Will is a thrill...

The relaxed rule on the K balls has helped kickers this year.

greediron wrote:
The relaxed rule on the K balls has helped kickers this year.

i am sure it has,  but the kicking game has been steadily evolving over the last couple decades.  a while back someone pointed out the FG% league wide and showed some numbers from 30 years ago and it was pretty surprising how much better they are now.  that kind of funny considering some of the shit they used to do to the footballs.  also makes you understand why some people hated kickers so much back then.

Yeah, we shouldn’t be comparing stats from different eras without adjusting for eras. Compare people against their peers. The whole league has been getting dramatically better at kicking the last 10-20 years.

totally agree that he's doing well though

purplefaithful wrote:
Ryan Longwell played 96 games over six seasons as a Viking (2006-11). He went 11 of 17 on field goal attempts of 50-plus. 

Well, guess what. Will Reichard has played 19 games over two seasons and he just made his 12th field goal of 50-plus. 

When the Vikings turned first-and-10 at the Philly 19 into fourth-and-32, Reichard, ho-hum, nailed the 59-yarder. He’s 11 of 17 from 50-plus in his career, including 9 of 10 this year. His only miss – a 51-yarder in London – might have hit a “spider wire” that controls the camera above the field.

Reichard was asked Sunday if it was “crazy” that 59-yarders are now considered “easy.” “Well,” said the flatline kicker, “they aren’t easy.” He only makes them look that way. He’s 3 of 3 this year on field goals of 59 or longer, including a franchise-record 62-yarder

I would agree with Will the Thrill.  They aren't easy.

The preparation and training to not only hit that distance, but hit it with accuracy is something that takes time.  I would postulate here that to compare the preparation of an NFL Quarterback in the era of Sonny Jurgenson or George Blanda is not the same as today.

Same goes for kickers.

JimmyinSD wrote:

i am sure it has,  but the kicking game has been steadily evolving over the last couple decades.  a while back someone pointed out the FG% league wide and showed some numbers from 30 years ago and it was pretty surprising how much better they are now.  that kind of funny considering some of the shit they used to do to the footballs.  also makes you understand why some people hated kickers so much back then.

Fred Cox was known as a very consistent kicker back in the days.  His stats today make you wince.  Now he was kicking in some pretty bad conditions in the day, but ugh....

https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/C/CoxxFr20.htm

He's a stone cold blooded killer

He played thru a tough stretch with injury But he has hung in there, after yesterday it's apparent he's fixed his game.

Fwiw this is the difference between KOC and prior Viking coaches, instead of shooting laser beans out of his eyes and making the rookie go mental, they coached him up and guided him through it.

That's why KOC won coach of the year. As a KOC it's why I think he's aces!

he's been absolute $$$$ all year.