gollum
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I’ve been gone for a while as I’ve moved to Mexico for work, but I still try to lurk around here occasionally.
I don’t know if anyone has done an analysis on this yet, but I just thought I’d compare where that “idiot kicker” would rank on kickoffs based on his career kickoff averages compared to those kickers who kicked off at least an average of 3 times per game for half the season(i.e. 24+ times) in 2005. There were 33 kickers who “qualified” for comparison purposes, including our beloved Haley Joe Cundiff and Jose Cuervo.
Before I started, I selected the five kickers I thought were the best kickers in the league(with respects to your choices obviously different of course) just to see where they also fell into this “ranking.” Obviously, most fans will rank kickers by results of field goals, not kickoffs.
I picked Vinatieri, Elam, Akers, Vanderjagt, and Longwell(with honorable mentions to Stover and Rackers). Neither Elam nor Vanderjagt qualified for the top 33 as they both only kicked off once in 16 games. Coincidentally, both their teams made the playoffs.
I ranked the top 33 according to (A) Touchback %, (B) Average length of kickoff, (C)Average KO return against, and (D) Average starting field position after kickoff
My top five kickers ranked as follows in these categories:
Vinatieri: A – 8th, B – 20th, C – 16th, and D – 18th
Elam: Didn’t qualify.
Akers: A – 12th, B – 11th, C – 2nd, D – 10th
Vanderjagt: Didn’t qualify(see below for theoretical ranking)
Longwell: A - 19th, B – 25th, C – 13th, D – 17th
(A) Touchback%
Top Five were Neil Rackers(37.3%), Josh Scobee(25.6%), Olindo Mare(22.5%), Sebastian Janikowski(16.9%), and Kris Brown(16.4%). Their teams had 5, 12, 9, 4, and 2 wins respectively or a 0.400 win%. If Vanderjagt would have qualified, he would have ranked 25th at 2.7% and Indy had 14 wins.
(B) Average length of kickoff
Top Five were Neil Rackers(70.7 yds), Olindo Mare(67.7 yds), Josh Scobee(66.4 yds), Jeff Wilkins(65.7 yds), and a tie of Rob Bironas/Jose Cuervo(65.6 yds). Their teams had 5, 9, 12, 6, 4, and 5 wins respectively(for Cuervo: 4 wins with Dallas and one with Indy..none with Phllly or SF) or a 0.436 win%. Vanderjagt would have ranked 30th at 60.8 yds.
The last two categories are subjective as they are not totally the fault/benefit of the kicker, but are equally dependant on the coverage team.
( C) Average KO return against
Top Five were Robbie Gould of Chicago(18.8 yds), David Akers(19.5 yds), Todd Peterson(20.0 yds), Joe Nedney(20.1 yds), and Rian Lindell(20.6 yds). Their teams would have had 11, 6, 8, 4, and 5 wins respectively or a 0.425 win%. Vanderjagt would have ranked 21st (22.1 yds against). Dallas gave up a very close average to this.
(D) Average starting field position
Top Five were Kris Brown(25.1 yard line), Joe Nedney(25.9), Rob Bironas(26.3), Jose Cuervo(26.6), and Robbie Gould(26.6). Their teams had 2, 4, 4, 5, and 11 wins respectively or a 0.325 win%. Vanderjagt would have ranked 31st (31.6 yd line). Dallas opponents started around the 27.2 yard line, but this includes 6 touchback in 73 kickoffs(8.2%), something Mike probably won’t duplicate.
As you can tell, I think statistically speaking, kickoff length, touchbacks, and KO returns/starting field position(although very exciting) have little impact to a team’s win/loss column. The average starting field position for the league was the 29.2 yard line. I think we could expect an opponent’s starting field position of around the 31-32 yard line between Vanderjagt’s kicking and our kickoff coverage. Teams whose opponents started on the 31+ yard line after kickoffs had a winning % of 0.481.
In conclusion, while it may seem aggravating not having a kicker boom touchbacks on a consistent basis…in the grander scheme of things, it shouldn’t hurt us significantly. Thoughts?
I don’t know if anyone has done an analysis on this yet, but I just thought I’d compare where that “idiot kicker” would rank on kickoffs based on his career kickoff averages compared to those kickers who kicked off at least an average of 3 times per game for half the season(i.e. 24+ times) in 2005. There were 33 kickers who “qualified” for comparison purposes, including our beloved Haley Joe Cundiff and Jose Cuervo.
Before I started, I selected the five kickers I thought were the best kickers in the league(with respects to your choices obviously different of course) just to see where they also fell into this “ranking.” Obviously, most fans will rank kickers by results of field goals, not kickoffs.
I picked Vinatieri, Elam, Akers, Vanderjagt, and Longwell(with honorable mentions to Stover and Rackers). Neither Elam nor Vanderjagt qualified for the top 33 as they both only kicked off once in 16 games. Coincidentally, both their teams made the playoffs.
I ranked the top 33 according to (A) Touchback %, (B) Average length of kickoff, (C)Average KO return against, and (D) Average starting field position after kickoff
My top five kickers ranked as follows in these categories:
Vinatieri: A – 8th, B – 20th, C – 16th, and D – 18th
Elam: Didn’t qualify.
Akers: A – 12th, B – 11th, C – 2nd, D – 10th
Vanderjagt: Didn’t qualify(see below for theoretical ranking)
Longwell: A - 19th, B – 25th, C – 13th, D – 17th
(A) Touchback%
Top Five were Neil Rackers(37.3%), Josh Scobee(25.6%), Olindo Mare(22.5%), Sebastian Janikowski(16.9%), and Kris Brown(16.4%). Their teams had 5, 12, 9, 4, and 2 wins respectively or a 0.400 win%. If Vanderjagt would have qualified, he would have ranked 25th at 2.7% and Indy had 14 wins.
(B) Average length of kickoff
Top Five were Neil Rackers(70.7 yds), Olindo Mare(67.7 yds), Josh Scobee(66.4 yds), Jeff Wilkins(65.7 yds), and a tie of Rob Bironas/Jose Cuervo(65.6 yds). Their teams had 5, 9, 12, 6, 4, and 5 wins respectively(for Cuervo: 4 wins with Dallas and one with Indy..none with Phllly or SF) or a 0.436 win%. Vanderjagt would have ranked 30th at 60.8 yds.
The last two categories are subjective as they are not totally the fault/benefit of the kicker, but are equally dependant on the coverage team.
( C) Average KO return against
Top Five were Robbie Gould of Chicago(18.8 yds), David Akers(19.5 yds), Todd Peterson(20.0 yds), Joe Nedney(20.1 yds), and Rian Lindell(20.6 yds). Their teams would have had 11, 6, 8, 4, and 5 wins respectively or a 0.425 win%. Vanderjagt would have ranked 21st (22.1 yds against). Dallas gave up a very close average to this.
(D) Average starting field position
Top Five were Kris Brown(25.1 yard line), Joe Nedney(25.9), Rob Bironas(26.3), Jose Cuervo(26.6), and Robbie Gould(26.6). Their teams had 2, 4, 4, 5, and 11 wins respectively or a 0.325 win%. Vanderjagt would have ranked 31st (31.6 yd line). Dallas opponents started around the 27.2 yard line, but this includes 6 touchback in 73 kickoffs(8.2%), something Mike probably won’t duplicate.
As you can tell, I think statistically speaking, kickoff length, touchbacks, and KO returns/starting field position(although very exciting) have little impact to a team’s win/loss column. The average starting field position for the league was the 29.2 yard line. I think we could expect an opponent’s starting field position of around the 31-32 yard line between Vanderjagt’s kicking and our kickoff coverage. Teams whose opponents started on the 31+ yard line after kickoffs had a winning % of 0.481.
In conclusion, while it may seem aggravating not having a kicker boom touchbacks on a consistent basis…in the grander scheme of things, it shouldn’t hurt us significantly. Thoughts?
