Jeez you and junc.... Herm never ever ever should have put that team in position to even attempt that FG. If I remember correctly had Brien made that kick would have been (at that time) the longest FG ever made at that end of the stadium. Herm was playing Russian Roullete with a bad kicker. He should have known this and attempted to win the game or at least try to get closer and not take a freaking knee on 3rd down.
Herm certainly fucked up too, but the kicker had two chances at a makeable kick, he has to make one. For all the talk about the greatness of Belichick and Brady, they didn't win shit without Vinnetieri making all those big kicks. Kickers matter, fantasy and Madden geeks may not get that, but kickers make and break seasons. If we need to go back and revisit famous examples we can go on for days.
I'm not disagreeing with you I just think it was a bad example.... that kick was like I said at the time the longest ever made at that end of the stadium. I don't like those odds and why make it more difficult on him considering he missed one from a shorter distance. You are right though... kickers are crucial for a team's success. The Cheats have had good kickers over the years as have the Steelers. That kick Vinnetieri made in the snow vs the Raiders was one of the best kicks I've ever seen and my guess is that 75% of the kickers in the league would not have made it.... John Hall?
Hall made the tougher ones, it was the gimmes to put a game away he struggled with. The one to put us in the playoffs at Oakland in 2001 was about 53 yards away with the game clock ticking down to 0:00. Aside from the 2000 Detroit game he was pretty clutch, in the rain and mud at KC in 1998, at home vs the Ravens in the rain in OT in 1997 come to mind.
