The Hired Gun: New Cowboy Will Have Biggest Impact
FootballsFuture.com
I thought about waiting on this for a couple more days, but I thought it would be alright to go ahead and post now. This is from the Around the Horn contest in the TAST forum, but I wanted the Dallas forum to get a look since it applies to your franchise most of all. Here goes:
I don't mind showing my hand early.
Initially, three names come to mind for me. Daunte Culpepper, Drew Brees, and Aaron Brooks. These are players that control the offense and ignite everything that happens when their team has the ball. After thinking on it, I knocked Culpepper off only because he may or may not be ready once the season opens. He would be the pick if his health was not a concern. Brees is off because I don’t see him turning the Saints around that much in a single season. As for Brooks, well, he’s either going to look really good or really bad, so I’ll stay from picking him here also.
Next, I looked at some other names that stick out: Lavar Arrington, Edgerrin James, Julian Peterson, and Charles Woodson. None of them stuck out like a sore thumb. Arrington will help, but the Giants will need to use him right, Edge will still need offensive line help, it would be hard for Peterson to make the Seahawks much better, or any better than they already are, and Woodson will probably be injured in four or five games.
So, I ventured south, to the second largest state in the nation. And there it was, the obvious choice above all others. The man who has fed controversial stories in recent seasons, who has been ousted by his former team, and has alienated himself from teammates and fans at times. This man changes the way an offense operates. The Dallas Cowboys did good this offseason in signing this player to a three-year contract worth a nice chunk of money in the millions.
The malcontent, the menace, the mouth: Terrell "T.O." Owens.
Actually, not him.
If you you guessed Mike Vanderjagt, give yourself a pat on the back.
To start, let’s take a trip down Dallas Cowboys’ memory lane.
1997-1998: The last, perhaps, decent seasons by a Dallas place-kicker. Richie Cunningham does a pretty decent job in both seasons, but signs of problems exist. Overall, Cunningham hits 34 of 37 attempts in ’97 for a solid rate. His ’98 numbers, 29 of 35, drop slightly from the previous season, but a red flag goes up as he is only 8 of 11 from 30-39 yards, a range that should be near automatic for NFL kickers and that he hit 9 for 9 the previous season. Is he losing it?
1999: Richie Cunningham gets the nod again as the season starts. He forgets how to kick a football. He’s lost it. ‘Happy Days’ disappear as Cunningham coverts just 12 of 22 field goal attempts. That’s 54.5% and utterly weak. Naturally, Cunningham is gone before the season ends and Eddie Murray returns (kicked for the ‘Boys in 1993) to Dallas to convert 7 of 9 field goals. Better, but still not great.
2000: At a team meeting, someone decides to look at high school teachers for a potential kicker. Tom Seder is their man. The Dallas Cowboys send Seder onto the field throughout the season. Seder promptly missed 8 of 33 field goal attempts to finish the season with a 75.8% clip. Seder did successfully hit all of his extra point attempts, but that’s not really saying much for any kicker. The Cowboys had to be thinking to themselves, Let’s see, who can we get to make some field goals for us?
School teacher, huh? I'm packing my bags for tryouts as I type this.
2001: The Cowboys’ answer to the question posed above? Let’s bring the teacher back in. Dallas does realize that tutors are needed in college, not the NFL, right? Seder promptly missed 6 of 17 field goal attempts to finish with a near-pathetic 64.7% conversion rate. Jon Hilbert came on to help. Things have to get better right? Right, just not by much. Hilbert missed 5 of 16 field goal attempts for a 68.8% rate. What the heck?! (Seder ends up being best known for being bumped by a horse in pre-game warmups.)
2002: Excellent! The Cowboys bring in Billy Cundiff to rejuvenate the kicking position in Dallas. Cundiff misses 7 of 19 field goal tries for a 63.2 conversion rate. Someone has to think, Okay, that backfired, right?
2003: Apparently not. Cundiff returns as the kicker with the assumption that he can probably only get better. Cundiff does improve to 79.3% as he hits 23 of 29 kicks. Not great, but improvement at least. Oh, and he misses an extra point.
2004: Dallas sticks with Cundiff. The football world fails to see how no one challenges him for the starting position. Cundiff succeeds on 20 kicks, but misses 6 and his rate drops a little to 76.9%. Now what?
2005: How about some Jose Cortez? I thought this guy would never have a job in the NFL after the 49ers’ wised-up and drove away without him on the team bus (at least that’s what they should have done after game one). Nope. The Cowboys thought they’d give him a shot. You can’t fault them for being charitable towards erratic ‘kickers’ (I use the team kickers loosely). Cortez hits only 75% of his kicks at 12 of 16, and misses an extra point. How does this guy keep finding work? Scott Suisham also sees some action hitting 2 of 2 tries, but his longest is just 22 yards. With his lack of range, he’s no long-term solution. Our old pal Billy Cundiff returns from a training camp injury to make just 5 out of 8 of his attempts. Cundiff is released before the final game. Suisham starts the last game of the season going 1 for 2 and missing his longest attempt of only 29 yards. Again, what the heck?!
2006: Offseason rolls around, and the Cowboys finally throw money at a new kicker instead of looking for a cheap youth or re-tread.
So, how about Mike Vanderjagt?
He’s never been more popular for having a television character’s name than his kicking. He never taught high school, as far as anyone knows. He’s never had his name mistaken for a hall-of-fame baseball player. He’s never almost caused a riot in multiple cities for missing extra points. Larry Allen isn’t around to potentially and kill him. Oh yeah, and he can kick!
Statistically, Vanderjagt has the credentials. (He also had a 2003 Pro-Bowl appearance.) His career field goal accuracy rate is the highest in NFL history at 87.5 percent. His totals are 217 made kicks in 245 attempts over his eight seasons of play. Let’s do some quick math. Compile the totals of the Cowboys’ kickers mentioned above over the past eight seasons (since Vanderjagt has played), and you get a total of 170 successful kicks in 234 attempts. The converted kicking rate? 72.6%. So:
Vanderjagt (eight seasons) - 87.5 percent.
Cowboys (past eight seasons) - 72.6 percent.
Actually, Vanderjagt’s worst season (2002) percentage-wise (74.2%) is still higher than that Cowboy’s total. He rebounded with a perfect 2003 season (37 field goals, 46 extra points). Vanderjagt also holds the NFL record for consecutive field goal conversions with an incredible total of 42 and he leaves the Colts as the club’s all-time leading scorer with 995 points.
Looking at Dallas last season, a 9-7 record isn’t all that bad, but it wasn’t enough to get into the playoffs. Twice last season, the ‘Boys lost by three points, and they also lost another game by a single point. Considering the lack of success from the kicking spot, just 20 makes of 28 kicks, the Cowboys might have been able to completely alter the season with a playoff berth. Oh, and four of those missed kicks were under 40 yards, a standard distance to count on from a kicker.
Actually, since Rafael Septien left the team after the 1986 season, the kicking position has been a revolving door. Cundiff is the only kicker to have stayed with the club longer than three seasons. Vanderjagt likely won’t be the next to hang around longer than three seasons because of his age (36), but if he succeeds through the length of his contract, the Cowboys will probably seriously push to re-sign him to keep the position as productive as possible.
Okay, what else can be said about Mikey? He’s had a 90% conversion rate over the course of a season three times in his career. None of those Dallas kickers mentioned can claim one season that high outside of Cunningham’s ’97 total. Mikey also has hit 11 game-winners in the closing fifteen seconds of contests.
Wait! Vanderjagt benefited from playing in the RCA Dome on artificial turf with the Colts? What are the Cowboys thinking? Oh. Texas Stadium is also a dome. Nevermind. It really doesn't matter anyway. Why? Vanderjagt has converted 86.7 percent (138 of 159) indoors and an even better rate of 88.8 percent (79 of 89) outdoors during his career.
Vanderjagt also allows the Cowboys to be comfortable if they must settle for a mid-range field goal. The offense will not be under pressure to force plays or create something to keep the kicking crew off the field. The offenses success will be definitive and obvious. Vanderjagt brings consistency to a position that has seen only inconsistency for a long period of time.
How about Vanderjagt's ability to upset teammates with his mouth? Vanderjagt criticized head coach Tony Dungy and quarterback Peyton Manning in 2003 when he said Manning didn't show enough enthusiasm and that Dungy wasn't a big enough motivator. Some think that Vanderjagt and Owens on the same sideline will backfire, but owner Jerry Jones has to be hoping that Vanderjagt is the one who garners attention. I don't think Jerry would mind Mikey stirring the pot if it means that the media is looking at him more than Owens. It's unlikely to happen, but it's not out of the realm of possibility. Vanderjagt can say whatever he wants and some fans won't care as long as he makes kicks.
I'd say that Vanderjagt will have the biggest impact this coming season based on his history and Dallas' lack of it involving kickers.
I thought about waiting on this for a couple more days, but I thought it would be alright to go ahead and post now. This is from the Around the Horn contest in the TAST forum, but I wanted the Dallas forum to get a look since it applies to your franchise most of all. Here goes:
I don't mind showing my hand early.
Initially, three names come to mind for me. Daunte Culpepper, Drew Brees, and Aaron Brooks. These are players that control the offense and ignite everything that happens when their team has the ball. After thinking on it, I knocked Culpepper off only because he may or may not be ready once the season opens. He would be the pick if his health was not a concern. Brees is off because I don’t see him turning the Saints around that much in a single season. As for Brooks, well, he’s either going to look really good or really bad, so I’ll stay from picking him here also.
Next, I looked at some other names that stick out: Lavar Arrington, Edgerrin James, Julian Peterson, and Charles Woodson. None of them stuck out like a sore thumb. Arrington will help, but the Giants will need to use him right, Edge will still need offensive line help, it would be hard for Peterson to make the Seahawks much better, or any better than they already are, and Woodson will probably be injured in four or five games.
So, I ventured south, to the second largest state in the nation. And there it was, the obvious choice above all others. The man who has fed controversial stories in recent seasons, who has been ousted by his former team, and has alienated himself from teammates and fans at times. This man changes the way an offense operates. The Dallas Cowboys did good this offseason in signing this player to a three-year contract worth a nice chunk of money in the millions.
The malcontent, the menace, the mouth: Terrell "T.O." Owens.
Actually, not him.
If you you guessed Mike Vanderjagt, give yourself a pat on the back.
To start, let’s take a trip down Dallas Cowboys’ memory lane.
1997-1998: The last, perhaps, decent seasons by a Dallas place-kicker. Richie Cunningham does a pretty decent job in both seasons, but signs of problems exist. Overall, Cunningham hits 34 of 37 attempts in ’97 for a solid rate. His ’98 numbers, 29 of 35, drop slightly from the previous season, but a red flag goes up as he is only 8 of 11 from 30-39 yards, a range that should be near automatic for NFL kickers and that he hit 9 for 9 the previous season. Is he losing it?
1999: Richie Cunningham gets the nod again as the season starts. He forgets how to kick a football. He’s lost it. ‘Happy Days’ disappear as Cunningham coverts just 12 of 22 field goal attempts. That’s 54.5% and utterly weak. Naturally, Cunningham is gone before the season ends and Eddie Murray returns (kicked for the ‘Boys in 1993) to Dallas to convert 7 of 9 field goals. Better, but still not great.
2000: At a team meeting, someone decides to look at high school teachers for a potential kicker. Tom Seder is their man. The Dallas Cowboys send Seder onto the field throughout the season. Seder promptly missed 8 of 33 field goal attempts to finish the season with a 75.8% clip. Seder did successfully hit all of his extra point attempts, but that’s not really saying much for any kicker. The Cowboys had to be thinking to themselves, Let’s see, who can we get to make some field goals for us?
School teacher, huh? I'm packing my bags for tryouts as I type this.
2001: The Cowboys’ answer to the question posed above? Let’s bring the teacher back in. Dallas does realize that tutors are needed in college, not the NFL, right? Seder promptly missed 6 of 17 field goal attempts to finish with a near-pathetic 64.7% conversion rate. Jon Hilbert came on to help. Things have to get better right? Right, just not by much. Hilbert missed 5 of 16 field goal attempts for a 68.8% rate. What the heck?! (Seder ends up being best known for being bumped by a horse in pre-game warmups.)
2002: Excellent! The Cowboys bring in Billy Cundiff to rejuvenate the kicking position in Dallas. Cundiff misses 7 of 19 field goal tries for a 63.2 conversion rate. Someone has to think, Okay, that backfired, right?
2003: Apparently not. Cundiff returns as the kicker with the assumption that he can probably only get better. Cundiff does improve to 79.3% as he hits 23 of 29 kicks. Not great, but improvement at least. Oh, and he misses an extra point.
2004: Dallas sticks with Cundiff. The football world fails to see how no one challenges him for the starting position. Cundiff succeeds on 20 kicks, but misses 6 and his rate drops a little to 76.9%. Now what?
2005: How about some Jose Cortez? I thought this guy would never have a job in the NFL after the 49ers’ wised-up and drove away without him on the team bus (at least that’s what they should have done after game one). Nope. The Cowboys thought they’d give him a shot. You can’t fault them for being charitable towards erratic ‘kickers’ (I use the team kickers loosely). Cortez hits only 75% of his kicks at 12 of 16, and misses an extra point. How does this guy keep finding work? Scott Suisham also sees some action hitting 2 of 2 tries, but his longest is just 22 yards. With his lack of range, he’s no long-term solution. Our old pal Billy Cundiff returns from a training camp injury to make just 5 out of 8 of his attempts. Cundiff is released before the final game. Suisham starts the last game of the season going 1 for 2 and missing his longest attempt of only 29 yards. Again, what the heck?!
2006: Offseason rolls around, and the Cowboys finally throw money at a new kicker instead of looking for a cheap youth or re-tread.
So, how about Mike Vanderjagt?
He’s never been more popular for having a television character’s name than his kicking. He never taught high school, as far as anyone knows. He’s never had his name mistaken for a hall-of-fame baseball player. He’s never almost caused a riot in multiple cities for missing extra points. Larry Allen isn’t around to potentially and kill him. Oh yeah, and he can kick!
Statistically, Vanderjagt has the credentials. (He also had a 2003 Pro-Bowl appearance.) His career field goal accuracy rate is the highest in NFL history at 87.5 percent. His totals are 217 made kicks in 245 attempts over his eight seasons of play. Let’s do some quick math. Compile the totals of the Cowboys’ kickers mentioned above over the past eight seasons (since Vanderjagt has played), and you get a total of 170 successful kicks in 234 attempts. The converted kicking rate? 72.6%. So:
Vanderjagt (eight seasons) - 87.5 percent.
Cowboys (past eight seasons) - 72.6 percent.
Actually, Vanderjagt’s worst season (2002) percentage-wise (74.2%) is still higher than that Cowboy’s total. He rebounded with a perfect 2003 season (37 field goals, 46 extra points). Vanderjagt also holds the NFL record for consecutive field goal conversions with an incredible total of 42 and he leaves the Colts as the club’s all-time leading scorer with 995 points.
Looking at Dallas last season, a 9-7 record isn’t all that bad, but it wasn’t enough to get into the playoffs. Twice last season, the ‘Boys lost by three points, and they also lost another game by a single point. Considering the lack of success from the kicking spot, just 20 makes of 28 kicks, the Cowboys might have been able to completely alter the season with a playoff berth. Oh, and four of those missed kicks were under 40 yards, a standard distance to count on from a kicker.
Actually, since Rafael Septien left the team after the 1986 season, the kicking position has been a revolving door. Cundiff is the only kicker to have stayed with the club longer than three seasons. Vanderjagt likely won’t be the next to hang around longer than three seasons because of his age (36), but if he succeeds through the length of his contract, the Cowboys will probably seriously push to re-sign him to keep the position as productive as possible.
Okay, what else can be said about Mikey? He’s had a 90% conversion rate over the course of a season three times in his career. None of those Dallas kickers mentioned can claim one season that high outside of Cunningham’s ’97 total. Mikey also has hit 11 game-winners in the closing fifteen seconds of contests.
Wait! Vanderjagt benefited from playing in the RCA Dome on artificial turf with the Colts? What are the Cowboys thinking? Oh. Texas Stadium is also a dome. Nevermind. It really doesn't matter anyway. Why? Vanderjagt has converted 86.7 percent (138 of 159) indoors and an even better rate of 88.8 percent (79 of 89) outdoors during his career.
Vanderjagt also allows the Cowboys to be comfortable if they must settle for a mid-range field goal. The offense will not be under pressure to force plays or create something to keep the kicking crew off the field. The offenses success will be definitive and obvious. Vanderjagt brings consistency to a position that has seen only inconsistency for a long period of time.
How about Vanderjagt's ability to upset teammates with his mouth? Vanderjagt criticized head coach Tony Dungy and quarterback Peyton Manning in 2003 when he said Manning didn't show enough enthusiasm and that Dungy wasn't a big enough motivator. Some think that Vanderjagt and Owens on the same sideline will backfire, but owner Jerry Jones has to be hoping that Vanderjagt is the one who garners attention. I don't think Jerry would mind Mikey stirring the pot if it means that the media is looking at him more than Owens. It's unlikely to happen, but it's not out of the realm of possibility. Vanderjagt can say whatever he wants and some fans won't care as long as he makes kicks.
I'd say that Vanderjagt will have the biggest impact this coming season based on his history and Dallas' lack of it involving kickers.
posted by The Gryphon at 8:19 AM
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