Kickoffs

[MillerMania83]

Originally Posted by eafratitpm3

I think this is going to bite us in the playoffs. It seems like teams are starting from at least the 30 each time. This is a huge advantage for the other team. You thoughts!

30yd line, huh, it seems more like the 35-40yd line....The special teams are making it too easy for the opposing teams offense by not making them do the distance....And like it was said, come playoff time against a great team, thats a no no, or it will be 1 and done for sure.

[steeltheone]

Guess what...It is possible to have a kicker that can score points and kick to the endzone! This new guy gives teams the ball at the 30 plus every time.

[ZoneBlitzer]

Originally Posted by eafratitpm3

I think this is going to bite us in the playoffs. It seems like teams are starting from at least the 30 each time. This is a huge advantage for the other team. You thoughts!

Yes, I've noticed that and I expect at least one kickoff return for a TD is due as well. I'm disappointed because MT claimed that Suisham was capable of delivering great kickoffs.

[steeltheone]

Field position is so very important, Sometimes we forget.

[MillerMania83]

I think Suisham's kickoff's are better than Reed's, he does get it inside the 10 many times, but it's the coverage team that has been HORRIBLE...The receiver doesn't get touched till he's at the 30yrd line, usually the first two guys that get doen there don't come close to making the tackle....And once you get a guy like Smith from the Jets going with a head of steam and a crease, it's BYE BYE....IMO, need MUCH BETTER coverage on our part on these kickoffs, MUCH BETTER.

[LVSteelersfan]

I don't miss Reed but it is kind of disconcerting that almost every other kicker we go against puts the ball into or close to the end zone every time and the Steelers kickers do not. And our new punter is not very good at pinning people while we seem to get pinned back inside the 10 yard line almost every time. Our kickers just aren't very good. It will be interesting to see if Sepulveda comes back next year or if they try to find another guy. Of course, there probably won't be a season next year, so I guess it doesn't matter. How do they handle a draft if the season is shut down completely? Is there no draft the following year at all? Or do they redraft using the preceding year's draft order?

[austinfrench76]

Either way you cut it, the kick-offs blow. We need to pin teams back, especially with our D!

[lionslicer]

I think everyone should just deal with it, there are teams with kick off specialists, but becuase of injuries of older players, Steelers would never waste a roster spot on a kick off specialist. So everyone should just kiss the idea of a kicker making touchbacks constantly away... Unless the Steelers get the Ravens kicker, who has like 40-50 touchbacks which is like amazing, the average kicker only gets like 10-15 a season.

[MasterOfPuppets]

Originally Posted by lionslicer

I think everyone should just deal with it, there are teams with kick off specialists, but becuase of injuries of older players, Steelers would never waste a roster spot on a kick off specialist. So everyone should just kiss the idea of a kicker making touchbacks constantly away... Unless the Steelers get the Ravens kicker, who has like 40-50 touchbacks which is like amazing, the average kicker only gets like 10-15 a season.

here's perspective....
avg per kickoff ( 65 yds to endzone ) 2010
Billy Cundiff ..... ................71.7 yds
Sebastian Janikowski..... 67 yds
Robbie Gould ...............65
Shaun Suisham ...............60.1 yds
Jeff Reed ............................58.5 yds ( since joining the 49'ers )

http://www.nfl.com/stats/categorysta...seasonType=REG

14 kickers get the ball to the endzone per average ( gould ranks 14th )

[lionslicer]

Originally Posted by MasterOfPuppets

here's perspective....
avg per kickoff ( 65 yds to endzone ) 2010
Billy Cundiff ..... ................71.7 yds
Sebastian Janikowski..... 67 yds
Robbie Gould ...............65
Shaun Suisham ...............60.1 yds
Jeff Reed ............................58.5 yds ( since joining the 49'ers )

http://www.nfl.com/stats/categorysta...seasonType=REG

14 kickers get the ball to the endzone per average ( gould ranks 14th )

....... That proves nothing? It it has to be high enough so that the coverage is down the field far enough that when the player catches it in the endzone he'll down it. Again I'm still right about the average kicker only getting like 10-15 touchbacks a season, and I was being giving, looking at those stats, seems the average is less than 8 touchbacks a season

Like serious dude, you seem to be trying too much and failing harder than Ashley Simpson....

It seems it doesn't matter how far they kick it, because the return yard averages are scattered, with reed's returns averaging 24 yards and shauns 22 yards, the lost return yards is Dawson with 17 and he kicks the ball 61 yards, only 3 more yards than reed. More than likely Dawson's are high enough to give the coverage time to get around the returner because he only has 6 touchbacks.