The point that myself and others are emphasizing is that this is a selective sampling of statistics. This stat is heavily waited with old pre-Lions kicks.
Since the 2022 season (his time with the Lions and one game with the Bears) Badgley is 12-14 outdoors, didn’t missed a FG of any kind in 2023/24 and has made 12 of 15 kicks over 40 yards and 3 of 4 over 50.
The 2 outdoor kicks he missed were a 54 yard attempt vs. the Jets against a strong wind in Giants stadium and a 46 yard kick in a cold January night game in Green Bay.
The conditions were great in San Francisco. Not very different from a domed attempt.
I’m not a huge Badgley fan and he is definitely not a weapon, but he does generally make the kicks they allow him to take.
Campbell’s going for it was about being aggressive not afraid to use Badgley.
This stat has nothing to do with teams, it’s all about kicking outdoors from 45-49 yards.
his record kicking off grass has everything to do with Dan’s decision to attempt the field goal. Badgley is 50%! His only field goal over 40 yards in 2023 was a 41 yarder off the turf in Dallas. His only field goal over 40 yards for the entire year.
Yes we need a kicker for 2024, it will change the analytics moving forward.
You are still quoting stats from 4 years ago and selectively picking stats.
Badgley has made 12 of 14 FG’s outside in the last 2 seasons and 4 of 5 on grass.
In the 2023/24 season Badgley didn’t miss a FG. His longest FG off of turf was 54 yds.
He did not play in a game on grass until the Championship game in SF and made all of his kicks.
The Lions practice outdoors on grass everyday.
The fact that Badgley didn’t attempt many on grass is because not many teams play on grass and Dan’s aggressive nature.
I think the Lions can upgrade at kicker, but Dan was being aggressive in the Championship game, not fearful.
You’d also assume that DC knows his kicker better than the kicker’s stats know the kicker, ya know?
Something about the setup made Gamblin’ Dan antsy.
And most of those kicks happend in 2020 which was his worst career year by a wide margin. Sorry but a bad outlier year doesn’t negate the fact for the previous 4 years he has been accurate in that range.
Badgley it shaky from 45+. If there was a highlight of every kick he made as a Lion, there would be a ton of ugly FGs that he made. When kicking from 40+, he just isn’t smooth. If the Lions had a ton of confidence in him, he would’ve made the opening day roster. If he was a good kicker, someone would have signed him and kept him when he was cut. If he was a good kicker, he would’ve landed a multi year deal in FA.
Badgley 100% factored into Dan’s decision making. If he had Justin Tucker I’d bet he kicks the FG both times in the 2nd half.
Does Badgley factor into going for two from the 7 when a kick would tie the game?
Does Badgley factor into fake punts from inside your own 30 yard line?
Dan is by far the most aggressive coach in the NFL.
It is who he is.
I’m not a Badgley fan and his kicks may not be pretty but they go through.
Kickers bounce around the NFL all the time. There are probably 10 established long term kickers and the rest are year to year.
Badgley was available because of leg strength on kickoffs and to a lesser extent on FG’s. Before this rule change most teams just kicked the ball through the end zone for touchbacks. Badgley couldn’t do that #1, and also didn’t have +55 range.
I love DC as Lions coach and I accept his aggressive moves even if I sometimes don’t agree.
But evidence shows that Badgley was a reliable kicker (he didn’t miss a FG all season) in that situation and Dan is aggressive in all kinds of situations.
Even with a Justin Tucker Dan would likely have gone for it as he has done numerous times where kicking a FG with ANY kicker was over 90% likely to be successful (attempts inside the 20yard line).
Very good points. It’s not just the kicker situation. Coach Campbell is basically the honey badger…
No one is saying Badgley is all pro. But not sure I buy the argument Dan is aggressive because the “kicker” isn’t good.
I mean Badgleys career long as a Lion is 53 yards. But we don’t trust him to make a mid 40s? Despite the stats saying he accurate in that range.
Dan is who he is despite the kicker. For better or worse. And most times its been for the better.