OFFICIAL Kicker Stats

[durrrr]

I wonder if Kai Forbath will be able to get into the mix once he gets healthy

 

[ThreeSportStar80]

Neither dud provides any comfort in the kicking game... Why Lord, why???


:bang2:

 

[tomson75]

I don't think you can accurately compare to previous days of 35 yard line kick offs.

Players are bigger, stronger and faster all around. Theres specialized kicking balls that just sit and wait to be hammered down field.

I actually think the number of kickers who can kick it deep is much greater than stats would lead anyone to believe.

Lets say there's a kicker who can kick 75 yards on a line but only he goes for some extra hang time and kicks the ball 68. He's probably not gonna get a bunch of touchbacks.

But from the 35 if he kicks it as far as he can regardless of hang time, he's putting it in the back of the endzone, if not through the endzone.

Even if the guy doesn't get all of it on the kick and gets it 2-3 yards deep on a line, the coverage team is still 5 yards closer than they have been and the return man isn't going to get as big of a return as he would have last year.

I think the number of kickers who have previously sacrificed distance for hang time is much, much larger than we have thinking.

Time will tell...and agree to an extent, but I think you're going to see an increase in frequency more akin to the small increase we've already seen in preseason. A 28% to 34% increase is substantial, and could easily be explained by better athletes, more specific training, etc. I could even see an increase in 20% possible....but not to a level that is being cited by most people. Touchbacks are most certainly NOT a given. At least not yet....

My point is...I think Beuhler still has a significant advantage on kickoffs, despite the belief that "anyone" can do it now. Whether he wins the competition, or is allowed to stay if we keep two kickers on the roster, is a completely different question.

Personally, I just wish he didn't suck at FG's. It would make things WAY easier.

 

[Hoofbite]

This is the part you are getting it wrong. Coaches don't want to ever see line drive kicks. Because it increases the chances of a big return which they want to avoid at all costs. DeCamillis has even said in interviews it's his goal hang the ball up high and to the goal-line so that they can stop the returner inside the 15.

My point was, there are probably guys now who can kick it 8+ yards deep but who haven't done so in the past because they were trying to balance distance and hang time.

With an extra 5 yards, they don't really have to worry about hang time as much because even a bad kick will land in the endzone and a good kick will probably go through it.

 

[tomson75]

My point was, there are probably guys now who can kick it 8+ yards deep but who haven't done so in the past because they were trying to balance distance and hang time.

With an extra 5 yards, they don't really have to worry about hang time as much because even a bad kick will land in the endzone and a good kick will probably go through it.

There probably are guys like that....we'll have to see if it makes a big impact on kicking strategies around the league. I don't think our rookie falls in that category, however.

 

[TheCoolFan]

Bailey should get all of the FG attempts in preseason. We all know what Buehler can do at this point. If Bailey misses kicks then he's done.

 

[TheCount]

Your last column pretty much says who's the frontrunner.

I was going to say the same thing.. 79 vs 72 is definitely not neck and neck.

While neither of them seems to be very good, 79 percent is MUCH better than 72 percent.

 

[Hoofbite]

Time will tell...and agree to an extent, but I think you're going to see an increase in frequency more akin to the small increase we've already seen in preseason. A 28% to 34% increase is substantial, and could easily be explained by better athletes, more specific training, etc. I could even see an increase in 20% possible....but not to a level that is being cited by most people. Touchbacks are most certainly NOT a given. At least not yet....

My point is...I think Beuhler still has a significant advantage on kickoffs, despite the belief that "anyone" can do it now. Whether he wins the competition, or is allowed to stay if we keep two kickers on the roster, is a completely different question.

Personally, I just wish he didn't suck at FG's. It would make things WAY easier.

I think Buehler has some advantage but not because of touchbacks.

I think you'll see two schools of thought on kickoffs.

A) Distance only. Hang time doesn't matter. Just put it in the back of endzone and take the touch back.

B) Height only. Sacrifice distance and try to tackle the returner almost immediately.

I think Dallas will try the second with Buehler. At least they should. If he can get crazy amounts of hang time but the ball lands at the 5 yard line and the returner is under fire immediately, you might see some crazy things happen on kick offs.

 

[Hostile]

I hate Kickers.

 

[TheCount]

I think Buehler has some advantage but not because of touchbacks.

I think you'll see two schools of thought on kickoffs.

A) Distance only. Hang time doesn't matter. Just put it in the back of endzone and take the touch back.

B) Height only. Sacrifice distance and try to tackle the returner almost immediately.

I think Dallas will try the second with Buehler. At least they should. If he can get crazy amounts of hang time but the ball lands at the 5 yard line and the returner is under fire immediately, you might see some crazy things happen on kick offs.

Don't you have to be accurate if you're kicking for height?

Last year we were basically asking him to just kick the snot out of the ball, I don't know if Beeler has the control to actually do B, maybe he does, I have no idea.

 

[Avery]

If I'm lucky enough to have a son, I'm going to convince him to be a punter/kicker and not a RB. While other kids will be diving at the park for one-handed catches, he'll be launching footballs over goalposts made of PVC perfecting his craft.

He can stay healthy, draw a large paycheck for the easiest job and last for years and years in the league. I need to live vicariously through him so I can retire early.

 

[roughneck266]

I hate Kickers.

Now theres a news flash for ya!

 

[arglebargle]

I hate Kickers.

But Buehler played fullback some his sophmore year. Conflicted?

 

[nathanlt]

I think Buehler has some advantage but not because of touchbacks.

I think you'll see two schools of thought on kickoffs.

A) Distance only. Hang time doesn't matter. Just put it in the back of endzone and take the touch back.

B) Height only. Sacrifice distance and try to tackle the returner almost immediately.

I think Dallas will try the second with Buehler. At least they should. If he can get crazy amounts of hang time but the ball lands at the 5 yard line and the returner is under fire immediately, you might see some crazy things happen on kick offs.

This is right on. Pin them at the 5 with ridiculous hang time.

 

[speedkilz88]

My point was, there are probably guys now who can kick it 8+ yards deep but who haven't done so in the past because they were trying to balance distance and hang time.

With an extra 5 yards, they don't really have to worry about hang time as much because even a bad kick will land in the endzone and a good kick will probably go through it.

You admitted the guy isn't going to always put it through. On the ones that go a few yards deep (or even shorter- it will happen especially in colder, windy weather) the returner is going to bring them out and a line drive kick is going to give them a great chance to break it open.

Your last post is more in line with what DeCamillis has already said he wants.

 

[AbeBeta]

Bailey should get all of the FG attempts in preseason. We all know what Buehler can do at this point. If Bailey misses kicks then he's done.

Honestly, Bailey is going to have to be lights out for there to be a change.

We know what Buehler can do -- but we also know that young kickers tend to get more consistent and that he's got the leg strength to get balls into the end zone 12 weeks into the season. I think we are seeing Bailey starting to get some fatigue already.

 

[aikemirv]

Early in preseason - fresh legs for everyone at this point so I would not read too much into kickoff distance at this point - it will change dramatically as the season progresses.

Both are poor from 30-39 when bothers me the most. 75% and 66.6% don't cut it from there. When you get inside the twenty and don't come away with points it is a big heartbreaker. You just can't have that!

I don't know how much instruction Buehler got in the offseason without being able to go to the facilities but he has to step it up from 30-39. His 40-49 is pretty good at 76%.

 

[Deep_Freeze]

So your telling me that we have been in camp for a while now, and they have only kicked the ball 43-44 times each. Guess its just me, but that ain't too many kicks for that long of period of time.

I mean what else do they have to do besides kick the ball.

 

[Risen Star]

I was all about drafting Buehler where we did and giving him time to develop but I'm off the wagon now. Even if Bailey continues his recent struggles, I'd sign somebody. I just don't have any confidence that he'll ever develop the consistency needed.

 

[Risen Star]

So your telling me that we have been in camp for a while now, and they have only kicked the ball 43-44 times each. Guess its just me, but that ain't too many kicks for that long of period of time.

I mean what else do they have to do besides kick the ball.

That's when they kicked the ball in a game situation. With defenders on the field.

Obviously they've kicked more than that on their own.