John Kasay: Terrible or Great?

[KillerKat]

there is more to the kicker's job than kicking 50+ yard field goals. anyway, i specified last year, which he was significantly better %-wise.

dude was on fire.

but you look at career and he has a better FG% and XP% than kasay.

plus, graham can do kickoffs without having the ball brought in closer and we don't have to have an extra roster spot made for a kickoff specialist because he can't do the job.

kasay is a great guy (apparently), but we could/should be doing better with the position. graham would be an upgrade.

nothing against kasay, i just think we can do better.

Last 4 healthy years

Kasay

2007

0-19: 2/2

20-29: 6/6

30-39: 8/9

40-49: 6/9

85.7%

2008

0-19:

20-29: 7/7

30-39: 9/9

40-49: 11/12

90.3%

2009

0-19:

20-29: 7/7

30-39: 9/10

40-49: 5/6

81.5%

2010

0-19:

20-29: 9/9

30-39: 2/2

40-49: 11/14

86.2%

Overall average kicking percent: 85.9%

Graham

2006

0-19:

20-29: 9/9

30-39: 8/9

40-49: 6/8

83.3%

2007

0-19: 1/1

20-29: 11/12

30-39: 13/13

40-49: 6/7

91.2%

2008

0-19: 1/1

20-29: 5/5

30-39: 6/7

40-49: 9/11

87.5%

2009

0-19:

20-29: 10/11

30-39: 8/10

40-49: 3/3

82.1%

Overall average kicking percent: 86%

The last 4 full seasons of each player, its a draw between who has had the best percentage year by year and it just about is a draw for overall kicking percentage average as well. But if you look from 50+ yards, Kasay owns Graham. Again, I fail to see how Graham is significantly better than Kasay.

Also, kickoff duties don't fully rely on the field goal kicker. It can also rely on the punter. If you're going to bash the kicker for not being able to do it, you should the punter as well.

Kasay is still too valuable to let go right now.

[KillerKat]

I realize I am late to this party, but I never met a party that did not amuse me.

Kasay has a career % of 81.9. How many of his 96 misses have been from 50+ yards? IMO, because he can make FGs of 50+ yards he tries more 50+ yard FGs, and by extension, his % will be lower than kickers who do not attempt as many of those longer kicks.

Exactly! When you attempt as many from that far of a distance, the kicker's percentage will drop. He has an alright percentage when you first look at it. But when you consider how many he's attempted from 50+ that percentage looks way better since usually when any other kicker attemps as many as Kasay has, their percentage is awful looking.

[3 > 17]

I know everyone says you should not blame one person for a loss. But, personally I blame Ricky Manning Jr and his shitty zone coverage on that last drive. Simply nauseating. Not to mention everyone biting on almost every PA fake by Brady the entire game. No, I am still not over it.

[KillerKat]

I blame Fox more than anyone going for the two point conversions.

[jim stone]

kasey is a panther legend nuff said

Hall of Famer!

[SorthNarolina]

I blame Fox more than anyone going for the two point conversions.

they didn't really affect the outcome of the game though did they?

[bleys]

considering it would have sent us into overtime instead of losing...

[KillerKat]

they didn't really affect the outcome of the game though did they?

yes, the field goal at the end would have been for OT, not the win.

[Stroupe-a-loop]

If he hadn't gone for any 2 point conversions, we would've been up by two when Vinateri kicked. Maybe would've made it a harder kick, but it probably wouldn't of mattered.

[bleys]

nevermind.. that's what I get for assuming people know what they are talking about.. ;)

[Stroupe-a-loop]

. . . Although I guess, if we had kicked the extra points, we could've gone for two there and made the field goal just to tie. Which would be a weird criticism.

I don't know man. We almost won the game as a team, and we lost it as a team. It was all so borderline I can't put it on any one guy. Fox made mistakes but had to coach a hell of a game for that comeback. Jake played bad at first but put us right back in it. Kasay hit a 50 yarder to make it a 4 point game at the half but pushed one out of bounds in a big moment. Good and bad, what they did they did as a team.

[I am Hubby]

nevermind.. that's what I get for assuming people know what they are talking about.. ;)

I feel your pain, I really do. Sometimes peoples frustration can be so ingrained that even facts and reason are just not enough to sway their opinion.

After 20 years of marriage I have found that it is easiest to just state your case and move on. Every breath is precious, why waste them.

[I am Hubby]

. . . Although I guess, if we had kicked the extra points, we could've gone for two there and made the field goal just to tie. Which would be a weird criticism.

I don't know man. We almost won the game as a team, and we lost it as a team. It was all so borderline I can't put it on any one guy. Fox made mistakes but had to coach a hell of a game for that comeback. Jake played bad at first but put us right back in it. Kasay hit a 50 yarder to make it a 4 point game at the half but pushed one out of bounds in a big moment. Good and bad, what they did they did as a team.

Trying to use logic, that may just work. Or probably not.

There were a little over 120 plays in that Super Bowl. Trying to pin the outcome on one specific play really is a stretch. I have a feeling people blame Kasay because of the time line of when it happened. Being so close to the end of the game, that kick-off is stuck in their memories. If that kick-off had happened earlier in the game, people may not be using it to place blame. Not many things shape our opinions like memories.

[I am Hubby]

Exactly! When you attempt as many from that far of a distance, the kicker's percentage will drop. He has an alright percentage when you first look at it. But when you consider how many he's attempted from 50+ that percentage looks way better since usually when any other kicker attemps as many as Kasay has, their percentage is awful looking.

That is my belief as well. Kasay has a strong and accurate leg, so it is tempting to let him try longer than average FGs. He is almost automatic from inside 40 yards, so you have more faith that he can connect on the longer ones. Not his fault he is very good at what he does.

And GOOOO PANTHERS!!!!!!!!!!