Ian Allan
Most overrated kicker in the league? Adam Vinatieri. He hit a couple of big field goals to help New England win its first Super Bowl, but that was over six years ago.
Vinatieri has not been a special kicker since that time, and the Patriots, in hindsight, definitely made the right choice in not getting involved in a bidding war for him when he became a free agent prior to the 2006 season.
Vinatieri never was a power kicker, and as he's gotten older (he's 35 now), his lack of leg strength has become more of an issue. He's below-average on kickoffs, and he's now managed to go five straight years without making a field goal from 50-plus yards. The rest of the kickers in the NFL, in those same five years, have combined to kick 233 field goals from 50-plus yards.
Vinatieri remains one of the biggest "names" at the placekicker position. There are even some who feel he should be placed in Canton when his career is over. I don't see it.
FIELD GOAL PERCENTAGE FROM 50+ YARDS, 2003-2007
(showing 37 kickers with at least 5 attempts):
Percent Name (FG-FGA)
85.70% Jeff Wilkins (18-21)
83.30% Phil Dawson (5-6)
71.40% Steve Christie (5-7)
70.00% Rian Lindell (7-10)
66.70% Jason Hanson (12-18)
64.30% Paul Edinger (9-14)
62.50% Nate Kaeding (5-8)
60.00% Martin Gramatica (3-5)
60.00% Mason Crosby (3-5)
59.10% Josh Brown (13-22)
58.30% Rob Bironas (7-12)
57.10% Jason Elam (8-14)
57.10% John Carney (4-7)
57.10% Jeff Reed (4-7)
55.60% Joe Nedney (5-9)
54.50% Lawrence Tynes (6-11)
53.80% John Kasay (14-26)
53.30% Ryan Longwell (8-15)
50.00% Kris Brown (8-16)
50.00% David Akers (6-12)
46.90% Neil Rackers (15-32)
46.20% Sebastian Janikowski (12-26)
44.40% Billy Cundiff (4-9)
44.40% John Hall (4-9)
42.90% Matt Stover (3-7)
42.90% Josh Scobee (3-7)
41.70% Shayne Graham (5-12)
40.90% Olindo Mare (9-22)
40.00% Jay Feely (4-10)
40.00% Nicholas Folk (2-5)
40.00% Todd Peterson (2-5)
33.30% Mike Nugent (3-9)
28.60% Matt Bryant (2-7)
28.60% Michael Koenen (2-7)
20.00% Dave Rayner (1-5)
16.70% Doug Brien (1-6)
00.00% Adam Vinatieri (0-6)
-Ian Allan
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