The Offseason

[Patler]

Well I guess Crosby is the "bee's knees" then. I am sorry I am not sold on the progress he has made, and I would rather have a rock of a kicker from 45 yards and in than one that has a 47% chance of making a 54 yard field goal.

Crosby is servicable, no doubt, but do you trust him with the game on the line from 46 yards out? At this point in his career he should be counted on to nail that kick, and I don't think many of you can express that kind of faith in him.

Would you trust him any less than you would trust Akers to make that kick? Their success rates are almost identical from 40+.
One of my problems with MM (and with many fans) is that they seem to expect a 40+ yard field goal should be almost as certain as an extra point kick. It's not, for any kicker. A ball shaped like a football is shaped, kicked broadside so it will either float or tumble is not very stable aerodynamically. It will not always fly "true". Over a distance of 40+ yards it will wonder, even without the outside influence of wind. From the center of the field, the kicker has a tolerance of 9'3' on either side of dead center. If the kick comes from the hash mark, the tolerance is less due to the angle. That's not a lot from 40 yards away or more.