Starting Kicker Competition -- Tucker v. Cundiff (Merged)

**rharris1986** · 08-12-2012, 08:11 AM

There's an article on the Raven's website this morning that indicates that Tucker is hitting "extreme angle" field goals from the sidelines (in one case hitting Flacco's wife in the head with the ball). If this kid can put the ball through the goal posts from the sidelines, I think its fair to say that Billy's days as a Raven are numbered. Keeping my fingers crossed!

**HoustonRaven** · 08-12-2012, 08:42 AM

Can he throw a TD from his knees from 50 yards out?

**rharris1986** · 08-12-2012, 08:58 AM

Can Cundiff?

As I recall the job of a kicker is to put the ball through the goal posts. Do we think that Tucker is exhibiting that skill set?

Originally Posted by HoustonRaven

Can he throw a TD from his knees from 50 yards out?

**HoustonRaven** · 08-12-2012, 09:11 AM

Originally Posted by rharris1986

Can Cundiff?

As I recall the job of a kicker is to put the ball through the goal posts. Do we think that Tucker is exhibiting that skill set?

You really think trick shots from the sidelines are what will win him the job?

**RavenScallywag** · 08-12-2012, 09:21 AM

He was doing this during the stadium practice too. Take it with a grain of salt, I think it's a common drill. And like everyone said, it's not like he'd have to make those kicks in any sort of game, real or preseason.

That said, it is more evidence that this kid is pretty solid.

**psuasskicker** · 08-12-2012, 09:35 AM

This isn't really what impresses me. What impresses me is that reports are that the kid never misses.

People don't seem to recall Cundiff's history. There's a reason he's been on four teams in his eleven year career (which included TWO seasons with no job). He's flat out not very good. Take out his amazing 2010 season and he's under 75% for his career. His kickoffs have never been particularly great either. This is a guy who had a complete statistical anomaly year, and very frankly it should be treated as such. He's a bad kicker who realistically shouldn't be on an NFL team if they have another viable option.

I'm not saying this cause he missed that kick in New England. That's part of it, but it's not the reason why. The reason is because he missed 9 other FG attempts last year during the regular season, and two of them were in the 30-39 yard range. Tucker appears to have very interesting promise. I would far rather throw my hat in the ring with this kid than to take another shot on a guy we already know is gonna miss the uprights 25% of the time.

- C -

**dweezil22** · 08-12-2012, 09:49 AM

Originally Posted by psuasskicker

This isn't really what impresses me. What impresses me is that reports are that the kid never misses.

People don't seem to recall Cundiff's history. There's a reason he's been on four teams in his eleven year career (which included TWO seasons with no job). He's flat out not very good. Take out his amazing 2010 season and he's under 75% for his career. His kickoffs have never been particularly great either. This is a guy who had a complete statistical anomaly year, and very frankly it should be treated as such. He's a bad kicker who realistically shouldn't be on an NFL team if they have another viable option.

I'm not saying this cause he missed that kick in New England. That's part of it, but it's not the reason why. The reason is because he missed 9 other FG attempts last year during the regular season, and two of them were in the 30-39 yard range. Tucker appears to have very interesting promise. I would far rather throw my hat in the ring with this kid than to take another shot on a guy we already know is gonna miss the uprights 25% of the time.

- C -

Well put. That's the best summary I've read so far to explain why we don't want Cundiff going forward. Regardless of his "heart" or his "head being the right place", he just misses a lot of kicks.

**leachisabeast** · 08-12-2012, 10:33 AM

I remember in that Jacksonville game, we could have won it had Cundiff not missed those two kicks which where only like 35-40 yards out. We probably deserved to lose that game with the way our offense played, but that game could have made us 13-3 at the end of the year and not 12-4, and probably giving us the #1 seed, not NE. That means the Patriots would have been coming to M and T, and we would have had a huge advantage. The morale of the story is, Cundiff fucks up in one game that lead him self to another fuck up that was 100 times worse.

**Baltimoreboy** · 08-12-2012, 11:42 AM

Tucker was 13/13 in yesterdays practice.
Billy had the day off to rest his leg.

**HoustonRaven** · 08-12-2012, 11:55 AM

Originally Posted by psuasskicker

This isn't really what impresses me. What impresses me is that reports are that the kid never misses.

People don't seem to recall Cundiff's history. There's a reason he's been on four teams in his eleven year career (which included TWO seasons with no job). He's flat out not very good. Take out his amazing 2010 season and he's under 75% for his career. His kickoffs have never been particularly great either. This is a guy who had a complete statistical anomaly year, and very frankly it should be treated as such. He's a bad kicker who realistically shouldn't be on an NFL team if they have another viable option.

I'm not saying this cause he missed that kick in New England. That's part of it, but it's not the reason why. The reason is because he missed 9 other FG attempts last year during the regular season, and two of them were in the 30-39 yard range. Tucker appears to have very interesting promise. I would far rather throw my hat in the ring with this kid than to take another shot on a guy we already know is gonna miss the uprights 25% of the time.

- C -

This.

**TheJoeFlaccoShow** · 08-12-2012, 11:56 AM

Hell hath no fury like a fanbase scorned.

**Raveninwoodlawn** · 08-12-2012, 12:21 PM

Originally Posted by rharris1986

Can Cundiff?

As I recall the job of a kicker is to put the ball through the goal posts. Do we think that Tucker is exhibiting that skill set?

I think HR is saying that pointing to "trick kicks" to show that Tucker is the better kicker is silly...it would be like pointing to trick basketball shots to show how good a basketball player is.

I'm sure he agrees that Tucker has been lights out and probably should be our kicker. He was only pointing out that using those kicks as something to point to as an exhibit for his body of work this summer is not wise.

Originally Posted by psuasskicker

This isn't really what impresses me. What impresses me is that reports are that the kid never misses.

People don't seem to recall Cundiff's history. There's a reason he's been on four teams in his eleven year career (which included TWO seasons with no job). He's flat out not very good. Take out his amazing 2010 season and he's under 75% for his career. His kickoffs have never been particularly great either. This is a guy who had a complete statistical anomaly year, and very frankly it should be treated as such. He's a bad kicker who realistically shouldn't be on an NFL team if they have another viable option.

I'm not saying this cause he missed that kick in New England. That's part of it, but it's not the reason why. The reason is because he missed 9 other FG attempts last year during the regular season, and two of them were in the 30-39 yard range. Tucker appears to have very interesting promise. I would far rather throw my hat in the ring with this kid than to take another shot on a guy we already know is gonna miss the uprights 25% of the time.

- C -

And THIS...even moreso than Tucker being lights out should be a key point as to why the Ravens should move on from Cundiff. I stated this before, but if I were the Ravens, I would have brought in a vet to compete with him as I'd have been looking at his history and been VERY concerned. I think the Ravens lucked out with Tucker...I don't think they really thought Tucker would be any type of serious threat to him and I will point to the fact that the team didn't even bother signing him until shortly before TC despite impressing during the OTA's. How could you not look at Cundiff's body of work and not come to the conclusion "uh oh...we may have blown it by commiting ourselves to that big contract. Let's bring in some real competition here and see what we have?" Instead, they just seem to have taken the POV that 2011 was the anomaly, and not 2010.

Thankfully, Tucker has thrown a wrench into those "stay pat" plans and is going to make them actually make a decision here and rethink that earlier thinking.