CFZ How important is it to have a quality kicker?

[triplets_93]

VITAL to have a dependable and great kicker.

 

[goshann]

Yes, but when the playoffs come, these games are close and you cannot afford to not put points on the board with your kicker.

Nah missing the point

 

[BourbonBalz]

Very. NFL games are generally very close. A reliable kicker can make a huge difference.

 

[plasticman]

Remember when the Cowboys used to have some of the most accurate kickers in NFL history?

Did you know that Nick Folk didn't miss a single extra point until the 10th season of his career? He's still kicking in the NFL, at least he was last season.

After the 2015 season, Dan Bailey's fifth, he was the top ranked kicker in history for FG%.

Look at the Cowboys 1995 season, their last SB championship. Chris Boniol made 27 of 28 field goals.

Boniol's 1995 season was the best in Cowboys history in terms of FG%. The next three best belonged to Dan Bailey. In fact Bailey had five of the top ten best seasons for a Cowboys kicker. I'm going with a minimum 20 attempts.

In 31 of the Cowboys 51 seasons the kicker was perfect on extra points. Two of the bottom three worst XP% seasons belong to Greg Zuerlein.

 

[Buzzbait]

How important is to have a quality QB? I rest my case...............

If truly elite QBs were easy to come by, they wouldn't be so expensive and everyone would have one. I rest my case.

 

[conner01]

How many reliable kickers are in the nfl?
Maybe 15 or so?
It’s like saying every team needs a franchise QB
It’s obvious the need but it’s not all that simple
I remember reading on this board by many attacking Jerry today about the kickers, all excited about the kickers he brought in during the off season

 

[conner01]

Kickers are important but this team attempts too many field goals because of the inconsistencies at QB especially in the redzone.

Remind me where the cowboys ranked in scoring last year

 

[Jfconrow]

Just ask the bears, I think they got knocked out of two consecutive playoffs on missed kicks or maybe it was two missed kicks the last game but whatever it’s important. Not 20m a year import, but probably somewhere in the 5-7m range idk. I like to play defense manage the clock and win by a field goal…I’d take that every time.

 

[Whyjerry]

Good kicking is huge. HUGE. Especially nowadays given how talented some of these kickers are.

 

[Hoofbite]

Pretty important. Passing up points is a good way to lose.

 

[Silly]

Important enough to spend draft picks on!

 

[CowboysFaninHouston]

In short: Very, very important. Here’s some evidence:

• In 2019, a whopping 73% of NFL games were decided by a FG or less. Meaning nearly 3 of 4 games could have been decided by the guy who wasn’t drafted and played only a handful of plays each game. (Link: https://www.abc15.com/sports/super-...hought-but-they-are-key-to-super-bowl-success)
• Last season in 2021, in the first 2 months of the season an NFL record was set with the number of games going down to a final play. (Link: https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2021/oct/13/nfl-has-record-number-of-games-going-down-to-final/)
• According Vegas oddsmakers, almost 20% of all NFL games since 2003 were literally decided by the kicker. It’s why oddsmakers most often have a 3 pt margin set for set for most betting lines.
• Last year in the divisional round of the playoffs, 3 of the 4 winning teams won their games with a game winning FG. That was an a new NFL record. (Link: https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id...h-kickers-dominate-divisional-round-showdowns
• We should have/could have been 13-4 instead of 12-5 last year if Greg Zeurline didn’t miss an XP and chip shot FG vs Tampa Bay in that 31-30 loss on opening day. Frustrating.

This could go on….Can we all agree having a dependable K is critical if you’re serious about winning in the playoffs? Or even just to MAKE the playoffs.

I believe the Cowboys know this. But seems like the search for a better K has been going on since Dan Bailey lost his mojo a few years ago. Here’s hoping the team finds someone better than what we’ve settled for since Bailey left.

How important is an NFL kicker? Recent history says very important.

well, let me give you a couple of samples

Tampa bay game last year, we missed a PAT and easy field goal. that's 4 points, the score was 31-29
Raiders game we lost in OT, we missed a PAT, should have never gone to over time

 

[Buzzbait]

Important enough to spend draft picks on!

You'd think so anyway. Draft a good one and most likely you don't have to worry about it again for several years. Plus good kickers wouldn't require 1st or second round picks, but noooooo, the Cowboys would rather shop at Home Depot for wanabe kickers that nobody else wants.
Course if they drafted a quality kicker with a 3rd or 4th round pick, the CZ board would probably explode. I could hear it now....."You could pick up a kicker at Home Depot for nothing, and not have to waste a pick on a guy just because he makes points!

 

[Hadenough]

Remind me where the cowboys ranked in scoring last year

Please!! Don't be fooled by point totals.
50 points against the WFT and Eagles don't make up for Daks inability to score against better teams.

 

[PAPPYDOG]

For this offense, it's 150% important!!!

 

[Beastsfromthenfceast]

I always said a good kicker can put 10 - 15 points on the board . Something Dak has a problem with .

 

[conner01]

Please!! Don't be fooled by point totals.
50 points against the WFT and Eagles don't make up for Daks inability to score against better teams.

So I guess we are the only team to have games where we scored high points and we other teams put up high points against better teams
Over 17 games ever single teams have bad games against good teams

 

[blueblood70]

In short: Very, very important. Here’s some evidence:

• In 2019, a whopping 73% of NFL games were decided by a FG or less. Meaning nearly 3 of 4 games could have been decided by the guy who wasn’t drafted and played only a handful of plays each game. (Link: https://www.abc15.com/sports/super-...hought-but-they-are-key-to-super-bowl-success)
• Last season in 2021, in the first 2 months of the season an NFL record was set with the number of games going down to a final play. (Link: https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2021/oct/13/nfl-has-record-number-of-games-going-down-to-final/)
• According Vegas oddsmakers, almost 20% of all NFL games since 2003 were literally decided by the kicker. It’s why oddsmakers most often have a 3 pt margin set for set for most betting lines.
• Last year in the divisional round of the playoffs, 3 of the 4 winning teams won their games with a game winning FG. That was an a new NFL record. (Link: https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id...h-kickers-dominate-divisional-round-showdowns
• We should have/could have been 13-4 instead of 12-5 last year if Greg Zeurline didn’t miss an XP and chip shot FG vs Tampa Bay in that 31-30 loss on opening day. Frustrating.

This could go on….Can we all agree having a dependable K is critical if you’re serious about winning in the playoffs? Or even just to MAKE the playoffs.

I believe the Cowboys know this. But seems like the search for a better K has been going on since Dan Bailey lost his mojo a few years ago. Here’s hoping the team finds someone better than what we’ve settled for since Bailey left.

How important is an NFL kicker? Recent history says very important.

the real question is 32 teams how m any truly have what you define as a Quality K? I say Greg was quality , but top 5-10 if that your definition its nearly as hard to fill as a QB//yet Dak way above quality and fans still UNHAPPY..

blame the jonses all you want , there aren't 32 quality kickers available maybe 10-12 and even some of those can have off weeks.

 

[blueblood70]

I always said a good kicker can put 10 - 15 points on the board . Something Dak has a problem with .

dak get the flip over it,

you mean the team? BTW we are top 10 scoring team..top yards ,top oh wait the #1 offense in many category's last year..dak through 5 games in 2020 was on an MVP pace. When the team struggles dak struggles..pretty normal..cant have the OL committing that many penalties and when they arent, they arent blocking well.

 

[Verdict]

In short: Very, very important. Here’s some evidence:

• In 2019, a whopping 73% of NFL games were decided by a FG or less. Meaning nearly 3 of 4 games could have been decided by the guy who wasn’t drafted and played only a handful of plays each game. (Link: https://www.abc15.com/sports/super-...hought-but-they-are-key-to-super-bowl-success)
• Last season in 2021, in the first 2 months of the season an NFL record was set with the number of games going down to a final play. (Link: https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2021/oct/13/nfl-has-record-number-of-games-going-down-to-final/)
• According Vegas oddsmakers, almost 20% of all NFL games since 2003 were literally decided by the kicker. It’s why oddsmakers most often have a 3 pt margin set for set for most betting lines.
• Last year in the divisional round of the playoffs, 3 of the 4 winning teams won their games with a game winning FG. That was an a new NFL record. (Link: https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id...h-kickers-dominate-divisional-round-showdowns
• We should have/could have been 13-4 instead of 12-5 last year if Greg Zeurline didn’t miss an XP and chip shot FG vs Tampa Bay in that 31-30 loss on opening day. Frustrating.

This could go on….Can we all agree having a dependable K is critical if you’re serious about winning in the playoffs? Or even just to MAKE the playoffs.

I believe the Cowboys know this. But seems like the search for a better K has been going on since Dan Bailey lost his mojo a few years ago. Here’s hoping the team finds someone better than what we’ve settled for since Bailey left.

How important is an NFL kicker? Recent history says very important.

I have often wondered why the team doesn’t use a non-premium pick every few years (4-7) and draft a really good kicker. It seems as though teams stick to the script and pay an established kicker or go the undrafted route most of the time.