Nowadays unfortunately we seem to have a lot of pinpoint perfect robo kickers drilling field goals 55-60 like it's nothing. Without much fanfare either. Guys are almost expected to make anything under 55.
Not that there aren't misses (and blocks) there are but it seems to get more and more precise every year, plus the field conditions around the league have (unfortunately) improved too much. Too much perfect grass, field turf, and indoor climate control just creates the ideal environment for kickers. You don't have the mud, swirling winds, ice and snow buidup, chewed up turf of the old days making things more challenging and creating that beautiful blood and guts football scene that we all used to enjoy. Muddy uniforms etc.
Seems like nowadays you regularly have 8-11 guys at 90% or above field goal percentage over the course of the entire season. Boswell went 8/9 at 50 and over. Evan McPherson went 9/11
Do you feel a narrowing of the goalposts is something the league will consider down the line (or perhaps deflating footballs a bit for field goal attempts?) They could also tinker with the kind of shoe kickers can wear much like the NHL tinkers with goalie pads. But I feel something will need to be done down the line
I remember back I believe it was around 2001-2002, I thought the league started deflating the balls a bit on kickoffs to encourage MORE returns, back before the whole concussion/injury thing got out of hand.
Has field goal kicking become too automatic?
Re: Has field goal kicking become too automatic?
Well, "back in the day" (generally before the 1970s) placekickers weren't specialists. You had guys like Lou "The Toe" Groza and Jerry Kramer attempting FGs and conversions! Later on, of course (well, okay - starting in the '60s with guys like Pete Gogolak) placekicking turned into something done by specialists so it stands to reason that it's become more "automatic" over time. I don't have a problem with that but an alternative to what the N.F.L. did with extra points that I would've liked to see would've been to make it so that the player scoring the touchdown would then be called upon to attempt the PAT (from the old distance of 23 yards [or whatever it was]). Just imagine seeing someone like Derrick Henry, Cooper Kupp, or Lamar Jackson lining up to attempt a kick!
Last edited by racepug on Mon Sep 05, 2022 6:38 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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single wing
- Posts: 133
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Re: Has field goal kicking become too automatic?
Agree with you. Think Field Goals have become too easy. For some teams already you only need to get to the other teams 45 yard line to score 3 points. I do believe something needs to be done to make them harder.
Re: Has field goal kicking become too automatic?
Oh yeah...it's ridiculous. What we need now are uprights on a track that slide back & forth while they make attempts. Maybe a big windmill in front as well?
Re: Has field goal kicking become too automatic?
I wish to apologize for the above sarcasm. It's 103 degrees outside and I think my brain is starting to roast. I could turn on the AC but I wouldn't want to strain the power grid now, would I?
Re: Has field goal kicking become too automatic?
JohnR wrote:Oh yeah...it's ridiculous. What we need now are uprights on a track that slide back & forth while they make attempts. Maybe a big windmill in front as well?
Re: Has field goal kicking become too automatic?
I've been watching a lot of 1983 - 1985 Chargers games lately (fascinatingly broken team), and one thing I am noticing is how much Rolf Benirschke sucks, and he was thought to be a good kicker at the time. Any attempt past 29 yards was a crapshoot with Rolf. I know that conditions were more difficult for kickers back in that era, but I am amazed at how the first wave of soccer-style kickers really weren't that much better than the toe-punchers. Guys like Pat Leahy and Eddie Murray were just as liable to shank one from 35 as guys like Mark Moseley or Jim Turner. It wasn't until Morton Andersen/Gary Anderson and then the next wave of soccer-style kickers that we saw FGs become routine, IMO.racepug wrote:Well, "back in the day" (generally before the 1970s) placekickers weren't specialists. You had guys like Lou "The Toe" Groza and Jerry Kramer attempting FGs and conversions! Later on, of course (well, okay - starting in the '60s with guys like Pete Gogolak) placekicking turned into something done by specialists so it stands to reason that it's become more "automatic" over time. I don't have a problem with that but an alternative to what the N.F.L. did with extra points that I would've liked to see would've been to make it so that the player scoring the touchdown would then be called upon to attempt the PAT (from the old distance of 23 yards [or whatever it was]). Just imagine seeing someone like Derrick Henry, Cooper Kupp, or Lamar Jackson lining up to attempt a kick!
One thing Bob Carroll suggested was to add a crossbar to the top of the uprights as well, so the kickers would have to kick the ball into square and couldn't just blast everything as hard as they could.
Re: Has field goal kicking become too automatic?
At first glance, I like that idea.Bryan wrote:One thing Bob Carroll suggested was to add a crossbar to the top of the uprights as well, so the kickers would have to kick the ball into square and couldn't just blast everything as hard as they could.
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superbowlfanatic
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Re: Has field goal kicking become too automatic?
Speaking from a Kicker's standpoint:
As far as making NFL Kickoffs more returnable, one major change was back in 1994 when the 3-inch kickoff tee was banned, and kickers were limited to a 1-inch tee for kickoffs. This led to much lower trajectories, and less hang time. But in recent years the kickoff has been moved up 5 yards, so most kickers are able to routinely kick touchbacks if there is not much wind against them.
One major significant rule change that has resulted in increased team FG success percentages is that long-snapping centers can no longer be hit/blocked straight on for their own safety over the last few years since that rule was implemented. That's resulted in snappers increased focus on just the snap, and these skilled pro's make virtually perfect snaps, so all the holder has to do is catch the ball and place it down for the kicker. The centers can make the ball rotate an exact amount each time, so the laces will automatically be placed facing the goalpost without much if any adjustment by the holders when they place the ball down. Also, this rule change pretty much prevented teams from trying to block kicks from up the middle. Now, they have to try and dive in from the outside. So Kickers don't have to worry much about blocks coming from where they are aiming.
The three specialists, K, Holder (who most always now is the P) and the C can spend all practice time together and hone the operation, which also leads to improved game performance. In past decades, the long snappers were not true, dedicated specialists, and not all team's Punters were used as the holders for placekicks.
And yes, the kickers have just gotten better and stronger. And yes, the field conditions have improved greatly, overall. Most Kickers start out from an early age on that path, so they have several years to develop before they get to the NFL. But it's still a mental game. Just look at Greg Zeurlein. He has all of the kicking ability in the world, and can kick the ball about as far as anyone. But he is a head case, and given any distraction or stress, he folds. When this happens he does not keep his head down and watch his foot hit the ball because he is too eager to see where his kick is going, and he misses. And this happens too often. So the Cowboys dumped him.
Matt Bahr used to say the Kicker is the least important person in a FG/PAT unit. He's correct, because if any of the other 10 guys don't do their job, then the kick will not be successful. At least the Kicker has 18 feet, 6 inches to work with.
As far as implementing changes to reduce FG success, the only obvious real choices would be to move the hash marks back out (which won't be happening in the NFL) or to narrow the width between the goalposts. Moving the XP kick line of scrimmage back from the 2 to the 15 has certainly had the desired effect.
As far as making NFL Kickoffs more returnable, one major change was back in 1994 when the 3-inch kickoff tee was banned, and kickers were limited to a 1-inch tee for kickoffs. This led to much lower trajectories, and less hang time. But in recent years the kickoff has been moved up 5 yards, so most kickers are able to routinely kick touchbacks if there is not much wind against them.
One major significant rule change that has resulted in increased team FG success percentages is that long-snapping centers can no longer be hit/blocked straight on for their own safety over the last few years since that rule was implemented. That's resulted in snappers increased focus on just the snap, and these skilled pro's make virtually perfect snaps, so all the holder has to do is catch the ball and place it down for the kicker. The centers can make the ball rotate an exact amount each time, so the laces will automatically be placed facing the goalpost without much if any adjustment by the holders when they place the ball down. Also, this rule change pretty much prevented teams from trying to block kicks from up the middle. Now, they have to try and dive in from the outside. So Kickers don't have to worry much about blocks coming from where they are aiming.
The three specialists, K, Holder (who most always now is the P) and the C can spend all practice time together and hone the operation, which also leads to improved game performance. In past decades, the long snappers were not true, dedicated specialists, and not all team's Punters were used as the holders for placekicks.
And yes, the kickers have just gotten better and stronger. And yes, the field conditions have improved greatly, overall. Most Kickers start out from an early age on that path, so they have several years to develop before they get to the NFL. But it's still a mental game. Just look at Greg Zeurlein. He has all of the kicking ability in the world, and can kick the ball about as far as anyone. But he is a head case, and given any distraction or stress, he folds. When this happens he does not keep his head down and watch his foot hit the ball because he is too eager to see where his kick is going, and he misses. And this happens too often. So the Cowboys dumped him.
Matt Bahr used to say the Kicker is the least important person in a FG/PAT unit. He's correct, because if any of the other 10 guys don't do their job, then the kick will not be successful. At least the Kicker has 18 feet, 6 inches to work with.
As far as implementing changes to reduce FG success, the only obvious real choices would be to move the hash marks back out (which won't be happening in the NFL) or to narrow the width between the goalposts. Moving the XP kick line of scrimmage back from the 2 to the 15 has certainly had the desired effect.
Re: Has field goal kicking become too automatic?
superbowlfanatic wrote:Speaking from a Kicker's standpoint:
As far as making NFL Kickoffs more returnable, one major change was back in 1994 when the 3-inch kickoff tee was banned, and kickers were limited to a 1-inch tee for kickoffs. This led to much lower trajectories, and less hang time. But in recent years the kickoff has been moved up 5 yards, so most kickers are able to routinely kick touchbacks if there is not much wind against them.
One major significant rule change that has resulted in increased team FG success percentages is that long-snapping centers can no longer be hit/blocked straight on for their own safety over the last few years since that rule was implemented. That's resulted in snappers increased focus on just the snap, and these skilled pro's make virtually perfect snaps, so all the holder has to do is catch the ball and place it down for the kicker. The centers can make the ball rotate an exact amount each time, so the laces will automatically be placed facing the goalpost without much if any adjustment by the holders when they place the ball down. Also, this rule change pretty much prevented teams from trying to block kicks from up the middle. Now, they have to try and dive in from the outside. So Kickers don't have to worry much about blocks coming from where they are aiming.
The three specialists, K, Holder (who most always now is the P) and the C can spend all practice time together and hone the operation, which also leads to improved game performance. In past decades, the long snappers were not true, dedicated specialists, and not all team's Punters were used as the holders for placekicks.
And yes, the kickers have just gotten better and stronger. And yes, the field conditions have improved greatly, overall. Most Kickers start out from an early age on that path, so they have several years to develop before they get to the NFL. But it's still a mental game. Just look at Greg Zeurlein. He has all of the kicking ability in the world, and can kick the ball about as far as anyone. But he is a head case, and given any distraction or stress, he folds. When this happens he does not keep his head down and watch his foot hit the ball because he is too eager to see where his kick is going, and he misses. And this happens too often. So the Cowboys dumped him.
Matt Bahr used to say the Kicker is the least important person in a FG/PAT unit. He's correct, because if any of the other 10 guys don't do their job, then the kick will not be successful. At least the Kicker has 18 feet, 6 inches to work with.
As far as implementing changes to reduce FG success, the only obvious real choices would be to move the hash marks back out (which won't be happening in the NFL) or to narrow the width between the goalposts. Moving the XP kick line of scrimmage back from the 2 to the 15 has certainly had the desired effect.
Concerning since the Jets picked him up hoping to stabilize our own kicking situation. Though I do recall us getting Folk coming off a bad year in Dallas and he was just fine for us for several year. Past two seasons Zuerlein has been more steady in the 40-49 range (where he had some trouble) but has not been good 50+ anymore (just 5/14 since the 2020 season) odd.