This Special Teamer Is Critically Important To The Patriots’ Success
Everyone, it’s time to stop sleeping on kickers – the Patriots certainly don’t. They can be some of the most important players on any given team and provide in the most clutch of moments. The Patriots’ Nick Folk is a prime example of a kicker’s value to the team.
Kicker’s Importance To A Team
Take a look at the NFL’s all-time scoring leaders list. Who are the leaders? Kickers. The first non-kicker? 37-year-old Jerry Rice. In addition to scoring frequently, the kicker is counted on to perform under extreme pressure near the end of games.
In the realm of football, kickers have such an odd and largely unfavorable reputation at all levels of competition. Because kickers don’t engage in the same full-contact drills as the majority of the other players, some people assume that they are somehow less important team members.
Look at what Adam Vinatieri accomplished for the Patriots in the early 2000s when they were a dominant force. A 45-yard field goal during a blizzard against the Raiders to force overtime and another field goal to seal the victory in the 2001 postseason. In the waning seconds of Super Bowl XXXVI, a 48-yard field goal against the Rams won the game.
Sure, Brady and Belichick were undoubtedly the two key players in that dynasty, but they wouldn’t likely have six championships today if Vinatieri hadn’t made clutch kick after clutch kick.
Kickers play such a crucial role on successful football teams but receive almost no credit. If they make the game-winning kick, the squad will crowd them, but if they miss, they will be shunned as well.
The NFL kicker position is not only very challenging but also very ungrateful. A kicker doesn’t actually “win” anything. They are either at the team facilities or on a flight returning to their hometown if they “perform their job.” They are not given the same amount of leeway or chances as other roles.
Kickers risk their job more than any other position does each and every time they step foot on the field. A miss results in them receiving offensive tweets, criticism from coaches and peers, and less sleep at night due to the possibility of losing their jobs at any time while a made field goal is thought of is routine. No other position can handle the pressure that the kicker does.
Football’s best kickers are some of the game’s unsung heroes, and they merit the praise they receive when they perform well. Teams wouldn’t select kickers in the second round, or exchange fifth-round picks for the backup kickers of other teams if it were as simple as placing the ball through the yellow goalposts. A truly dependable kicker is difficult to find and is increasingly becoming a luxury in the NFL nowadays.
Nick Folk Has Been Exceptional For The Patriots
Folk has been continually exceptional this season. He’s yet to miss any extra points and has a field goal percentage of 88.2%. In a week three matchup against the Ravens, Folk connected on a 35-yard chip shot to break the NFL record for most field goals made under fifty yards. Folk has also been able to kick from range. In the Patriot’s victory against the Jets, Folk made five straight field goals, most notably from 52 yards out. Throughout the entire match, Folk hit a field goal from basically every spot on the field, ranging from 30-50 yards.
Nick Folk 52 yarder against the Jets. 🦵🚀 pic.twitter.com/QUm7LOLsve — Gabriel Pope (@UrPatsFan) October 31, 2022
In a tough matchup where quarterback Mac Jones was sacked a record six times and was unable to get much going offensively, Folk shined. He carried the team for most of the game, and without his significant 16 points for the team, it’s unlikely that the Patriots would have left MetLife Stadium with a win. The way he’s so automatic for the Patriots inside of 50 yards – he possesses the NFL record of most consecutive field goals made inside of 50 – is so instrumental for the team.
Conclusion
Nick Folk, a kicker for the New England Patriots, has scored at least six points in each of his last four contests. Over an eight-week period in 2022, the veteran is 15-for-17 on field goal attempts and 18-for-18 on extra-point attempts. His addition to the team is one that has surely been felt by the entire Patriots organization.
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