The field goal that almost was

[MaineManPanther]

Random question , with recent O-line injuries does that mean we have new people blocking on the kicking line? That mightve factored in

[Davidson Deac II]

You're right, he's 27th in the league in FG % @ only 77% this year.

He is one of four from 50 plus yards. That knocks his percentage down a bit. Two were blocked (maybe his fault, maybe not) and a third was the 53 yarder in the rain at New England.

[Phil Dees]

He is one of four from 50 plus yards. That knocks his percentage down a bit. Two were blocked (maybe his fault, maybe not) and a third was the 53 yarder in the rain at New England.

Yeah, rules say you have to count the 50 plus attempts too. 4 kickers are 100% over 50. 2 are 5 of 6 from 50+, and another is 5 of 7. Kicker percentages apply to all kickers equally.

[Chaos]

Fox clearly has no confidence in our kick coverage unit, and I don't blame him. But instead of Rhys squibbing it, why not just boom it straight sideways, out of bounds and into the upper deck. They get it at the 40 with no chance of a return. One of his squibs was returned to near midfield anyway, plus a great souvenir for a lucky fan.

He could point to each side of the stadium before the kickoff to see which fans are the loudest to decide where he's going to kick it.

[Razzy]

It was Foxball at it's finest, taking field position over a chance at points.

[GRWatcher]

Random question , with recent O-line injuries does that mean we have new people blocking on the kicking line? That mightve factored in

That was probably part of it, good thought.

Consider this:

Kasay lines up for a 52 yard FG. The Vikings have a return man (probably would be Harvin) standing in that end zone. The kick isn't blocked but it is short. That Viking player in the end zone catches it and returns it 100+ yards for a touchdown. Even if it is blocked but caught by a Viking player there's still a chance of a 50+ yard return for a touchdown. Vikings would be up 14-6 with the momentum in their favor.

I don't know what the odds would be for either of these things happening but IMO they are higher than it happening with a hail mary throw.

[GRWatcher]

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news?slug=capress-fbn_panthers_still_fighting-216146532&prov=capress&type=lgns

At the bottom of the article.

Fox gave this explanation for not letting John Kasay(notes) attempt a 52-yard field goal at the end of the first half after a penalty wiped out a made 47-yarder: "We actually research this, actually practice it. We just don't make up stuff. … They are different based on wind, based on the surface, based on what direction you're going."

roflmao!!!! According to Huddle fans, yes you do make this stuff up.

[Brooklyn Bully]

So in other words, Kasay couldn't make it.

[megadeth078]

Kasay could have made it. Even if he ended up missing, still not a good call.

[bigcatdaddy]

Kasay could have made it. Even if he ended up missing, still not a good call.

This year he is 4-5 when kicking between 40-49 yards, he is 1-4 at 50+ yards and two of the 3 over 50 were blocked. What if it was blocked and ran back for a TD then Fox would have been stupid for kicking it. You can't risk something like that especially in a tight game like it was. SO how was it a bad call? You people just need to try and understand football and conditions and how they can effect how far a ball travels. YOU CAN NOT RISK some kind of return so stop with the nonsense. That killed us against the Pats when we tried that FG we should have punted and pinned them deep and maybe they wouldn't have scored at the end of the half.

[Sam Mills Fan]

Actually it made perfect sense. You look at the kicker before the game and based on the conditions you evaluate whether he can make the kick with no effort or not. At that point he barely made the 47 yarder and five yards was alot of distance in the extreme cold. If it gets blocked like the extra point, it could be potentially run back. It was as good a play to throw a hail mary as it was a field goal. Maybe Fox remembers how many times dumb plays at the end of a half or a game against Minnesota have doomed our team. Remember the sack and strip for a TD and Gamble's lateral on the kickoff return and it wasn't hard to figure out.

This is incorrect. Check the tape, he made it with at least five yards to spare. It hit the net in the middle of the goalpost, so it would have been good by 52 yards.

[Sam Mills Fan]

I was there and the first one didn't clear by 8 yards. Even if it had that doesn't mean the second one would. Special teams are awful and we already had an extra point blocked. You can't call something a bad decision when it didn't hurt us in any way. That is plain stupid.

Of course it hurt us. It wiped three points off the board.

[Jackofalltrades]

I got no problem with it, though I would rather have not had to make the decision by foregoing the false start.

[Sam Mills Fan]

Problem with your statement is.....Kasay is NOWHERE near one of the best kickers in the league.

He just does not have the leg anymore. Don't get me wrong...I love Kasay and what he has done for this team. However, he has missed alot of FG's this season (two short ones against Buffalo come to mind). We already have to carry Lloyd for KO's becasue of his leg strength.

There are way too many great kickers in this league that can handle both duties. I think this is Kasay's last season with the team and in the league.

Kasay has only missed two field goals this year from under 50 yards. He's right there in the center when it comes to kicks under 50: He's perfect on kicks under 30 and he ranks 16th in the league in accuracy when it comes to kicks from 30-39 yards and 40-49 yards.

Kasay will finish his contract and then probably part ways with the team. With a team with a million different needs, an average kicker is not something you need to worry about in the slightest in the offseason.