Hauschka?

[jammerhawk]

As we know Stephen Hauschka is a UFA following this season.

After his latest extra point miss he has now set a record for the most missed extra points in a season 7. Is it him, his kicking form, the snaps, the holding, or does he just have the yips? For him the extra point is becoming exciting and nerve racking, his FGs as well are becoing unnecessarily exciting. sometimes a kicker needs to yake time off before they can get their head straight again.

What is the consensus on the reason for latest miss, was it a bad hold, a high snap, or just a miss hit?

Sadly he may be kicking himself out of a job here, as a once dependable kicker he's become less reliable at key times. At least two games were lost this season by his missed kicks, both should have been automatic. He may have kicked himself out of a big contract as well. Does he get kept?

I genuinely hope we've seen the end of his missed kicks but am now nervous each time he kick for points.

 

[chris98251]

I would like to see how things go with a new long snapper.

 

[tonyseahawk]

I wanna know why we keep lining up extra point kicks on the left hash? Its always the gap just in front of or to the right of center that just has to get his hand up and barely misses by a half in every kick. Kicking from the other hash, almost never an issue. Do we line up extra point kicks or the refs? I saw on a game yesterday they were kicking xpoints from the right hash. And no doubt hes kicking them low. No doubt, but why?

 

[Coug_Hawk08]

He kicks low. That's really all there is to it. Gives defense a chance just about every kick.

 

[evergreen]

I think changing the long snapper messed with his mind. He's lost his mojo a bit. Now I feel it would be us missing the fieldgoals like New Orleans did in that epic division game. He makes a 27 yarder and we are #2 and playing at home next weekend....a few more and maybe even #1 seed. What did Gresham do?

 

[sutz]

Sorry, but the first year they moved the XP back to the 23 yd line, I don't put much stock in a "worst ever" statistic. Sample of one and all, you know.

I have no problem with bringing in a kicker or two to challenge Hauschka next training camp. I certainly don't advocate firing him on the eve of the NFC Div Championship game.

 

[timmat]

He kicks the flattest ball in the NFL period. He's never had great height, but his trajectory is even flatter this season. The margin for error was already small with how flat he'd kicked in the past. But I think he may have lost a little pop. For whatever reason his kicks are even lower, and he didn't have room to spare. Even in his press conference last week, a reporter asked Carroll if there's blocking issues, snap/hold issues, and Pete just said the balls are coming out flat. As successful as he's been, it can go south really quickly for kickers. I think he needs to go.

 

[captSE]

He takes his sweet old time.
Get back there, take your side step and BE READY!
There is nothing more aggravating than watching him stall around while everyone else is pretty much ready and he finally gets himself in position. Argh.

 

[West TX Hawk]

Sorry, but the first year they moved the XP back to the 23 yd line, I don't put much stock in a "worst ever" statistic. Sample of one and all, you know.

I have no problem with bringing in a kicker or two to challenge Hauschka next training camp. I certainly don't advocate firing him on the eve of the NFC Div Championship game.

This is the 2nd year actually they've kicked from the 15.

I believe we need a new kicker for next year. Hauschka is not the same and has cost us several times, including the 2 seed.

 

[Seafan]

This might get addressed in the off season. Always compete. Hopefully the Hawks will field competent STs next season.

 

[IndyHawk]

Time for a new K next year..He cost us games and the 2 seed,I'm sorry but there is no real excuse.We can use the money saved on a better OL..The Hawks always seem to have great luck at getting good kickers

 

[Followthelegion]

Pete addressed this in the post game presser after another missed XP. Said Hauschka has been playing around with the timing of his leg swing or something along those lines - basically I interpreted it that he is trying to address technical flaws in his kicking style but its probably made it worse, mentally you can tell he looks vulnerable.

I worry on every kick unfortunately. A huge drop off from him being money from anything up to 50-53 yards

 

[jammerhawk]

I'm not advocating he should be cut by the team but only that he has become significantly unreliable this season and has cost the team several close games. Key misses against NO and in both AZ games were deflating to the team and took away from the team's momentum at key moments. Without the misses the team would likely have had a bye, of course that would have meant the team may still have been playing Atlanta just at home.

Something is wrong with him and that once reliable kicking part of the game from him has become undependable,and worrisome. Kicks are blocked more frequently, and his accuracy is all over the place especially on short FGs and extra points. I don't know if he's worth his contract w/o some improvement. I'm not hating on him and have been a fan as he has had a solid history here of being dependable, just not so much this year.

We need to remember his deal is up this season and he is very well paid at present and will be looking for new deal this offseason. I wonder if he will be kept, or if he will be any priority to be kept, or if it is time for him to face a serious challenge for his job? I would think the team will be looking hard at kickers this off season.

Was this last miss caused by a bad snap from the new LS, or a bad hold, or did he just miss again?

 

[mikeak]

I like that he is messing around with his style in a contract year

Should help us get him cheap and then he can fix his style..........

Kind of the opposite to what players normally does but it would help the Cap

 

[sutz]

I like that he is messing around with his style in a contract year

Should help us get him cheap and then he can fix his style..........

Kind of the opposite to what players normally does but it would help the Cap

I actually :laugh: at that.

 

[classicaaron]

I was going to make a post about this but thought id get blasted and didn't want to do it with so little posts under my name. but he needs to go. with that missed extra point and not going up two full scores could have really cost us. after that miss im just really tired of him. all season I have had a feeling hes going to cost us big. while losing the #2 seed with the help of his misses have been big im still picturing a playoff loss because of him. I hope im wrong.

but everyone here has been so ready to defend him and blame the long snapper. while not all the snaps have been great he has missed plenty of kicks where the snap was perfect. then this week we get a new long snapper, the snap and hold are perfect and he still misses. hes just not very good anymore. and his blocked kicks are even more alarming as those can quickly become 6 for the other team.

 

[Sgt. Largent]

Hauschka's the 11th highest paid kicker

http://www.spotrac.com/nfl/rankings/average/kicker/

and the 7th highest rated kicker

So IMO if we can bring him back for roughly the same salary (2.8M a year), then I'm fine with trying to stabilize the long snapper issue and see if we can get Haushka back on track.

But if wants to be in the 3.5M-4.5M with the rest of the top paid kickers? Hell no.

 

[Cartire]

Hauschka's the 11th highest paid kicker

http://www.spotrac.com/nfl/rankings/average/kicker/

and the 7th highest rated kicker

So IMO if we can bring him back for roughly the same salary (2.8M a year), then I'm fine with trying to stabilize the long snapper issue and see if we can get Haushka back on track.

But if wants to be in the 3.5M-4.5M with the rest of the top paid kickers? Hell no.

He kicked his way out of any raise. He'll be lucky if we resign him for what he's getting now. He won't get a cent more, and he wont get more on the open market either. Not after this year.

To be honest, its probably a better idea to cut him. Once kickers turn sour, its rare they get out of their own head.

 

[KillerB]

If "market price" for him is above his current salary, then it's time for him to move on. I like what he's done in previous years but there have been...11?...total misses this year.

 

[Sgt. Largent]

To be honest, its probably a better idea to cut him. Once kickers turn sour, its rare they get out of their own head.

Maybe, but how many kickers just all of a sudden lose it in their prime?

I think there are some other special teams issues going on here that affected Haushka in 2016. Primarily the long snapper, as well as too many blocks due to bad line blocking. That certainly affects a kicker.

Like I said, I'd be fine with him coming back for another 2-3 year contract for roughly the same cap hit. But yes, if he demands more? Nope, time to move on. He did not perform well in a contract year.