Love Him or Hate Him, Bringing Back Gostkowski Was a Good Move

There may not be a more devise player on the Patriots than Stephen Gostkowski. It seems that every week, there are talking heads, and hordes of fans, calling for his head. On the other hand, he’s been one of the most statistically consistent kickers in NFL history. So what should the consensus be? You should love this signing. Here’s a few reasons why.

Ghost is third all time in FG%, and he actually has a higher FG% in the playoffs than he does in the regular season. Pretty tough argument against his consistency when, compared to Vinatieri, in my eyes the greatest kicker that ever lived, his regular season percentage is 2 points higher, and his playoff percentage is 8 points higher. You may think he stinks in big games. You may not trust him. But the stats say that he is more consistent than the greatest kicker that ever lived. That’s pretty good.

Let’s go back to that FG% list again. I said Ghost was 3rd, well, #1 on the list is Justin Tucker, who is just amazing. #2 is Robbie Gould, a guy the Patriots brought into camp the year before they drafted Gostkowski. He’s been on 3 different teams, playing the majority of his career in Chicago. The Bears cut him after 2015, when he missed 6 kicks. He’s missed 3 kicks since. But, hey, at least the Bears found a solid replacement for him. I bet they haven’t even noticed Gould’s loss. Oh wait, never mind, the uprights at Soldier Field are still ringing from the Cody Parkey Double Doink, which took place after he missed 7 FG attempts in the regular season.

My point is simple: He’s better than anyone we’re going to get to replace him. If you hate him, I would say it’s a case of the devil you know is better than the devil you don’t. The last thing you want is some schmuck like Cody Parkey double doinking in the playoffs to prevent you from moving on.

Is Ghost perfect? Of course not. He’s had some trouble in big games, and, while that’s certainly not ideal, he’s obviously not the only one. Adam missed 2 FGs in the Panthers Super Bowl, and missed another FG at the end of the first half in the Colts-Bears Super Bowl. So, love him or hate him, he’s the best the Patriots are going to do right now. And, he just may be one of the best ever.

Pat is a co-host of The Patriot Nation Podcast

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