What is wrong with Greg Zuerlein???

[fearsomefour]

I was asking the same thing last week.

He has already contributed to losing games over the last couple of years. The miss before half against the niners turned momentum, today's was the same thing. Added insult with the opposing team getting the ball to start the second half and turning the game into a rout.

A 38 yarder today really????Time for some competition.

I would like this 10 times if possible.

 

[jrry32]

Depends if the kick off was supposed to be short. If so it is dumb. Zuerline should be getting touch back 80% of the time or more. That is the biggest advantage of having a kicker with a big leg.
A big legged kicker job is to make the FG he should and touch backs....to take the option of the return away. If he can't do that he serves no purpose to the team.
Glad to see our "brilliant" special teams went back to their regular level this week.

It was supposed to be short. You could tell by where Zuerlein made it land. They wanted it to bounce around so the returner would get caught inside the 15. Issue is that the special teams didn't cover the kick well. I agree with you, kick it out the end-zone and stop playing games. If they do return it from 7-9 yards deep in the end-zone, that's their prerogative. But don't kick it short to get cute.

 

[jrry32]

I was asking the same thing last week.

He has already contributed to losing games over the last couple of years. The miss before half against the niners turned momentum, today's was the same thing. Added insult with the opposing team getting the ball to start the second half and turning the game into a rout.

A 38 yarder today really????Time for some competition.

Good luck finding it. Before Matt Prater was released, the Lions had to deal with god awful kicking because there simply aren't good kickers on the market right now.

 

[rdlkgliders]

I Just wish he was the only inconsistent player on this team!

 

[moklerman]

I've been disenchanted with Zeurlein for a while now and I'm sad that I keep being proved correct. Dude doesn't have what it takes between the ears. All the physical tools but just can't handle pressure. I don't even want to think about how bad he'd look if the Rams were actually in a meaningful game.

 

[ChrisW]

I keep going back to after his rookie year where the coaches say the used his leg up too early in the year.

I'm really thinking the coaches have told him not to blast the ball like he used to. The reason being to save some strength in his leg. This would also attribute to his confidence being shaken now that he has to hold back.

 

[fastcat]

Probably having relationship problems... I hear those kickers need their egos stroked even when things are going bad.

But as far as the Kr, I think the coaches want the returner to field the ball. If my memory serves correct most of his kicks this season have been retunable

 

[Penguin.]

It would be different if this kick was ridiculously long. This is a 38 yard kick. I make these field goals for fun. It isn't that hard to hit 30 yarders. ;-;

 

[jrry32]

I've been disenchanted with Zeurlein for a while now and I'm sad that I keep being proved correct. Dude doesn't have what it takes between the ears. All the physical tools but just can't handle pressure. I don't even want to think about how bad he'd look if the Rams were actually in a meaningful game.

Yea, you sure were proved correct last year when he hit 24 of 26 FGs. Oh and ignore the fact that he's actually done relatively well when in pressure situations because a FG in the second quarter of a game that we ended up getting blown out in surely proves he can't handle pressure situations. Come on, dude.

 

[the zohan]

On the KO Fisher said in his presser that it was a bad kick by Zerlin.

 

[moklerman]

Yea, you sure were proved correct last year when he hit 24 of 26 FGs. Oh and ignore the fact that he's actually done relatively well when in pressure situations because a FG in the second quarter of a game that we ended up getting blown out in surely proves he can't handle pressure situations. Come on, dude.

Yeah, he's proven to be Mr. Clutch and rarely misses. You're right. There's just no reason to worry about him at this point.

Let's face it, last year looks a lot like a fluke and IMO, he was just being protected on top of that. He didn't try many long FG's, nor did he attempt very many FG's period. It was just pretty on the % front but when you look at what he actually did combined with how his rookie year and this year have gone, he's not very reliable and the furthest thing from a good kicker or "weapon".

 

[jrry32]

Yeah, he's proven to be Mr. Clutch and rarely misses. You're right. There's just no reason to worry about him at this point.

Let's face it, last year looks a lot like a fluke and IMO, he was just being protected on top of that. He didn't try many long FG's, nor did he attempt very many FG's period. It was just pretty on the % front but when you look at what he actually did combined with how his rookie year and this year have gone, he's not very reliable and the furthest thing from a good kicker or "weapon".

He attempted 28 field goals.

I've already posted the numbers multiple times. Guy has not had issues in clutch moments.

Let's face it, he's a third year player. There's going to be inconsistency. Last year, he missed kicks in back to back games, people made a big stink and then he didn't miss another the entire season.

But it's refreshing seeing a Rams fan patting himself on the back when a Rams player struggles...especially after said player had a great 2013 season. I know you remember Old Larry...that's exactly what he'd do.

 

[moklerman]

He attempted 28 field goals.

I've already posted the numbers multiple times. Guy has not had issues in clutch moments.

Let's face it, he's a third year player. There's going to be inconsistency. Last year, he missed kicks in back to back games, people made a big stink and then he didn't miss another the entire season.

But it's refreshing seeing a Rams fan patting himself on the back when a Rams player struggles...especially after said player had a great 2013 season. I know you remember Old Larry...that's exactly what he'd do.

Yeah, I know. 28 is LOW(tied for 21st). They didn't ask him to kick much because he was missing so many. The whole point of drafting him was because of his incredible leg strength but he hasn't shown he can handle consistently making long FG's.

Would you say that an 81.4% kicker is clutch? You could say that his rookie year skewed his numbers because of all the long FG attempts but this year, his accuracy is down to 72.7% which is even worse than his rookie year and he's only attempt 3 FG's of 50+. They guy isn't Detroit kicker bad but he isn't exactly reliable at this point. He's 25th in the league right now in terms of accuracy. He's not even mediocre at this point.

 

[jrry32]

Yeah, I know. 28 is LOW(tied for 21st). They didn't ask him to kick much because he was missing so many. The whole point of drafting him was because of his incredible leg strength but he hasn't shown he can handle consistently making long FG's.

Would you say that an 81.4% kicker is clutch? You could say that his rookie year skewed his numbers because of all the long FG attempts but this year, his accuracy is down to 72.7% which is even worse than his rookie year and he's only attempt 3 FG's of 50+. They guy isn't Detroit kicker bad but he isn't exactly reliable at this point. He's 25th in the league right now in terms of accuracy. He's not even mediocre at this point.

28 is not low. Jeff Wilkins in his career with the Rams averaged 30 field goal attempts per year and connected on 80.8% of them.

I would say that a kicker that hit 8 of his 10 "clutch" field goal tries with his only misses coming from 58 and 66 yards is "clutch".

Zuerlein is 25th this year not even half way through the season. Last year, he was 5th.

 

[12intheBox]

GZ is not our biggest problem - but he isn't having a great year by any stretch. We have bigger issues - and its not like there are money kickers out there looking for work.

 

[mr.stlouis]

Team spirit

 

[moklerman]

28 is not low. Jeff Wilkins in his career with the Rams averaged 30 field goal attempts per year and connected on 80.8% of them.

I would say that a kicker that hit 8 of his 10 "clutch" field goal tries with his only misses coming from 58 and 66 yards is "clutch".

Zuerlein is 25th this year not even half way through the season. Last year, he was 5th.

Last year he was 5th in percentage because he was 21st in attempts overall and 30th in attempts of 50+. This year, he's even lower in attempts at 25th and his accuracy is suffering anyway.

The thread title is apt. What IS wrong with Greg Zuerlein?

 

[RamFan503]

We just need to hope he rights his ship. He has the tools. The idea that he somehow chokes in pressure kicks is just not true. Sounds more like faulty extrapolation. I seem to remember a 50+ yard FG to win the game in overtime against the Whiners. Aside from that, I don't really recall him missing any potential game winning/tying kicks at the end of the game.

Most of his misses seem to be head scratchers - I'll give it that. But didn't the guy set the rookie record for most consecutive FGs without a miss?

All that said, the guy needs to get it right - no matter the reason. He had that miss and followed it with an atrocious kick-off.

 

[RamFan503]

Depends if the kick off was supposed to be short. If so it is dumb. Zuerline should be getting touch back 80% of the time or more. That is the biggest advantage of having a kicker with a big leg.
A big legged kicker job is to make the FG he should and touch backs....to take the option of the return away. If he can't do that he serves no purpose to the team.
Glad to see our "brilliant" special teams went back to their regular level this week.

You mean last year's #1 rated special teams? That level? Still - there isn't really an area of the team that played even well yesterday from what I saw. Greg is just one on a long list and I can understand the frustration from us fans.

Soooooooo No real point - just an observation.

 

[moklerman]

We just need to hope he rights his ship. He has the tools. The idea that he somehow chokes in pressure kicks is just not true. Sounds more like faulty extrapolation. I seem to remember a 50+ yard FG to win the game in double overtime against the Whiners. Aside from that, I don't really recall him missing any potential game winning/tying kicks at the end of the game.

Most of his misses seem to be head scratchers - I'll give it that. But didn't the guy set the rookie record for most consecutive FGs without a miss?

All that said, the guy needs to get it right - no matter the reason. He had that miss and followed it with an atrocious kick-off.

I guess it all depends on the definition of a "pressure" kick. I assume it's being given as one that will win or tie the game but I consider it just about any kick. Especially for this team. The Rams can't afford to give away ANY points much less momentum swings so even though Zuerlein's misses don't count as the technical definition of "pressure", I'd say they were just as important.

I think it's apparent that something's got in his head though and if he can't remain consistent, the Rams may have to bring in some competition for him. I don't know if pushing him will get him out of it but protecting him hasn't resulted in him working out his inconsistency and inability to make long FG's.