Why Medlock's Potential Game Winning Miss Is Much Ado About Nothing

[UNCrules2187]

Copied from the Rivera's comments on Medlock thread:

After thinking it over, I'm ok with Medlock and his performance tonight. I wasn't expecting him to hit the 56 yarder, he sent his lone <50 yard field goal straight down the middle of the uprights, and he just happened to hook his 50 yard kick. He probably spooked himself a bit on the potential game winner, no doubt, but the Pittsburgh field is also NOTORIOUSLY tough for even veteran kickers (hell, you could see how the field was getting torn up just by players who going low to the field for catches). It's just very, very difficult to hit 50+ yard field goals in Heinz Field.

In fact, if Medlock had hit that 50 yarder, he would have tied the RECORD long by an NFL kicker!

Unlike Three Rivers, the playing surface at Heinz Field is natural grass. The field features underground heating to help the grass survive Pittsburgh's winter climate. As a result, the field is known for its difficult kicking surface; the only field goal over 50 yards was 51 yards, kicked by Pat McAfee of the West Virginia Mountaineers during the Backyard Brawl on November 16, 2006. The NFL record for kicking is just 50 yards, set by Jeff Reed in the 2006 season. In 2006, the NFL Players Association conducted a poll in which the grass at Heinz was selected as the worst grass field in the league.

http://www.heinzfieldhotels.com/about.html

So Medlock will be fine, just fine.

[fieryprophet]

Thank you for pointing this out. Even the Steelers own kickers can't hit from 50 on their own field.

[frash.exe]

[megadeth078]

This info changes everything. Shitty field is sh*t.

Can't blame Medlock for missing kicks that even veteran kickers can't handle.

[Herbert The Love Bug]

He will miss a few and get bashed the same way Mare did

[fieryprophet]

The record was broken in 2010. Jeff Reed made a 52-yarder. Of course, he'd been the Steelers kicker for 10 years before he did it.

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2010/09/12/jeff-reed-boots-longest-field-goal-at-heinz-field/

[UNCrules2187]

The record was broken in 2010. Jeff Reed made a 52-yarder. Of course, he'd been the Steelers kicker for 10 years before he did it.

http://profootballta...at-heinz-field/

Good find - Heinz Field Hotels should update their website! Ha.

[Ivan The Awesome]

People are worried about Medlock?! They were sucking his cok just yesterday because he got the job and got Mare cut..The fug is wrong with you people!?

Huddle having a mother fuging meltdown...

[panthers90]

I don't understand why everyone is freaking out... did everyone expect him to make every single kick?

And, it's not like he missed a THIRTY yarder to win a game, it was a 50 yarder!

[Rubi]

He boomed the 56 yd attempt. That thing would have been good from 60+. That kick had some heat behind it.

Other than the 50 yd hook, all of his kicks have been clean with plenty of distance. Good end over end rotation. Not that knuckling Mare bs

[Dpantherman]

Also...

James Dator ‏@James_Dator

Lost in the Medlock freak outs: Not all stadiums are created equal. Kickers average less than 20% from beyond 50 at Heinz Field

But we must freak out in Huddle fashion

[Growl]

Just make sure Medlock knows this stuff. Itll be Good for his head.

[CatMan72]

LOL, kicker misses a 50 yard FG in a notoriously tough place to kick FG's and people are ready to cut him.

I was disappointed he didn't make it, but let's be reasonable about this.

[CatMan72]

I don't understand why everyone is freaking out... did everyone expect him to make every single kick?

And, it's not like he missed a THIRTY yarder to win a game, it was a 50 yarder!

Yeah, anyone want to run back to Mare and watch him shank one from 30? LOL