Kickers making field goals at NFL’s worst rate since 2003

[fearsomefour]

Meaning-
Professionals at the NFL level, across the NFL, collectively don't forget how to do their job. Whether it's the kicker, holder or long snapper. Distances kicked and success rate hasn't changed for XPs and FGs up to 40 yards. However from Post #9 in this thread-

"However, kickers are attempting more kicks, proportionally, from 40 yards and over than usual—from 2010 to 2018, 44.9 percent of kicks were from 40 yards or longer, while this year, 47.4 percent of kicks are from 40 yards or longer—and performing significantly worse on them. From 2010 to 2018, kickers hit 72.8 percent of these kicks; this year it’s 63.7 percent."

Therefore IMO it's the ball. Something different with the ball that when held and kicked for 40 yards or more makes a subtle difference in accuracy. Don't know what specific thing changed with the ball from materials used or process in manufacturing from different machines used or who knows? A 12% decline is quite substantial.

So speculation
They use different balls for kicking but haven’t heard they were changed at all.

 

[coconut]

Cool, thanks for posting this. As I suspected, FG attempts from 50+ yards is the key stat.

Kinda curious where you got yer data from, exactly? I guess I could find the sortable stats myself, but I don’t feel like devoting the time.

Especially not sure about that “non-place-kicker” stat.

Just click on the box at the bottom of my post and then the kicking stats options are on the right side of the page. The non placekicker stats are odd that only Hekker was listed for 2018 while much more thus far this season which is why I also gave the %attempted by kickers exclusively.

 

[coconut]

So speculation
They use different balls for kicking but haven’t heard they were changed at all.

Yes at this point speculation, yet the kicking ball has been used for many years so the %change is quite significant from 2018. If you can think of another variable that I'm missing please post it.

 

[XXXIVwin]

Just click on the box at the bottom of my post and then the kicking stats options are on the right side of the page. The non placekicker stats are odd that only Hekker was listed for 2018 while much more thus far this season which is why I also gave the %attempted by kickers exclusively.

Glad you made the effort, but your numbers are way off.

One FG attempt in 2018 by a non-kicker (Hekker, for an in-game injury to GZ) and then in 2019 a whopping SIXTY EIGHT non-kicker attempts? That is not accurate at all. If this skewed number was used as the basis for other stats, then those are off as well.

Looks like there are ZERO non-kicker attempts so far in 2019.

And overall attempts from 50+ yards so far in 2019 are 102 (maybe 103, I just did a quick addition in my head), not the 171 as you stated. Obviously the 68 supposed “non-kicker attempts” would account for the discrepancy between 103 and 171.

Bottom line: yeah, kicking percentage is down a little this year. But it’s not so drastic as the articles would suggest.

 

[fearsomefour]

Yes at this point speculation, yet the kicking ball has been used for many years so the %change is quite significant from 2018. If you can think of another variable that I'm missing please post it.

I can’t.
Just a down year.
Or, maybe they changed the ball.

 

[coconut]

Glad you made the effort, but your numbers are way off.

One FG attempt in 2018 by a non-kicker (Hekker, for an in-game injury to GZ) and then in 2019 a whopping SIXTY EIGHT non-kicker attempts? That is not accurate at all. If this skewed number was used as the basis for other stats, then those are off as well.

Looks like there are ZERO non-kicker attempts so far in 2019.

And overall attempts from 50+ yards so far in 2019 are 102 (maybe 103, I just did a quick addition in my head), not the 171 as you stated. Obviously the 68 supposed “non-kicker attempts” would account for the discrepancy between 103 and 171.

Bottom line: yeah, kicking percentage is down a little this year. But it’s not so drastic as the articles would suggest.

All I know is what that site showed.

Glad you made the effort, but your numbers are way off.

One FG attempt in 2018 by a non-kicker (Hekker, for an in-game injury to GZ) and then in 2019 a whopping SIXTY EIGHT non-kicker attempts? That is not accurate at all. If this skewed number was used as the basis for other stats, then those are off as well.

Looks like there are ZERO non-kicker attempts so far in 2019.

And overall attempts from 50+ yards so far in 2019 are 102 (maybe 103, I just did a quick addition in my head), not the 171 as you stated. Obviously the 68 supposed “non-kicker attempts” would account for the discrepancy between 103 and 171.

Bottom line: yeah, kicking percentage is down a little this year. But it’s not so drastic as the articles would suggest.

If you are looking at the same site I listed it shows the 171 total attempts at 50+ in 2019. True it seems bizarre but thats their data not mine. Excluding non kicker attempts at 50+ it still shows a 12% decline from 2018.

 

[coconut]

I can’t.
Just a down year.
Or, maybe they changed the ball.

Other than Wilson making the NFL balls in Ada, OH I haven't found anything else regarding manufacture of the K balls from last year to now.

 

[XXXIVwin]

All I know is what that site showed.

If you are looking at the same site I listed it shows the 171 total attempts at 50+ in 2019. True it seems bizarre but thats their data not mine. Excluding non kicker attempts at 50+ it still shows a 12% decline from 2018.

I’ve tried navigating that website and was unable to have it display any valid numbers for “kicking attempts” without showing a bunch of non-kickers. Bottom line: that website is useless. Don’t trust any data from there whatsoever.

Best chart I’ve found is this one, at least it shows FGM/FGA from 50+ yards for each kicker:

2019 NFL Kicking | Pro-Football-Reference.com

Check out the 2019 NFL Kicking Stats and more on Pro-football-reference.com

www.pro-football-reference.com

 

[Petrowsky]

I had a theory on this, but this article blows a bit of a hole in it...

My theory was all about confidence. By moving the extra point back, kickers don’t have the same “gimme kick” to hone technique in game situations... building their confidence for other kicks.

But, this article gives data that the XP’s are “in line” with recent averages.

Honestly, this is what jumped to my mind as well.

 

[MadGoat]

Someone watching North Dallas Forty for the first time today would probably be confused. "He missed an extra point. Why are they all so shocked?"