Kicking Chaos
February 19th, 2019
Graphic tells it all.
Ever since basketball-playing Connor Barth blew out his Achilles, the Bucs picking has been a complete nightmare.
There hasn’t been one kicker who has done well with the Bucs. Well, in reality, there has been. Joe’s going to give the boys (and girls) at BSPN credit for this because they did the digging and put together this little graphic.
Since inept Lovie Smith took over the Bucs, it is beyond words how bad kicking has been. That is, unless Patrick Murray has been the kicker.
Murray hit on 83 and 82 percent of his kicks in 28 games spread out over two seasons. Those two seasons were separated by three years. Only Barth himself, brought back for 12 games in 2015, kicked as well as for accuracy.
Murray’s problem was that his kickoffs often led to long returns. Barth never had the distance in his leg after blowing out his Achilles.
The graphic below shows what a train wreck Bucs kickers have been. The kicker here is that Murray was let go before the start of last season for Chandler Catanzaro, who barely was a better kicker than Roberto Aguayo.
Some 30 years from now when former Bucs coach Dirk Koetter is losing his wits and is placed in an assisted living facility, the LPNs on staff are going to hear Koetter mumbling the names of Catanzaro and Aguayo out loud for no apparent reason and think that he’s barking the names of waitresses from a Filipino restaurant in suburban Cebu City.
Source: ESPN.
February 19th, 2019 at 5:43 am
Why we let Murray go is perplexing.
February 19th, 2019 at 6:05 am
Another…..slowww news day.
Stephen Gostkowski.
February 19th, 2019 at 6:20 am
never understood why murray was let goneither but i guess returns are a big deal. He was usually bad under 50 yards. Santos has been prety decent.
February 19th, 2019 at 6:37 am
I know this isn’t a Jameis article but many people love to bring up Winston’s Win-Lose record…
That being said how many games has the kickers listed cost Jameis since he’s been here….I would say at least 6 to 8 games and that may be a bit generous…
February 19th, 2019 at 7:13 am
Why hasn’t Matt Bryant been signed yet?
Oh I know because it’s Jason Licht.
February 19th, 2019 at 7:16 am
Don’t care that Matt Bryant is 43
Vinateri is 46 and still clutch.
Plus Bryant hit two 57 yarders last year. So he has distance. And he rarely misses the other ones. His numbers are thru the roof.
His special teams coach is now on bucs.
And he still has a house in Tampa.
Sign the man after giving a physical (check the back and hammy)
Kicking issue resolved for 2 years.
Go Bucs.
February 19th, 2019 at 7:28 am
There’s no question that Roberto Aguayo cost us a playoff berth in 2016 @OneBuc55
February 19th, 2019 at 7:41 am
Get a kicker for FG accuracy & then have another for kickoffs if you need to……it’s done elsewhere……better than having 3 QBs on the roster.
February 19th, 2019 at 7:42 am
From the moment they did not bring Patrick Murray back to at least compete, I was yelling last off season. The kid came in off the street and performed. The team went from not expecting to make kicks to actually making most of them.
At the very least, he should have been given the chance to compete, but the moment Licht gave Chandler Catanzaro a guaranteed contract, he was locked in as the kicker.
Quotes
Buccaneer Bonzai Says
March 14th, 2018
“Last year, this guy was only 1% better than Murray in field goals made. Not really a step up. At least Murray was consistent.”
Buccaneer Bonzai Says
March 15th, 2018
“Patrick Murray deserves to at least compete. This is one signing I do not agree with…Personally, I would have kept Patrick Murray and tried out new kickers to see if anyone great showed up. We’d have all through training camp.”
February 19th, 2019 at 8:33 am
Anybody watching the AAF? Elliot Fry has been spectacular for the Apollos so far.
Not sure about his leg strength on kickoffs, but he looked strong from 45+
February 19th, 2019 at 9:19 am
But I thought none of this matters we all know who’s fault it is we lose.
February 19th, 2019 at 9:46 am
@Bonzai: neither Murray nor Santos have a big leg. In the NFL that is necessary.
Buc fans don’t see it because their kickers for almost the last decade weren’t accurate even at short distances.
I’m watching two guys in the AAF kick which look impressive: Elliot Fry for the Apollos and Nick Rose from the Commanders.
February 19th, 2019 at 10:19 am
But we’re searching for a QB, offensive line, defensive backs and a running back. This is how Tampa games have gone the past few years QB turns the ball due to poor blocking and transparent play calling simple as that. The defense sucks because they are never in good position to defend until second half kickoff which is where the comebacks start only for the special teams to let us down or the defense gets tired because they been on the field fighting turnovers all day. The turnovers are due to the QB or offensive line but simply transparent play calling. Bruce Arians ain’t giving nothing away from what I see right now. Can anyone in the Tampa Bay media snitch the scheme right now answer is no because Arians doesn’t tip his hand like Koetter does or Lovie did. Schiano and Raheem we’re the same way. Jon Gruden capitalize off the unpredictability of the situation and never tipped his hand to a scheme on offense but everyone knew who we were on defense and it killed the Franchise history to the point of now yeah I’m talking the same Tampa Two that has been reinvented by every team except Tampa who have been trying to build it up like Dungy did for at least the last 10 seasons. Need an example the Seahawks reinvented it through hard hitting not speed. The Falcons are now failing at the same attempt because defensive backs are over exposed. The Cowboys are doing it thru speedy edge rush at DE and LB and their front seven is always on injury report. Just maybe it’s time to move on from 4-3 Tampa Two and maybe do wat Spygate Bellicheat does which is run Tampa Two from the 3-4 instead of attacking 3-4 but either no one knows wats coming on defense or offense this time just like when we first hired Jon Gruden.
February 19th, 2019 at 10:21 am
My bad poor blocking due to transparent playcalling
February 19th, 2019 at 10:50 am
BucDan-I mentioned Fry the other day when he went 4-4 with a 49 yarder right down the middle. I liked him coming out of SC GC, thought the Bucs should have used their 7th rounder on him then.
The AAF (All About Fgs) league has got some good kickers. Some of the best kickers in college don’t get tried out on teams, it’s pretty political and who you know. That’s one thing I like about the AAF it should give a few more young guys a chance even though it’s mostly washouts from the NFL. I guess they deserve a 2nd shot too. And I’m not talking about 30 year old Qb Simms.
February 19th, 2019 at 12:02 pm
The German guy has a Dos Boot but don’t know about his accuracy yet. Bring back Bryant and keep the German guy so we don’t have to pay Santos $3 million.
February 19th, 2019 at 12:41 pm
It’s Jameis Winston’s fault.
February 19th, 2019 at 12:49 pm
Ndog.
Calling you out again. Dude why are you acting like you are 12 ?
I mean you are old enough to drive right?
Just like Jameis turnovers don’t matter to you. He is already a hall of famer as you compare to all these great QBs ? Provide some more states. He is way better then luck. Lol. Not even close right?
Nothing is Jameis fault in your eyes. I mean it’s getting a little creepy cause I want to think you are a grown adult.
And rams defense ranked 19. Chiefs defense ranked 31. Patriots defense ranked 21. Below average. They did pretty well this year and didn’t have the receiver /tight end combo we have.
February 19th, 2019 at 1:01 pm
What those teams could do that the Bucs could not?
1. Sack the quarterback.
2. Run the ball.
February 19th, 2019 at 2:14 pm
3. No turnovers
4. No one finger diddles Uber drivers
February 19th, 2019 at 2:14 pm
3. Less turnovers
4. No one finger diddles Uber drivers
February 19th, 2019 at 2:33 pm
Joe
I agree on those points to an extent. Especially sacks.
However , Here are some more :
Brady 4,533 yards 29 tds 11 int. Super bowl
Mahomes 5,097 yards 50 tds 12 int
Goff. 4,688 yards 32td 12 int
Look at td to int rate. Compare to Jameis entire career. Not close.
And this is passing league now. And Bucs have best receiving / tight end group in nfl (in my opinion ).
And haven’t you read articles of players and even anonymous coaches talking about shutting down bucs rush attack. And challenging Jameis to beat them in passing game. Teams stack the box against Bucs.
Most teams try to shut down one or the other and make team one dimensional.
If Jameis takes the next step under Arians , then who would be mad cause that means the Bucs are likely in the playoffs. Now there are some true haters out there. Jameis is under a microscope for obvious reason .
But also he gets criticized on this site cause he seems to be above the law. Nothing is his fault according to a lot of you know who.
February 19th, 2019 at 2:44 pm
I am told I too often shout out “Aguayo?” in the middle of the night for no apparent reason. Been going on for a number of years.
February 19th, 2019 at 2:44 pm
^
“a lot of you know who” ?
February 19th, 2019 at 4:09 pm
Why did Goff start sucking as soon as his running game went away.
That’s why I loaded up on the Pats to win the SB.
February 19th, 2019 at 6:11 pm
2 hours and. . . Crickets.
February 19th, 2019 at 8:33 pm
Kord Says:
February 19th, 2019 at 5:43 am
Why we let Murray go is perplexing.
_________________________________
You spelled Matt Bryant wrong…
Thanks a lot Dom!
February 20th, 2019 at 8:11 am
You are definitely right, Stanglassman.
Give Jameis a running game and watch what happens.