If Budzein was our kicker, we lose to Pitt.

[shakes3858]

With an automatic kicker, Fitz doesn't go for it on 4th down in field goal range 2 times (went for it twice inside the 50 but not even Budzein would make those). We don't score 14 points on those drives. We score 6 for an 8 point swing. We end up losing the game.

 

[NUCat320]

With an automatic kicker, Fitz doesn't go for it on 4th down in field goal range 2 times (went for it twice inside the 50 but not even Budzein would make those). We don't score 14 points on those drives. We score 6 for an 8 point swing. We end up losing the game.

Right. I fear "new, aggressive Fitz" is just "really, really afraid to kick" Fitz.

 

[gocatsgo2003]

Right. I fear "new, aggressive Fitz" is just "really, really afraid to kick" Fitz.

There's more than one way to learn the same lesson.

 

[NJCat]

With an automatic kicker, Fitz doesn't go for it on 4th down in field goal range 2 times (went for it twice inside the 50 but not even Budzein would make those). We don't score 14 points on those drives. We score 6 for an 8 point swing. We end up losing the game.

Gonna be quite a ride next year then, with no kicker on the roster who has any game experience. Four down territory inside the opponents 35?

 

[Purple Pile Driver]

With an automatic kicker, Fitz doesn't go for it on 4th down in field goal range 2 times (went for it twice inside the 50 but not even Budzein would make those). We don't score 14 points on those drives. We score 6 for an 8 point swing. We end up losing the game.

Nope, it was a bowl game for a 500 team. You play to win the game, especially when the other team can put up a crapload of points and their Defense stinks. Jan Stenerud could have been our kicker and we still needed to go for it.

 

[NJCat]

Nope, it was a bowl game for a 500 team. You play to win the game, especially when the other team can put up a crapload of points and their Defense stinks. Jan Stenerud could have been our kicker and we still needed to go for it.

Jan Stenerud was no more accurate than Jack Mitchell: JS 66.8% career, Mitchell 66.7% in 2016.....

 

[SciCat]

With an automatic kicker, Fitz doesn't go for it on 4th down in field goal range 2 times (went for it twice inside the 50 but not even Budzein would make those). We don't score 14 points on those drives. We score 6 for an 8 point swing. We end up losing the game.

That's it. The only reason the team won is because a former player didn't play. It had nothing to do with the players who actually played in the game.

BTW, good to have you back.

 

[shakes3858]

Right. I fear "new, aggressive Fitz" is just "really, really afraid to kick" Fitz.

Kicker jokes aside, I think the difference in Fitz going for it was the push the Oline was getting on the drives leading up to the 4th and short situations. If you get stuffed on first, stuffed on second, through a 9 yard completion just short of the sticks, you can't be confident going for it on 4th. If you're get 5 yards on a run, throw incomplete get 4 yards on a run, you feel pretty good you can get 1 on 4th down. When our Oline was being manhandled by Minnesota this season or Michigan last season, you get the 4th and short, and aren't confidence.

You know Fitz has to do the thing called coaching.

 

[Purple Pile Driver]

Jan Stenerud was no more accurate than Jack Mitchell: JS 66.8% career, Mitchell 66.7% in 2016.....

Indeed, but Jan is the only place kicker in the NFL Hall of Fame that didn't play another position.