Should we look at bringing in a new kicker this offseason? Or stick with Gano?

[Anybodyhome]

To carry my earlier post a step further....

 

Most of Gano's misses are between 40-49 yards and he's had to make more attempts from that distance this season than the previous 2 seasons combined. If a kicker is attempting 40-49 yarders, the line of scrimmage is between the 22 and 30 yard lines.

 

It's no secret to anyone on this message board the red zone issues the Panthers have, and the simple fact we are asking the kicker to make more attempts  from that 40-49 yard range only illustrates the issues the Panthers have on a short field.

 

Some of you will blame the kicker regardless, but his perceived inefficiency is a byproduct of the offense's inability to extend drives once they get to the 20 yard line.

 

Oh, Gano was 8th in the league in FGM during the regular season (29) and led the league in FGM % from 20-29 yards (100%).

[Ruff]

You could bring in someone and say that it's a "competition". It couldn't hurt.

[Happy Panther]

Is it me or fb games just not coming down to game winning FGs anymore like they use too?

The only reason we are in the playoffs is a missed 35 yarder by whomever the Bengals have at kicker.

 

I would guess it is no different than it has been historically but I don't have any data to back it up.

[Captain Morgan]

it's true he has good value on kick offs, but I wouldn't mind using a 7th rounder to draft

a kicker if there is a really good one there.  Competition can only help him.

[Anybodyhome]

 

NFL kickers are routinely expected to make kicks from 40 to 49 yards.

 

 

Patently false.

 

Only 3 other kickers in the league were asked to make more 40-49 yarders than Gano, and all of those guys were asked to do it 13 times to Gano's 12.  

 

During the 2014 regular season league totals:

1-19 yards: 10 attempts

20-29 yards: 247 attempts

30-39 yards: 302 attempts

40-49 yards: 186 attempts

 

186 attempts spread over 32 teams works out to 6 times a season per team on average. And Gano was asked to do it twice as much as the league average. So, no, it's not "routine."

 

 

-

 

-

 

[KendrickPanther]

We talked about this before and PhillyB made a good point. Our offense is such a mess that Graham Gano missed field goals feel like such a massive deal. It's so hard for us to move the ball those 3 points are precious.

My biggest concern is that late game situation where you either make it or go home. I don't trust him. He misses easy field goals. He doesn't even attempt really long field goals.

[KillerKat]

Fact is the Panthers have always needed a kicker that makes long field goals. Been that way since 1995. If it weren't for Kasay in 2003, we would not have made the Super Bowl. Nothing is going to change this.

[Anybodyhome]

We talked about this before and PhillyB made a good point. Our offense is such a mess that Graham Gano missed field goals feel like such a massive deal. It's so hard for us to move the ball those 3 points are precious.

My biggest concern is that late game situation where you either make it or go home. I don't trust him. He misses easy field goals. He doesn't even attempt really long field goals.

 

Huh? See my earlier posts, which are statistically based. Gano attempted 12 from 40-49 yards when the league average from that distance during the regular season was 6. There were 3 other kickers who had 13 attempts, 1 more than Gano, from the 40-49 range.

 

1-19 yards: 0/0

20-29 yards: 7/7

30-39 yards: 12/13

40-49 yards: 9/12

50+ yards: 1/3

 

The fact is Graham Gano made more attempts from 30-49 yards (25) than any other kicker in the league.

[TonyN]

Gano is a team strength.

 

It is true he was only 20th in field goal accuracy this season, but had he simply made 1 more kick, he would basically be top 10. That's how close the competition and how good NFL kickers have become. Gano is basically average in terms of accuracy, but he attempts as many long kicks as anyone in the NFL.

 

But here is where Gano is the bomb: the Panthers are virtually tied for the worst kickoff coverage team in the NFL, allowing a ridiculous 32.4 yards per return.

 

But Gano's equally ridiculous 76% touchback percentage, far and away best in the NFL,  means the Panthers have allowed only 18 returns all season !!!

 

There are several teams that have allowed nearly 1000 more yards in kickoff returns.

 

If you crunch the numbers, Gano has probably been worth around 500 yards in total defense on the season...this is a huge number.

 

If you replaced him as your prime field goal kicker, you would almost have to keep him simply for his value on kickoffs...

 

And you would be rolling the dice, hoping your new kicker would have better accuracy numbers than a solid, if unspectacular Gano.

 

[Pimpdaddy]

He's fine. Nobody makes them all, and his league-leading touchback % helps hide a very prone coverage unit. That's a valuable benefit considering Fox once kept two kickers just to get more touchbacks.

 

Yea...that's what I was thinking...nobody has had a chance to make a run back against us which is huge. His inconsistency is worrisome but I think the dude has the potential to kick a 65 yarder....Its nerve racking but hes good IMO... take it to the offseason as everyone will to improve...

[KendrickPanther]

Our Kickoff returns are embarrassing. We field the ball at the goal line and only make it to the 17 regularly.

[WesleyM]

Gano isnt an issue IMO. He has made a few mistakes but so does every kicker. I think Kasey spoiled some of you guys, it could always be worse. Couple that with the chemistry he has with the rest of the team and I say he stays.

[Floppin]

We'll bring in camp competition like every year but the odds of finding someone better are fairly slim.

Gano isn't hall of fame caliber buts he's above average and only really missed from 40+ and even then he's around 75%. That's definitely good enough unless you're constantly relying on field goals as your only scoring option.

It can get a lot worse than Gano. How quickly y'all forget the mare then medlock experiments.

[ed bell]

He's fine, bringing in prospects out of college? Sure, but I have no interest in signing a vet in the off season to challenge him. We need red zone improvement