What should we make of the likes of Greg Zuerlein and Harrison Butker? These guys had huge seasons last year, but can they be counted on to do it again in 2018? Or is this just a luck-driven position?
Stephen Gostkowski is also part of this discussion, but the Patriots are a little different in that they’ve proven they can do it year after year. New England (I think) has won the AFC East 23 years in a row. Four times in the last seven years the Patriots have had huge kicking seasons, then come back the next year and led the league in kicking points. So I am putting them to the side as a separate entity.
Look instead at the other 28 teams that have scored at least 140 kicking points in a season in this century. Of that group, exactly half have come back the next year and ranked in the top 10 in kicking points. Half have finished outside the top 10, which is less than what you were hoping for.
Of the 28 teams only 8 have come back the next year and ranked in the top 5, which is more of what you’re looking for. Pretty disappointing.
TEAMS WITH 140+ KICKING POINTS (the next year) | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Team | Pts | Next | Rk |
2017 | LA Rams | 168 | ? | ? |
2011 | • San Francisco | 166 | 131 | 10 |
2003 | St. Louis | 163 | 89 | 26 |
2017 | Kansas City | 163 | ? | ? |
2016 | • Atlanta | 158 | 137 | 8 |
2003 | • Indianapolis | 157 | 124 | 3t |
2017 | New England | 156 | ? | ? |
2014 | Philadelphia | 150 | 105 | 23 |
2013 | Denver | 150 | 128 | 11t |
2008 | • NY Giants | 149 | 126 | 5t |
2005 | • Arizona | 149 | 116 | 8t |
2005 | NY Giants | 148 | 107 | 16t |
2011 | New Orleans | 147 | 111 | 22 |
2009 | • San Diego | 146 | 129 | 3t |
2015 | Carolina | 146 | 121 | 15 |
2012 | NY Giants | 145 | 100 | 26t |
2017 | San Francisco | 145 | ? | ? |
2008 | • Philadelphia | 144 | 139 | 2 |
2013 | San Diego | 144 | 106 | 23t |
2006 | • Chicago | 143 | 126 | 7 |
2013 | • Seattle | 143 | 134 | 4t |
2010 | Philadelphia | 143 | 118 | 16t |
2012 | Atlanta | 143 | 111 | 22t |
2010 | • Oakland | 142 | 129 | 10 |
2017 | Pittsburgh | 142 | ? | ? |
2016 | • Baltimore | 141 | 141 | 6 |
2013 | • Green Bay | 141 | 134 | 4t |
2007 | • Green Bay | 141 | 127 | 7t |
2012 | Minnesota | 141 | 121 | 15 |
2017 | Baltimore | 141 | ? | ? |
2013 | • Baltimore | 140 | 129 | 10 |
2013 | San Francisco | 140 | 108 | 20 |
2014 | Indianapolis | 140 | 107 | 20 |
2011 | Green Bay | 140 | 113 | 21 |
2017 | New Orleans | 140 | ? | ? |
Patriots are their own deal. They tend to crank out the kicking points year after year.
PATRIOTS WITH 140+ KICKING POINTS | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Team | Pts | Next | Rk |
2015 | New England | 151 | 127 | 8t |
2014 | New England | 156 | 151 | 1 |
2013 | New England | 158 | 156 | 1 |
2012 | New England | 153 | 158 | 1 |
2011 | New England | 143 | 153 | 1 |
2008 | New England | 148 | 125 | 7 |
2004 | New England | 141 | 101 | 19 |
—Ian Allan