Place Kickers and Our Kicking Game

[BengalChris]

In watching these playoffs and seeing kicking contributing to both loses and wins, is it time for the Bengals to look put a legit top 5 kicker there?

We saw the Bears lose on a very makeable FG attempt. Guys was iced, then missed.

We saw the Rams win on a 57 yard FG in overtime where the FG kicker also went 4 for 4 on FGs and 2 for 2 on extra points. That 57 yarder was interesting to me because a miss certainly would have given NO the ball in very good field position. But the Rams had a kicker good enough that the coach didn't go the safe route and punt the ball to pin NO deep.

So, is if[it] time to look for a kicker with a better long range accuracy?

[McC]

(01-22-2019, 04:20 PM)BengalChris Wrote: In watching these playoffs and seeing kicking contributing to both loses and wins, is it time for the Bengals to look put a legit top 5 kicker there?

We saw the Bears lose on a very makeable FG attempt. Guys was iced, then missed.

We saw the Rams win on a 57 yard FG in overtime where the FG kicker also went 4 for 4 on FGs and 2 for 2 on extra points. That 57 yarder was interesting to me because a miss certainly would have given NO the ball in very good field position. But the Rams had a kicker good enough that the coach didn't go the safe route and punt the ball to pin NO deep.

So, is if time to look for a kicker with a better long range accuracy?

It would be nice.  But what we don't want is a guy who kicks 55 yarders but misses 35 yarders.

[Au165]

Just signed Fat Randy to a deal last year, I don't expect him to go anywhere.

[*Wyche'sWarrior*]

(01-22-2019, 04:20 PM)BengalChris Wrote: In watching these playoffs and seeing kicking contributing to both loses and wins, is it time for the Bengals to look put a legit top 5 kicker there?

We saw the Bears lose on a very makeable FG attempt. Guys was iced, then missed.

We saw the Rams win on a 57 yard FG in overtime where the FG kicker also went 4 for 4 on FGs and 2 for 2 on extra points. That 57 yarder was interesting to me because a miss certainly would have given NO the ball in very good field position. But the Rams had a kicker good enough that the coach didn't go the safe route and punt the ball to pin NO deep.

So, is if time to look for a kicker with a better long range accuracy?

With so many more pressing issues at the moment, I'm not sure it is.  Randy is solid and reliable, just not a lot of range.  This is a position that will need to be addressed soon though.

[fredtoast]

Who do you suggest?

Easy to say "Get a better kicker". Much harder to say who and/or how.

[McC]

(01-22-2019, 04:22 PM)Au165 Wrote: Just signed Fat Randy to a deal last year, I don't expect him to go anywhere.

They also signed another K to a futures deal, so they seemed intent on at least still looking.

[Au165]

(01-22-2019, 04:23 PM)McC Wrote: They also signed another K to a futures deal, so they seemed intent on at least still looking.

Nah those future deals are basically camp bodies for next year. It prevents them from going to play in Canada and the new AAF or whatever it's called. 

[BengalChris]

(01-22-2019, 04:23 PM)fredtoast Wrote: Who do you suggest?

Easy to say "Get a better kicker".  Much harder to say who and/or how.

I'm not suggesting any one specific kicker. Only asking if the team should start looking.

[*TheLeonardLeap*]

Randy was 17-18 inside the 50, and I think his only miss was blocked.

I can live with that.

55 yarders are impressive, but missed sub-40 yarders are the heartbreakers. Nothing worse than losing gimme points and coming away from a drive in or near the red zone with 0 points.

You show me where they can get a guaranteed Justin Tucker, and I will gladly agree, but until then there's nothing wrong with Randy.

[fredtoast]

(01-22-2019, 05:12 PM)TheLeonardLeap Wrote: You show me where they can get a guaranteed Justin Tucker, and I will gladly agree, but until then there's nothing wrong with Randy.

Tucker is ridiculous.  Bengal fans see him twice a year and think that a lot of teams are consistently hitting from 50+, but Bengals were one of 15 teams that had 2 or fewer FGs from 50+.  League average is 3 and Bengals had 2.

[Fullrock]

Let's not forget that Zeurlein was also kicking in a dome when he made that 57 yarder. Had that game been played outdoors in the elements the Rams likely would have punted. Bullock had a very good season. No reason for him to lose his job.

[*bengalfan74*]

(01-22-2019, 05:12 PM)TheLeonardLeap Wrote: Randy was 17-18 inside the 50, and I think his only miss was blocked.

I can live with that.

55 yarders are impressive, but missed sub-40 yarders are the heartbreakers. Nothing worse than losing gimme points and coming away from a drive in or near the red zone with 0 points.

You show me where they can get a guaranteed Justin Tucker, and I will gladly agree, but until then there's nothing wrong with Randy.

Agreed,

We've got a guy that's pretty damn good 45 and under ! Yes it would be nice if we had a 55 yard guy.....but, get better on O and those situations are few and far between where you need 55 yards.

We have way more pressing needs than PK right now.

[Essex Johnson]

(01-22-2019, 04:20 PM)BengalChris Wrote: In watching these playoffs and seeing kicking contributing to both loses and wins, is it time for the Bengals to look put a legit top 5 kicker there?

We saw the Bears lose on a very makeable FG attempt. Guys was iced, then missed.

We saw the Rams win on a 57 yard FG in overtime where the FG kicker also went 4 for 4 on FGs and 2 for 2 on extra points. That 57 yarder was interesting to me because a miss certainly would have given NO the ball in very good field position. But the Rams had a kicker good enough that the coach didn't go the safe route and punt the ball to pin NO deep.

So, is if[it] time to look for a kicker with a better long range accuracy?

Hell no.. the last couple years have been one of the most cut kickers during a season since I can remember... Bullock has done fine, no reason to chance getting a bad kicker. 

[McC]

(01-22-2019, 08:50 PM)Essex Johnson Wrote: Hell no.. the last couple years have been one of the most cut kickers during a season since I can remember... Bullock has done fine, no reason to chance getting a bad kicker. 

Doink is an ugly sound.  Especially in the playoffs.

The thing about kickers is you can't really tell what they're made of until a real game is on the line.  By that time, you've committed to someone.  They pretty much all have enough leg.  But they don't all have the nads.

With kickers, a bird in the hand...

[motoarch]

Didn’t tucker miss an extra point that lead to the ravens losing to New Orleans this year?

Yeah no guarantees guys.

Randy’s doing a fine job. We got bigger fish to fry.

[TKUHL]

(01-22-2019, 07:02 PM)fredtoast Wrote: Tucker is ridiculous.  Bengal fans see him twice a year and think that a lot of teams are consistently hitting from 50+, but Bengals were one of 15 teams that had 2 or fewer FGs from 50+.  League average is 3 and Bengals had 2.

Meh all this says is the Bengals and 15 other teams don't have a kicker they can trust from 50+. I'm sure if we had a guy we felt confident about from that range we would have more attempts. Who knows maybe we would have scored 3 more points just before halftime in some of the games instead of consistently giving up 7. But then again I don't think it mattered much with this D.

[SladeX]

An excellent kicker appears to be ss hard to find as an excellent QB. Maybe harder. Better kerp our very good kicker who seems to have exactly one hole in his game

[Au165]

(01-23-2019, 09:23 AM)SladeX Wrote: An excellent kicker appears to be ss hard to find as an excellent QB. Maybe harder. Better kerp our very good kicker who seems to have exactly one hole in his game

This actually isn't a bad thing because it gives you a pretty god idea of how you need to approach each situation. We know 50+ we probably aren't going to hit so on a 3rd down sitting at 52-55 out we know we need at lest five or six for a field goal and that can help dictate play design. You obviously want to convert but you can approach it with a floor in that range. We know if we hit that floor our chances of coming away with points jumps pretty high.

[fredtoast]

(01-23-2019, 01:14 AM)TKUHL Wrote: Meh all this says is the Bengals and 15 other teams don't have a kicker they can trust from 50+. 

Thank you captain obvious.  My point was that guys who hit consistently from 50 plus are not that common.

[Truck_1_0_1_]

Its funny; I was in Shake's camp (somewhat) at the beginning of this year (with keeping Fat Randy), but even though by the numbers, he wasn't bad this year, he had a worse year overall, than in '17; for that reason, I'm open to another competition in camp.

Our kickoff coverage is tremendous, but his kicks just don't have an arc on them either.

I will definitely admit, he kicks a much prettier ball than he did in '17.