we don't like perfection from a kicker? We gotta have drama for some reason? Anybody remember how drama free the kicking game was for like 8 years with Bailey? I miss those days..

Yeah, I liked "Cobra" Kai Forbath. Didn't think he should have been cut.

 

[SackMaster]

Ah, that is a tough one.

Considering he had surgery in the off-season it is hard to completely throw him under the bus, even if his performance deserved it.

Hopefully he will get some opportunities in the next few weeks where it is not in a "miss and we lose" situation.

If he consistently nails kicks pretty much like he did his last one, you keep him around. If even the makes are shaky, then ya, you probably look to replace him. But you better be sure because there probably isn't anything really out there that you would want to hang your hat on.

 

[Aven8]

I thought Al and Chris said it best when Al said have you ever tried to swing a golf club after back surgery?

They just need to find out if he’s ready. He kept swinging the ball left a lot.

 

[maryquality]

Ah, that is a tough one.

Considering he had surgery in the off-season it is hard to completely throw him under the bus, even if his performance deserved it.

Hopefully he will get some opportunities in the next few weeks where it is not in a "miss and we lose" situation.

If he consistently nails kicks pretty much like he did his last one, you keep him around. If even the makes are shaky, then ya, you probably look to replace him. But you better be sure because there probably isn't anything really out there that you would want to hang your hat on.

What our coaches/FO should have done was to put him on the IR list, the one where you can come back after a few weeks. They should have kept the other kicker, Halleluiah (sp?) until Greg Z. was fully recovered from that back surgery and could consistently make those kicks. I put the blame on our coaches and FO for that decision, not on Zeurlein.

 

[OmerV]

Can't make that decision on one game, especially with a veteran that has a history as a quality player.

 

[SackMaster]

What our coaches/FO should have done was to put him on the IR list, the one where you can come back after a few weeks. They should have kept the other kicker, Halleluiah (sp?) until Greg Z. was fully recovered from that back surgery and could consistently make those kicks. I put the blame on our coaches and FO for that decision, not on Zeurlein.

Hard to argue that one.

I wonder if GZ was looking real good in practice, but just crapped himself in the 1st half of the game? If that is the case, how do you solve that? I really don't know.

In any case, he is our kicker until he isn't, so I hope he figures it out real soon and/or Dallas doesn't hang on for too long.

 

[Reverend Conehead]

I just looked it up. Dan Bailey, Brett Maher, and Kai Forbath are all available free agents. Each of our previous three kickers being available is not something I would have foreseen. It shows you how fragile kickers are. Bailey and Maher got released from their most recent teams because of poor production on the field. I'm not sure about Forbath. It makes me sad because Bailey was the best kicker the team ever had. We've had some good ones: Bailey, Boniol, and Septien come to mind. Maher was never even close to our best, but he does hold the record for the longest field goal made by a Cowboys kicker.

Maybe Forbath has something left if Zuerlein doesn't work out?

 

[TheMarathonContinues]

Something is just off about his kicks....I don't know what it is......

I feel like we are going to do this thing with Greg where he goes out there next game and looks great and is 4/4 but then the game after he's 2/4 or 2/5.....

 

[RustyBourneHorse]

I don't think he's ready...that said, he's probably still better than anyone available....tough call.

I would probably sign the Finnish kicker anyway and carry 2 kickers. I know it doesn't happen much nowadays in regular season play, but we have to for competition against Z.

 

[RonWashington]

i'm tempted.
depends on who is out there.

Zuerlein hit a 47 yarder to give Dallas the lead under 2 mins left . The kickers walking the streets are not an improvement .

 

[cowboyec]

Zuerlein hit a 47 yarder to give Dallas the lead under 2 mins left . The kickers walking the streets are not an improvement .

thats why i wrote "tempted" and "depends on whose available".
if there were better...i'd cut him in a heartbeat.