So Chris Boswell, who the Texans passed on twice, has earned AFC Special Teams Player of the Week after kicking 4 FGs for the Steelers in last week's game at Heinz Field, for 28, 47,48,51 yds. He's a perfect 5 for 5 FGs since he was signed 2 weeks ago. We've looked at this guy twice and passed on him for Randy and Novak. Boswell is local too, having played at Rice University. I will be upset if we continue to have kicking problems while this guy does great for Pittsburgh.
I mean, if Novak was missing kicks, I'd be slightly less amused...but we wouldnt be any better off with Boswell as our kicker. Also, Novak has performed remarkably well on those important kickoffs.
If this makes you upset, how do you feel about the QBs, OGs, CBs, TEs, QB pressure, stopping the run, coaching, etc? Life must be really miserable for you huh?
He's done better than I would have expected. His leg is weak and a 54 yard FG attempt is completely out of the question, but he's been solid on the short to medium stuff and his kickoffs have been better than I expected. Sure there have been a few turds, but he's had some touchbacks too.
A couple pre seasons ago when we had Boswell and Bullock battle fight, I don't remember Boswell ever missing. We even tried him from longer than 50 yards, and he was money. Unfortunately for now, I also remember Bullock making everything as well.
Yeah EXCEPT for the fact that Novak has 8 touchbacks in 3 games where as Boswell only has 4 in 2 games. Novak is on pace to have more touchbacks this season. /thread
Bullock won AFC special teams player of the week at the end of last season too. Also, Heinz Field tends to be pretty damn inconsistent for kickers... especially as the weather gets colder.
He missed 2 extra points in the 2nd preseason game. And yes, Randy made all his FG and XP attempts in the preseason too. Randy was the incumbent and had played well to end his rookie season after they made some adjustments. And Boswell wasn't exactly an accurate kicker in college, just 14-21 his senior year at Rice. Randy didn't do anything to lose the job and by missing 2 XP's, Boswell didn't really do anything to take the job away.
His only miss was his first kick after signing with the team, which was a 52 yarder; career long is 53. If I remember correctly he had enough leg on it, it was just wide. So I don't think a 54 yard kick is out of the question, for him. Not ideal, but not impossible.
The issue is that to generate the length he had to sacrifice accuracy by giving it all he had. Maybe he could make a 54 yarder, but I'd have no expectations of it going in. Honestly I'd trust Bullock more to hit the 50+ yard FG's even though he's not that good at it either. Where Novak has been an improvement is that he's money on everything within 45 yards or so and we couldn't count on Bullock there.
Well the Texans are pretty miserable this year, yes. Are you saying you are ok with their performance this season???
If a kicker misses a gimme (or close to it) and we lose the game, I get irritated at that kicker for not doing his job. I don't think back and say to myself, "They should have signed this OTHER kicker a year ago who I had never heard of before. It's almost a certainty that HE would have made this kick! Burn Rick Smith's peasant village!" They're kickers. I don't care.
